‘It’s unusual to have a queen on the throne, isn’t it?’ Lann said. ‘Why do our people think a man should reign? Women should be given the chance to show they can rule every bit as well as their male counterparts.’

‘Unlike me, you mean?’ Astrid said in a loud voice.

‘No.’ The word came too fast and too loud, and his face flushed crimson again. ‘That’s not what I meant. You did the best you could. You were just, er … What I mean is …’

He stopped when he saw both women laughing. Cursing himself, he mumbled under his breath how he should, in future, keep his mouth shut on matters he had no real grasp of. His reaction, however, only resulted in more hilarity.

‘It’s all right, Lann,’ Astrid said, waving away his embarrassment. ‘But you’re right when you say it is unfair. As queen regent, Favner would be forced to hand the throne to the next heir apparent once he became of age. In this case, her young son.’

‘The one who has disappeared?’ As he said these words, the sword, silent until now, let out a strange noise, and a small frown clouded Astrid’s face, as if she too had heard it.

‘I think your brother’s advice to steer well clear of any contact with the new queen is well given,’ Fleya said. ‘Vorneland is not the kingdom it once was.’

The remainder of the day went by peacefully as they rode through a largely agricultural landscape. The only sign that people lived here was the occasional column of smoke drifting up from the chimney of the odd farmhouse they passed.

They built no fire that night – ‘Just in case,’ Fleya said. ‘Try to get some sleep now,’ she went on, hunkering down among the furs that made up her bedding. ‘If we make the same time tomorrow, we should make it all the way through Vorneland by noon. After that, the tower where Kelewulf and the lich have absconded to is a relatively short ride.’

Something at the edge of his consciousness made Lann open his eyes from the deep sleep he’d been in. He stared up at the deadly spear tip inches from his face, and the group of men surrounding him. His breath caught in his throat. Very slowly he felt down by his side and was shocked to discover the black blade was not there. Frowning, he tried to make sense of what was happening. If one of these men had taken the Dreadblade, why hadn’t the sword warned him?

Careful not to make any sudden movements, he slowly glanced to his left, his heart sinking when he saw that Astrid and Fleya also had spears pointed at them.

Their captors ignored the trio’s furious questions and protestations as they were dragged to their feet. Then, with their hands bound behind them, they were bundled up into their saddles.