‘How often have you seen Margery over the years?’ Isabel asked after the eagle had gotten her fill of attention and flown off. She sat well back from the fire with her cloak pulled tightly around her.

‘Sometimes I would go months without seeing her at all. Then she would find me, and I’d be so happy, because I knew each time she was coming from you.’ Ita took a drink from her waterskin and handed it to Isabel. ‘But then she started staying with me for longer periods, and I began to worry about you.’

‘So you tied things to her legs to see if I was still alive?’

‘Oh, I knew you were alive. I just had no idea what state you were in.’

Hadewaye took his hare over to the other group. The one they called Rabbit took it, muttering some form of thank you, and then the two groups cooked their food at their own fire.

Blackmane went to fetch his blanket, tossing it to Isabel. ‘Here. I’m cold just looking at you.’

Ita studied him. ‘How incredibly kind of you, defender. Do I get a blanket too?’

He glanced in her direction, noting her half smirk. ‘I only have one, and you’re near the fire.’

Hadewaye passed his blanket to Ita. ‘You can use mine. I’m on first watch.’

Ita looked genuinely taken aback. As the defender rose, she said, ‘I actually have one. I was just—’

‘Making trouble,’ Blackmane finished. He looked up at Hadewaye. ‘We’ll save you some food.’

‘The guards rarely move around at night,’ Ita told them.

Blackmane poked at the meat. ‘Forgive us if we don’t take our safety advice straight from the enemy.’

‘It’s difficult to comprehend why people hate defenders so much,’ Ita said to Isabel. ‘I assume they’re not all this bad?’

Isabel stifled a yawn. ‘He is actually a big softie underneath all that leather.’

Ita’s eyes shone with mischievousness. ‘So you’ve seen underneath the uniform, then?’

Ignoring her, Blackmane took the meat off the flames and set it aside to cool for a moment.

‘What’s the reason for all that hostility, defender?’ Ita asked. ‘Something must have happened that has you wearing this attitude like another form of armour. Usually it’s a tragic story.’

Isabel looked at him. ‘Is there a tragic story?’

‘No,’ he replied.

‘Ah, yes,’ Hadewaye called from somewhere nearby.

Blackmane rolled his eyes in the defender’s general direction. ‘Stop eavesdropping and concentrate on keeping us alive.’

‘He lost his entire family before coming to Chadora,’ Hadewaye replied as if he had not heard.

Blackmane picked up the meat and began tearing pieces off.

‘That’ll do it,’ Ita said.

He could feel Isabel watching him in the dark.

‘How did they die?’ she asked.

‘Smallpox.’ He rose and walked over to her, handing her some of the meat without making eye contact.

‘Dreadful disease,’ Ita said, shaking her head sadly.

He went to give her a portion also. ‘Never mind all that. I want you to tell me about the camp.’