What to Do?

"And that's the best part of a week away," Jarlath said. "We still have five or six days' journey ahead of us to get to Caemlyn, though, [9010] so if we do go there - as per the original plan - then by the time we arrive it shouldn't be too long before Belinda and Matthias transform back. Of course, just before transforming back they will be at their stupidest, so if there is truly danger then that could be a major problem. The alternatives would be either to take Belinda and Carola directly home, even though the journey would be much longer, or to deliberately travel more slowly so that we reach Caemlyn a couple of days later than we otherwise would. I don't see splitting up into two groups as a sensible option, as in this rough country there's safety in numbers."

"If Astra and Fred succeed in killing the dragon - perhaps have already killed it by now - then they will head for Caemlyn," Carola pointed out. "If they arrive and there is no word of us, then they will be very worried. Even if we still make for Caemlyn, but more slowly, they might well get there ahead of us. Only if we continue as fast as we can will we be fairly sure of arriving first."

Eventually Jarlath and Carola decided that the four of them would:

1. Press on to Caemlyn as fast as they could.
2. Continue towards Caemlyn, but slowly enough that they wouldn't arrive for eight or nine days. (Jarlath couldn't predict precisely when the transformation would reverse itself, so wanted a day or so's safety margin.)
3. Go to Aqualaria instead.

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