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failed so far to speak with the Folk Below, but not exactly why. Nobody said anything, so I cleared my throat and went on. “If they agree to come, we’ll have to shield every piece of iron at Shadowfell.”
    Milla smiled. “Prepare a feast without pots and pans, ladles or knives? That’ll be a challenge and a half.”
    “Regan would talk to them about the rebellion and how they can help us. And I would ask them for help in finding the Guardians, the ones who can teach me. There’s another thing.”
    “Go on,” Regan said.
    “I’ve talked about this with Sage and Red Cap, and theythink we should suggest it to the Folk Below. Some of the Good Folk have the forms of birds, or something close. I have met one, Daw, who called himself a bird-friend. Daw is able to send crows to spy and to carry messages. This could be a way of getting word from one of your teams to another very quickly. A crow could fly from Shadowfell to the north, or from the Rush valley to the isles, in far less time than it would take a man to ride.” After a moment I added, “I believe that would reduce our losses. It would mean folk wouldn’t need to take the kind of risk Cian and his comrades did.”
    “Birds that talk.” Andra’s tone was flat with disbelief.
    “Let Neryn tell us,” Regan said. “You were at the battle last autumn; you saw what she can do. There are wonders here that we can hardly imagine. Talking birds are probably the least of it.”
    “Daw can certainly speak as we do. And he can make the birds understand.” I thought of the owl-like creature that had helped me survive a chill night. “Among the Northies—the northern Good Folk—there’s at least one that has a bird form.”
    “This could make all the difference.” Tali’s face was alight with enthusiasm now. “It would allow us to coordinate our forces, to ensure everything’s in place at the same time. Provided the Good Folk can be trusted, it would allow us to pass on information ten times more quickly. And secretly, since these folk only make themselves visible to humankind if they choose. We must hold this council; we must persuade them to do this.”
    Her tone troubled me. “It may not be so easy,” I told her. “The Good Folk have difficulty agreeing even among themselves. And in times of crisis they mostly go to ground, hide away until the threat is past. Sage and Red Cap are exceptional. It’s very possible the others may refuse to help.”
    “But you’re a Caller,” said Tali. “Can’t you make them help us?”
    I hesitated. My instincts told me compelling uncanny folk into action could only lead to disaster. Surely it was best that they stood up for justice because it was what they believed in.
    “Seems to me,” Milla said, “the first thing we should be doing is thanking them. After all the good they’ve done us since we came to Shadowfell, it’s past time for a bit of recompense. A feast, yes. And a payment of some kind, like the offerings folk used to put out on the doorstep to keep the Good Folk happy.”
    There was a silence while everyone considered this.
    “Can’t imagine what such folk would have need of,” said Little Don, who was toying with the playing pieces for stanies.
    “In the longer term, ridding Alban of its tyrannical ruler is the best gift we can offer,” Regan said. “You say the Good Folk would rather hide away. Don’t they value the notion of an Alban at peace, a country where they can go unmolested?”
    “They may doubt our ability to deliver peace,” said Andra. “We are of humankind after all, the same kind as Keldec and his Enforcers.”
    “Then it’s up to Regan to convince them,” said Tali. “We need these folk on our side. Once Neryn gets them to this council, he’ll have to make the speech of his life.”
    The spiral stair led down into the heart of the mountain. The first time I had entered the maze of passageways that made up the rebel headquarters, I had almost fallen down here while