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Chapters (76)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise forMATTHEW HARFFY
  3. BY MATTHEW HARFFY
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright
  6. Dedication
  7. Maps
  8. Epigraph
  9. Contents
  10. Place Names
  11. One
  12. Two
  13. Three
  14. Four
  15. Five
  16. Six
  17. Seven
  18. Eight
  19. Nine
  20. Ten
  21. Eleven
  22. Twelve
  23. Thirteen
  24. Fourteen
  25. Fifteen
  26. Sixteen
  27. Seventeen
  28. Eighteen
  29. Nineteen
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Twenty-Three
  34. Twenty-Four
  35. Twenty-Five
  36. Twenty-Six
  37. Twenty-Seven
  38. Twenty-Eight
  39. Twenty-Nine
  40. Thirty
  41. Thirty-One
  42. Thirty-Two
  43. Thirty-Three
  44. Thirty-Four
  45. Thirty-Five
  46. Thirty-Six
  47. Thirty-Seven
  48. Thirty-Eight
  49. Thirty-Nine
  50. Forty
  51. Forty-One
  52. Forty-Two
  53. Forty-Three
  54. Forty-Four
  55. Forty-Five
  56. Forty-Six
  57. Forty-Seven
  58. Forty-Eight
  59. Forty-Nine
  60. Fifty
  61. Fifty-One
  62. Fifty-Two
  63. Fifty-Three
  64. Fifty-Four
  65. Fifty-Five
  66. Fifty-Six
  67. Fifty-Seven
  68. Fifty-Eight
  69. Fifty-Nine
  70. Sixty
  71. Sixty-One
  72. Sixty-Two
  73. Author’s Note
  74. Acknowledgements
  75. About the Author
  76. An Invitation from the Publisher

I jumped a couple of times, raising my knees up high, emulating Varin. I rolled my head once, hearing my neck crackle with tension. I was certainly not as ready as Varin, but there was nothing for it now. I could feel the eyes of everyone on me. I dared not look away from the direction we were to run in, but I sensed Thurid’s gaze on me. I nodded.

Varin dropped into a running stance. I copied him.

“Very well,” shouted Toki. “May the gods smile on you both, and may the fastest man prevail!”

I was taken by surprise when Varin, clearly knowing this to be the signal to start, sprinted off. He was fast and I was already a few paces behind him when I started my own run. It was as Lambi had said. His older brother ran like the wind, his legs carrying him over the turf seemingly without effort.

The crowd erupted in a great roar of shouted encouragement for their runner of choice. The dogs barked and the children shrieked in excitement. The ground was cool and hard beneath my feet. The short grass whipped against my bare feet and ankles. I ignored everything save Varin’s back. I needed to push hard to close the gap between us, but as Varin passed the staff for the first time, I was only an arm’s length behind him. I realised then that being so close to him it was easier for me to keep up Varin’s pace, as the taller man protected me from the wind of our passing. I allowed the cheering to wash over me and matched Varin stride for stride.

I could tell in that second lap around the circle that if we had raced side-by-side, I would not have stood a chance against Varin. But perhaps by slotting in behind him, and taking advantage of the shielding his body provided me, I would conserve just enough energy to be able to pass him before the end.

I thought I heard my name in the shouts as we passed the staff for the second time. Those who screamed for me to win sounded desperate to my ears, increasingly certain they were going to lose their bets. Varin risked a glance over his shoulder and I saw the edge of a smile on his face as he saw me behind him.