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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

“Looks like my father won’t secure that trading agreement with fat King Hjorleif after all,” said Gersine, breaking the silence. He winced as he put weight on his leg. On seeing Gersine’s injury by the light from the flames that consumed Gullbringa, Chlotar had ordered his hands to be untied.

“I told you I had struck one of them at the waterfall,” one of the brash archers had said.

“Before you ran away,” replied the other.

“If I had not run,” snapped the first, anger colouring his voice, “you would not have been warned of their coming. The master was pleased that I brought word.”

“Ljósberari would have known whether you had fled or not, Naddod,” Chlotar had said then with a knowing smile. “But you did right to bring us word. Better to hear of things from two messengers than none.” Chlotar had signalled to Gersine, who tottered with difficulty, favouring his left leg. “Hold on to two of your companions. And if you try anything, I will kill you.”

“At least then this damned leg will stop hurting,” Gersine had replied. Chlotar had raised his eyebrows at the young man’s display of bravado. I too was surprised by Gersine’s courage, but I have learnt over the years that some men discover their courage when confronted with danger and adversity. Others, who you had thought would be stalwart in a time of crisis, lose their strength the way water trickles from a cracked pot, leaving a hollow vessel that is good for nothing.

Gersine offered me a thin smile now as he stumbled along between Beorn and Os. The two warriors scowled at me, less forgiving than their lord’s son. I did not blame them.

The settlement was as Ingvar had described it. A collection of ramshackle buildings strewn about a cleared area of land bounded by the river on the west, forest to the north and south, and a soaring, wooded slope to the east. At the centre of the settlement was a long hall. Its roof was shingled in timber and in the bright light of the morning I could see that it was well-maintained. It was older and more solid than the rest of the constructions and must surely have been built before the coming of Ljósberari and his people. For a heartbeat I wondered who it had belonged to and what had become of them. Then the shadow of one of the grisly totems fell over me and I shook my head at my foolishness.