Five shrugged and started chewing noisily. “By the frost, it’s all a bit mysterious, isn’t it?” he said, wiping his fingers on his furs. He rolled his eyes at their stares. “You’ve all forgotten the woods because you’re too focused on one tree. The lodge walls were breached for the first time ever and out of everyone they took Seven. Why?”

Twelve frowned and risked a grudging glance at Five. It was a good question, one she should have asked herself. The group mulled it over in silence.

“During the Dark War, the goblins often kidnapped enemies,” Dog said eventually. “People who could reveal information when tortured.” Everyone winced, but Dog carried on talking. “Clan leaders, witches, and Hunters were all targeted.” He paused. “Sometimes their families. The daughter of a cave clan leader was taken to force his cooperation. He complied, but she was still returned in pieces.”

“We’re, uh . . . talking emotionally, I hope?” Five asked. “She was in figurative, emotional pieces?”

“No. Actual pieces,” Dog growled. “Legs and arms and . . .”

“All right,” Five said quickly, looking ill, “I get the idea.”

Twelve’s stomach curdled at the mention of the cave clan. “I’m surprised they had to take his daughter at all,” she said, her voice harsh. “The cave clan were collaborators.”

“No,” Dog said with authority. “It was never that simple.”

“Really?” Twelve asked, anger hot in her veins. “I can’t have been listening properly in Elder Hoarfrost’s lessons, then. Didn’t the cave clan shelter the goblins after the Battle of Breakneck, allowing them to escape capture? Didn’t the same goblins later attack a river clan village, sinking it completely?” Her voice rose as she spoke until she was almost shouting.

“Some sympathized with the goblins,” Dog said, his expression far away as he remembered. “Most of the cave clan did not. They were horrified by the goblin atrocities. And afraid. The type of fear that changes people. You cannot understand the darkness that reigned back then. Terror stalked the world. Much was sacrificed to banish it.”

A deathly silence had fallen over the group as they listened, and the hair prickled at the nape of Twelve’s neck.

“Battle lines were drawn in the caves. The fiercest fighting was there. And it was where I spent most of the war.” A strange shiver passed over him and he stood up suddenly, shaking himself. “You cannot judge a whole clan based on the actions of a few.” His voice was brusque. “You should know better, Twelve.”

Twelve snorted. She judged them all right.

Before she could speak again, Six interrupted. “We’re getting off the subject.” His voice was tight. “The Dark War is ancient history. Let’s talk about now. How did the goblins get inside the lodge without anyone knowing?”

Dog stared at him for a moment, his expression unreadable. “Ancient history for you perhaps. I remember it like it was yesterday.”