The warrior’s other hand rested upon the neck of a wolven, broad and muscular, standing almost as tall as the warrior’s chest. Its teeth were bared in a snarl, long canines curved, scars latticing its body.

‘Behold Corban, the Bright Star, founder of this Order,’ Sig bellowed. ‘And Storm, his faithful companion.’

‘Told you he had a pet wolven,’ someone said.

‘Storm was no pet,’ Sig growled at them.

A figure stepped out from the fire glow of the keep behind the statue, the jut of a curved sword sheathed across its back. Byrne, the high captain of their Order. A giant walked beside her, the outline of a crow upon the giant’s shoulder. Sig raised her hand to them, saw Byrne raise hers in return, then turn and walk back into the keep.

Sig led their party through the courtyard towards the main stable block, a word to Hammer and the bear was slowing to a halt as stablehands swarmed to meet them.

‘Back to your tower and report to the crow master,’ Sig said to Rab, who was still clinging determinedly to Cullen’s shoulder. The white crow looked up at her from its human perch, appeared to sigh – a rise and slump of its wings, if that was possible for a crow – and then winged into the air, spiralling slowly upwards, circling the tower that loomed behind the keep. Other dark-winged shapes appeared from the tower, a raucous cawing drifting down from them.

‘Hope they’re nice to him,’ Cullen muttered beside Sig.

Sig just shook her head.

‘See to your mount, greet your kin, and then meet me in the High Captain’s chamber,’ Sig said to Cullen and Keld, ‘I’ll see that our new recruits are looked after.’ They nodded to her and dismounted, leading their horses to the stables.

Sig turned to look at the two score young warriors behind her.

‘Welcome to Dun Seren,’ she said.

‘Welcome home,’ Byrne said with a warm smile as Sig stepped into the High Captain’s chambers, Cullen and Keld either side of her. Fen the wolven-hound was with them, slinking towards a fire that blazed in a hearth almost the size of one wall. He flopped down in front of it with a satisfied sigh.

I’m glad Dun Seren was built by giants, Sig thought. At least I don’t have to lower my head entering every chamber, or risk smashing any chair I sit in.

Byrne looked older. Sig had been gone from Dun Seren less than six moons, but the lines in Byrne’s face were deeper, and there was more silver creeping through her once-black hair.

‘Did you miss me, cousin?’ Cullen said, all smiles and swagger, the returning hero, his sleeves rolled up to show his new-earned scar, a white slash through the centre of his left bicep.

Fool boy. There’ll come a time when he wishes for fewer scars, and the ache they give him.