‘Aye, this is true,’ Uldin said. ‘Some foul sacrifice was performed.’

‘We will find these monsters and root them out,’ Israfil said, a hint of snarl and iron in his voice, the closest thing to emotion that Bleda had ever seen in the Lord Protector. ‘But we are stretched, the Banished Lands vast, which is why we are blessed with the allies we have. Giants, as well as warriors from throughout the Land of the Faithful; they are a tithe of thanksgiving to aid us in the practicalities of this war that we wage.’

Israfil stopped then, allowing his words to sink in.

‘What are you saying?’ Uldin grated, his voice less warm than before.

‘He is saying that he wants us to fight the Kadoshim,’ Erdene said flatly.

‘Yes, and more,’ Israfil said. ‘It is time for you to show your gratitude to the Faithful, time to prove your commitment both to peace with each other and to the great war. It is time that you committed a tithe of warriors to the cause, just as the other peoples that dwell within the boundaries of the Land of the Faithful do.’

‘Well, now we have it out on the table and plain for the seeing,’ Uldin said.

‘If that is the whole of it,’ Erdene said.

‘That is the meat of it,’ Israfil said, ‘though there is a little more. We want a tithe of warriors soon, and after that, a yearly tithe of your young, to be trained here, at Drassil.’

Bleda felt his face twitch at that, a momentary slip of his cold-face.

They would steal the heart from our people, and deny our culture to each new generation. He controlled the sneer that threatened to twist his face. They would make puppets of us all, turn us into them, pious, wingless pawns.

Uldin and Erdene just stared at Israfil, giving no clue as to their inner reactions.

‘And to cement your peace with one another and your commitment to the cause,’ Israfil said, ‘a symbolic act to bind your Clans further in peace, your two heirs shall also commit to one another.’

For the first time a twitch upon Erdene’s face.

‘What does he mean?’ Jin whispered to Bleda.

‘I . . .’ Bleda said, his voice not working right, his head spinning, for he was sure he knew exactly what Israfil was saying.

‘Bleda and Jin shall be wed,’ the Lord Protector declared.

CHAPTER SEVEN: SIG

CHAPTER SEVEN

SIG

Men and women in hooded cloaks charged at Sig, iron glinting red in the flickering firelight as weapons were drawn, and, from behind her, Keld’s wolven-hounds bounded forwards, crashing into the onrushing crowd, an eruption of blood and screams and snapping, slavering growls. Sig strode forwards, Keld and Cullen close behind, Elgin shouting a battle-cry and leading his men charging from the tunnel entrance.