Brina blinked at that, sudden pain washing her face. With an obvious effort she smoothed it away.

'Corban told me how he . . . about the battle in the mountains of Domhain, against giants and wolven.'

'Uthas,' Brina said.

'Bad giant,' Craf muttered.

'Peck out his eyes,' Fech added, vehemently.

'What?'

Something dark contorted Brina's features, her eyes narrowing. 'Uthas is the name of the Benothi giant that killed Heb. I've been talking to Fech.'

'Ye s, s h e h a s,' Fech confirmed.

'I know Uthas,' Cywen said. 'He joined Rhin and Nathair. He is in league with Rhin.' I hate him, as I hate all of my captors. Other faces swam in her mind Alcyon, Veradis. Faces that had shown her some measure of kindness amidst the bleak horror of it all. Maybe not all.

'He is a traitor to his kin,' Fech muttered.

'He killed my Heb. I'm going to kill him.' There was no humour, no kindness in Brina's voice now.

'We ,' Fech corrected.

'Sorry, we,' Brina smiled, a cold thing.

'And then I will eat his eyes,' Fech added.

'Good,' Cywen said fiercely. 'Heb was very brave, standing against a giant.'

'He was a fool,' Brina said, 'but he was my fool, and I miss him.' Her expression softened. Craf fluttered down and landed on Brina's shoulder, began running his beak through her hair. Brina absently scratched Craf's wing. 'The only other person I've told that to is your brother.' She smiled at Cywen. It was very out of character.

'Why are you being so nice to me?' Cywen asked suspiciously.

'I can be nice,' Brina snapped. 'You've been through a lot. And now you're here, back with kin and friends, and yet you feel . . .'

'Out of place,' Cywen finished for her. 'Useless.'

'Useless, useless, useless,' Craf repeated. Cywen shot a glare at him.

'You're not, you know. Useless, or out of place,' Brina said to Cywen. 'You're in the only right place around people that care for you. You just need to find your feet again.'

'Are you feeling sorry for me?'

'Aach, you're a proud one, and no mistake.'

'PROUD,' Craf screeched from Brina's shoulder. She shooed him off, rubbing at her ear.

'Not sorry for you, Cywen, I'm just one of the few that care about you, that's all. And it just so happens that I need a new apprentice.'

'What do you mean?' Cywen asked.

'As you've pointed out, Corban is busy. He was my apprentice I've taught him much of the art of healing. But he is busy, and that's not likely to change. I need help my guess is there's going to be a lot of blood spilt before this is all over. Someone has to try and patch the wounded up. And I can't do it on my own.' She shrugged. 'I'm asking you to help me, and as you've just told me that you feel useless, I'm thinking you should be saying yes to my proposition. You need something to do; I need someone to do things for me.' She smiled, a little too sweetly for Cywen's liking.

Cywen felt as if she'd been neatly manoeuvred into this position, but as she thought about it, the idea of being Brina's apprentice did not seem so bad. Apart from one thing or two.

'On one condition. I'll not be told what to do by two crows.'

'Raven,' Fech corrected.

'By a raven and a crow,' Cywen shrugged.

'You'll have to work that out with Craf and Fech,' Brina said.

'Craf. Orders,' the crow cawed, then clacked his beak repeatedly.

'Is he laughing at me?'

'Yes, I believe he is.'

Hooves sounded then, growing closer.

'Uh-oh,' Craf squawked and launched himself into the branches above them, merging with the shadows.

Cywen turned to see a handful of riders coming through the woods towards them. Coralen was at their head. To one side a Jehar warrior rode, a female with a thick white streak in her black hair. On Coralen's other side was Dath, his long bow strung and strapped to his saddle. He flashed a grin at Cywen as they drew up in the glade. Storm and Buddai loped up behind them, Buddai padding forward to nuzzle Cywen's hip.

'Corban was looking for you,' Coralen said. She wore a wolven pelt for a cloak, a sword at her hip, a knife beside it. Another knife hilt jutted from her boot, and Cywen saw a gauntlet hanging from her saddle pommel, three iron claws protruding from it. Like Corban's. 'He wants you back at the camp.'

'He's my brother, not my lord,' Cywen snapped. Something about Coralen's tone irritated her.

'Camp is broken. They're ready to ride,' Coralen said. 'All are waiting on you.'

'We'll leave when Brina is done,' Cywen said, knowing she was being childish.

Coralen shrugged, which annoyed Cywen even more.

'We are done here,' Brina p.r.o.nounced.

Storm growled, Buddai as well, looking at a cl.u.s.ter of trees at the far end of the glade. A twig snapped. In a heartbeat Cywen had a knife from her belt and threw it. It stuck quivering in a trunk. Dath had his bow in his hand, arrow nocked, Coralen and the Jehar had drawn their blades.

'Come out, if you know what's good for you,' Coralen said.

There was a drawn-out moment, then a figure emerged from behind the tree. A giant, but slimmer, gangly limbs, and with no hair upon its face, not even straggly wisps of a moustache, like the other giantlings Cywen had seen.

A giant bairn, a girl.

She had her hands raised, palms out, and her eyes were wide, flitting from Storm to the array of weapons lined before her.

'Mi breun chan aimhleas,' the young giant said.

'She means no harm,' Brina said. It took a moment for Cywen to realize that Brina had translated from giantish. She can teach me that, if she likes.

The giant looked at Cywen's knife stuck in the tree. She pulled it out, stared at the blade a moment, then ran, faster than Cywen would have thought possible.

'Hey, that's my knife,' Cywen shouted, but the giantling had already disappeared amongst the trees.

'The Benothi,' Coralen spat, then shrugged and looked at Cywen and Brina. 'Nice throw. Now get back to camp if you don't want to be left behind.' She looked up at the branches above them. 'Craf, I know you're hiding up there. Come with me you've got work to do.'

'Not fair,' Craf grumbled.

Fech clacked his beak, the sound like laughter.

'And I don't know why you're here,' Coralen said to Fech. 'You're supposed to be flying rearguard.'

'Talking to Brina. Important,' Fech squawked.

'Not as important as protecting us from Kadoshim,' Coralen said. 'Go on with you.' She spurred her mount on. Dath winked a goodbye and they all rode off, Storm shadowing them. Buddai whined and Cywen rested a hand on his neck. 'Stay with me, Buds.'

'Tired,' Craf protested.

'Busy,' Fech complained, but they both took to flight, flapping noisily away.

'They're good birds, but lazy,' Brina said, a half-smile twitching her lips as she watched until they'd disappeared.

'Craf's too opinionated,' Cywen said.

'A terrible affliction, I must agree.' Brina regarded Cywen with a raised eyebrow. Cywen had the good manners to blush.

'Come on, then,' Brina said. 'Make sure that bag's tied properly, and be quick about it. Don't be ruining my supply of elder.'

Cywen sighed and rolled her eyes. What have I let myself in for?

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

CAMLIN.

Camlin checked over his kit methodically. He'd put a fresh coat of wax on his long bow of yew and had three hemp strings rolled in wax in a leather pouch. A quiver of thirty arrows stood wrapped in oiled doeskin the ship they were sailing upon was a trader and had a good selection of furs and tanned skins. He emptied his bag, checked over its contents again. A copper box packed with dry tinder and kindling. A flint and iron. Fish-hooks and animal gut for the st.i.tching of wounds. Various medicinal herbs honey, sorrel leaves, yarrow and seed of the poppy. A roll of linen bandages. An arterial strap. An iron to heat for the cauterization of wounds. A needle and hemp thread. And a pot.

I'm looking at the difference between life and death.

Most of it he'd traded or won at dice during the journey from Domhain. Some of it he'd bought. He knew it would be needed, and they would reach their destination soon: Ardan, ruled by the enemy, where they would be hunted.

A horn rang out above him, muted by timber, and shouts followed.

Land.

Camlin climbed above-decks and rolled his shoulder and lifted his arm, more out of habit than need. It had healed well. Over a ten-night had pa.s.sed since Baird had pulled the shaft through his shoulder. Three days ago he'd strung and nocked his bow, tested to see if he could draw it. His muscles had protested and he'd not pushed them. He'd done the same each day, and earlier today he'd managed a full draw, a bit shaky, but nothing had snapped, so that was good enough for him.

The first person on the deck he saw was Vonn, leaning at a rail, staring at a dark line on the horizon. A coastline rose up from the horizon, dark cliffs and tangled coves. Land. Camlin grinned at the sight of it.

Ardan.

Around him the ship's crew were busy, climbing in rigging, securing ropes. Doing what sailors do. There was a tension in the air now, an excitement. The end of their time at sea had arrived, and they were about to begin something new. Something more dangerous, most likely, but I don't care. Another night on this d.a.m.n tub and I'll go mad.

Others were gathering on the deck now, warriors preparing to disembark. Camlin joined Vonn. 'Home,' Vonn told him.

Vonn's face was a mixture of emotion longing, fear. It'll be hard for him. His da rules there now.

'You ready for this?' Camlin asked him.

Vonn looked at him for a few long moments. 'I'm ready. I've always been ready. The night Dun Carreg fell I was ready. If my oath to Edana had not kept me with her, I'd have put a sword through my da's traitorous heart.'

Right now, I believe you. But words are easier spoken than deeds are done. How would you feel if you stood before Evnis? Could see him, look him in the eye, hear his words?

'Is that really Ardan?' a voice said behind them. Camlin turned to see Edana. Her hand rested on a sword at her hip. Our warrior Queen. Baird stood beside her. The one-eyed warrior had become her shadow, rarely leaving her side.

'Aye, it is,' Camlin said.

'There were times when I thought I'd never return.' Edana took a deep breath. 'Time to roll the dice.'

Why does she look at me whenever dice are mentioned?

They stood together and watched the coast grow closer, their ship angling towards a cove with steep-sided cliffs. The sail was furled and two rowing boats were lowered from the deck to the slate-grey sea. Roisin and Edana spoke to the captain, thanked him, and then the group of them were rowing towards the coast. They sc.r.a.ped onto a thin strip of shingle and clambered onto solid ground, Camlin grinning for the joy of it. I hate the sea. It felt strange, the ground steady beneath his feet, and he stumbled as his body still compensated for the eternal pitch and roll of a ship's deck.

Roisin stood with Lorcan, her warriors spread protectively about them, a score of men. Most of them gazed up at the cliffs. Seamen from the rowing boats deposited a barrel onto the shingle, then with a last goodbye and a wave they rowed back to their ship.

'Smoked herring,' Baird p.r.o.nounced as he sniffed the barrel. 'Draw lots for who's carrying it?'

'I'll carry it,' a tall and solid warrior said. He didn't seem to have a neck. Brogan, one of Roisin's. Camlin had won a fine deerskin belt from him.

'No complaints from me,' Baird grinned.

'Vonn, with me,' Camlin said, and without a look back he was climbing the slope, following a narrow goat track into the cove's cliffs, twisting its way upwards. He used his unstrung bow as a staff. The calling of gulls in the air was loud, the cliffs of the cove cl.u.s.tered with nests; here and there were stunted bushes bent by the wind.

Camlin emerged onto a landscape of rolling moorland and hidden gullies. He could see for leagues and took a few moments to check for company, then he turned and waved to those gathered below, all looking up at him. They started their climb.