Chapter 125

HE WAS enjoying himself. After dragooning a small group of boys into taking supper to the men conferring in the guardhouse, Corliss chivvied Wil into making a circuit of the camp, stopping to greet those she'd met and introduce Wil in a less overwhelming way than had been done earlier. This time he met eyes and marked faces, though he doubted he'd remember names--there were so many of them. All of them friendly but quiet at first, until they--like Ryne before--were assured by Corliss in various humorous ways that the light show was finished and there was no danger of it starting up again.

The Old Ones watched it all, and Wil watched them back, wondering, until eventually--between one glance over his shoulder and the next--they had gone. No one seemed to mark their absence but him.