Lise sighed quietly. She felt really bad about the dryads.

She puts the stick in her satchel.

They left at dawn. Time enough for them to catch maybe two hours of sleep on the lumpy ground, and say their last goodbyes to Puck. He was still sleeping, deep within the tree, when they woke up in the still hours before sunrise. The dryad attached to the oak told them he still lived, but she didn't have any idea when he would wake.

Being alive was enough for her.

Isiea hops back onto Ares back.

Sometime last night, Ash had taken the Witchwood and had turned it into an arrow before giving it back to Isiea. Speaking of which, he was dressed for battle, with his sword at his waist and a bow slung across his back.

"I have been thinking," Grimalkin announced, leaping onto a rock. "Perhaps we should rethink our strategy," he said, looking at each of them. "It occurs to me that charging headlong into Machinas realm is a singularly bad idea."

" of course it is. "

Isiea stares at the arrow. She then rolls her eyes and puts it back in her satchel.

"Given that he keeps sending his officers after us, I would guess that he probably knows we are coming. Why did he kidnap your brother in the first place? He must have known you would come after him. Something is missing. Or maybe we are just not seeing it. The Iron King would have no use for a child. Unless..." The cat looked up at them, narrowing his eyes. "I am leaving."

,, Why? ,, Isiea blinks and stares at him in surprise.