The dog. The accursed dog. "Very well. I'll be your servant, too." Farid brought the words out only with difficulty. "If you will bring him back."
"Excellent!" Orpheus smiled. "Then, for a start, get me some food. It looks as if we're going to be embarking on a long and uncomfortable march."
Farid gritted his teeth, but of course he obeyed. He would have scraped the silver from the towers of the Castle of Night to get Dustfinger breathing again.
"Farid? What is it? Are you coming with us?" Meggie stepped into his path as he ran past her, with bread and dried meat for Cheeseface in his pockets.
"Yes – yes, we're coming with you!" He flung his arms around her neck, but only once he saw that Silvertongue's back was turned to him. You never knew with fathers. "I'll save him, Meggie!" he whispered in her ear. "I'll bring Dustfinger back. This story will have a happy ending. I swear!"