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branches thrusting out in all directions. Some of these extended over the road, and I hurried to stand in the shade that they threw.

    Eluned was looking all around. She had put down her luggage and, still stood in the sunshine, held her hand over her eyes as she looked.

    “Here we must leave the road, my lady. Our destination is south of here.”

    “I thought you said that this road leads to Uricon?”

    “Up to this point it does. The old people changed the path laid down by the old Romans. If we continue on the road we will come to one of your people’s small cities. We must not do that.”

    “There is a caster out here? I have never heard of one.”

    “They say it is called ‘Salopian Caster’. It holds only a small group of your people. When the shadow of the sun is lower, my lady, the old Roman road will become clear. Then we shall follow it. While we wait let us eat.”

    She stepped into the shadow of the tree, opened her bag and handed me a piece of cheese and the brown bottle. Ignoring the repellent smell and texture of the cheese, I hungrily bit into it.

Chapter 12

    When we had eaten, Eluned put the bottle back in her bag and stepped out into the now much weaker sunlight. As the sun sank, the shadows it cast grew longer. I watched, fascinated, as the shadow of the tree under which I was standing rapidly moved away until it no longer covered me. At the same time, in the field opposite where I stood, another shadow grew. Soon it stretched away into the distance, clearly indicating the path of a once existing road.

    “We must follow the shadow, my lady. Quickly. It will not linger long.”

    She climbed over the remains of what once must have been a gate into the field and set off. Quickly, I followed her. Our going became naturally much slower now, as we pushed through the dense undergrowth. When we reached a hedge we had to hunt for the gap through it before returning to the shadow road. After what seemed like many hours of this struggle, but was probably only about an hour or two, I spotted a building off to our right.

    “Is that the building, Eluned?” I said, pointing.

    “It is. Further from this shadow road than I thought. Come. Follow me.”

    She pushed her way through what was now long, matted grass towards it. Before too long we came upon an opening in the hedge at the edge of this field and, passing through, came face to face with what was left of a once substantial house. Unlike the previous ruin in which we had spent our first night, this house still had an almost intact roof, and on the upper floor there was still glass in the windows. The front door, beneath a small porch, was open. As I stepped onto the pathway that led up to this, Eluned grabbed my arm and stopped me. I turned to face her.

    “What? Why are you stopping now?”

    “This house was made by the old people, my lady. It should not be like this.” She was whispering. “We cannot stay here.”

    I struggled to release my arm. “Should not be like what? I don’t understand. There’s no one here.”

    “No one is here now. Soon they will be here.”

    “Who? Who will be here? How do you know that?”

    “The chimney, my lady.” She pointed out the chimney which rose from one end of the building.
    At first, I saw nothing, but then I saw what she was pointing at. A thin line of smoke wound up from the chimney. Some one had lit a fire. Maybe some time ago, but obviously earlier that day.

    “We cannot stay. They will return now the sun is setting.”

    “Who, Eluned? Who will return?”

    “Crwydwyr, my lady. They are like the Vagabondi we saw on the other side of the dyke, only these are from a different tribe. They use these places, though I did not know they were so close to Uricon. They will stay here for two or three days. It is easier than returning to their home place every night.”

    “How do you know this, Eluned?”

    “When we crossed the dyke we entered their country. In the old people’s speech