'Don't hardly matter whose signs they are,' muttered Dow, 'just look at the numbers of 'em. There's half the fucking North down there.'

'And the worst half,' said Dogman. He was looking at Bethod's sign, set up in the middle of the host. A red circle daubed on black hides, an acre of 'em, it looked like, big as a field, mounted on a tall pine trunk, flapping evil in the wind. Huge great thing. 'Wouldn't fancy carrying it,' he muttered.

Dow slithered over and leaned in close. 'Might be that we could sneak in there in the dark,' he whispered. 'Might be we could sneak in and put a blade in Bethod.'

They all looked at each other. It was a terrible risk, but Dogman had no doubts it was worth the trying. Wasn't a one of them hadn't dreamed of sending Bethod back to the mud.

'Put a blade in him, the bastard,' muttered Tul, and he had a smile right across his face.

'Uh,' grunted Grim.

'That's a task worth doing,' hissed Dow. 'That's real work!'

Dogman nodded, looking down at all them fires. 'No doubt.' Noble work. Work for Named Men like them, or like they used to be, maybe. There'd be some songs about that, alright. Dogman's blood was rushing at the thought, skin prickling on his hands, but Threetrees was having none of it.

'No. We can't risk it. We got to go back and tell the Union. Tell 'em they got guests coming. Bad guests, and in numbers.' He tugged at his beard, and Dogman could tell he didn't like it, backing off. None of 'em did, but they knew he was right, even Dow. Chances were they'd never get to Bethod, and if they did they'd never get out.

'We got to go back,' said Dogman.

'Fair enough,' said Dow. 'We go back. Shame though.'

'Aye,' said Threetrees. 'Shame.'

Long Shadows

Long Shadows

« ^ »

'By the dead.'

Ferro said nothing, but for the first time since Logen met her, the scowl had slipped off. Her face was slack, mouth hanging slightly open. Luthar, on the other hand, was grinning like a fool.

'You ever see anything like that?' he shouted over the noise, pointing out at it with a trembling hand.

'There is nothing else like that,' said Bayaz.