‘So, what now, chief?’ Keld said to Sig.

‘We go kill them,’ Cullen said. ‘What else?’

‘No,’ Sig said. ‘We take Drem back to Dun Seren and report to Byrne.’

‘But we’re so close,’ Cullen said. ‘And what about these Ferals, and a Starstone Sword? How can we just walk away from that?’

‘You remember Ardain?’ Sig said. ‘Where we attacked one Kadoshim and its coven. We had the Battlechief of Ardain at our back with a few score of his best shieldmen, and it was still a hard fight.’

‘It was nothing,’ Cullen said, ‘we barely worked up a sweat.’

‘That scar on your arm says different,’ Keld said.

‘Aye, well, I’ve matured since then.’

Rab squawked.

‘Three Kadoshim together,’ Sig muttered. ‘And what if each of their covens are with them? That is the most Kadoshim sighted together since the Battle of Varan’s Fall. Where your mother fell.’ She nodded to Drem.

‘Da told me only a little of it,’ Drem said.

‘I will tell you of it. Of her. Songs are sung of her that day.’

‘I would like to hear that,’ Drem said quietly.

‘How many acolytes?’ Sig asked him.

‘Acolytes?’

‘The shaven-haired warriors.’

‘Many,’ Drem said. ‘Two boatloads, and others already at the compound.’

‘And these creatures, these Ferals?’

‘In cages. It could be ten, could be fifty. A hundred. I’m guessing at much of this, you understand?’ Drem said. ‘It was dark. I was terrified.’

‘Poor Drem,’ Rab cawed from above them.

‘Aye. Approximate numbers, but the result is the same. A lot. Too many, and at least three Kadoshim. One Kadoshim is hard enough to kill.’ She looked at Keld and Cullen. ‘I’ve much faith in you two, in Hammer and Fen. And my own sword arm. But—’

‘And me. And Drem,’ Rab squawked.

‘Aye, even you, Rab,’ Sig said. ‘And Drem, but we’ve no right to ask him to go into any battle with us, let alone one where we are so heavily outnumbered. And Byrne needs to know of this. We should go back to Dun Seren, come back with a few hundred swords.’

‘Ach, we didn’t come all this way for nothing,’ Cullen said.

‘We’ve achieved much already,’ Sig said, frowning at him. ‘We’ve saved our long-lost brother, for one. And his information is more valuable than gold, for two.’ Even so, Drem could see it pained her even to consider walking away from this fight. But it was the logical thing to do.

‘You said I was your brother, your kin?’ Drem said.

‘Aye, that you are, Drem,’ Sig said. ‘I have told you, you are kin to me. As much a part of us as Olin was, and know this: if you have need, I – we – will be there, at your side. We are bonded, we few of the Order of the Bright Star, a bond of blood and friendship, unto death.’