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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 stepped towards him, sending a fast strike at his midriff. He parried my blade on his axe’s haft as I had known he would, and I twisted my wrist. I was going to cut into his hand, but before I could complete the movement, something flashed past my face, making me flinch away.

I could not believe it. The spear had missed me when all the men behind me had to do was to plunge their weapons into my back. How could they have missed? How was such a thing possible? Then I saw that not only had the spear missed me, but it had struck the short axeman square in the chest. He stumbled back and I shook my head. Was this the miracle I had needed? Could this truly be happening?

“Don’t look so surprised, Killer,” said Gwawrddur’s familiar voice. “Did you truly believe we would leave you two to face this horde of maniacs alone?”

For a time I was stunned, unable to speak. I watched as the Welshman leapt forward, his sword appearing to fly into his hand from the scabbard at his belt. The blade flickered, slicing open the throat of the axeman. Two more warriors closed in and before I could move to assist him, Gwawrddur had slain them both. He stepped back to my side.

I finally risked a glance over my shoulder. The men who had blocked our path to the west were now engaged in a new fight. My heart swelled with joy at seeing my friends. Drosten, his tattooed face a mask of fury, parried a blow with a shield he must have picked up from one of the fallen. Surging forward, using the board as a ram, he barged over two men, hacking down with his sword into their exposed flesh. Hereward and Beorn stood shoulder-to-shoulder, shields interlocking. They fought with the calm efficiency of trained killers, stepping forward as they dispatched those who stood before them. With a shock, I saw that even Eadmaer was there. Spear in hand, he walked beside Hereward and defended their flank, jabbing and thrusting to keep the howling enemies at bay.

Looking back towards the burning hall, I saw the young man who now led these people. He stood at the periphery on the edge of the fighting, safely away from the swinging swords and hacking axes. He was screaming, inciting the people to renewed urgency now that the others had come up from the river to our aid.

“Slay them! Slay them all! They bring the darkness. They are the servants of the Devil. Slay th—”

His voice died. His hands reached up to his throat to claw at the knife that was buried there. With a start, I recognised the ivory hilt of my seax.

Turning, I saw Gwawrddur lowering his hand. He had snatched up my seax from the ground and thrown it with his unerring accuracy.