‘You do not understand, my lady,’ Pendathran said through gritted teeth. ‘This is war-making, and there’s more to it than notions of bravery and glory.’

‘I understand well enough,’ Edana snapped. ‘I have seen enough bloodshed to rectify any misconceptions I may have once entertained.’ She looked at her hands and Camlin remembered them shaking, spattered with blood, back in the village roundhouse.

‘As have I,’ Roisin added. ‘And I understand caution, was its strongest advocate in Domhain. I was wrong, I should have listened to Edana. Victory usually has to be claimed, not observed. Look, here in this room three realms are represented – Ardan, Domhain, Narvon. And who is our enemy? Rhin. And she is weak, her warbands stretched thin over four nations. Now is the time to strike, not sit back and watch her grow strong again.’

Pendathran sat straighter at that.

‘Roisin is right,’ Edana said, not quite keeping the scowl from her face.

‘We have done some of that,’ Drust growled. ‘The band I led, which found you, we were heading to the borderland with that intention. But you must understand, there are practicalities. Four hundred is a lot of mouths to feed. And we are not just warriors here, who would be more inclined to risk all. There are women and bairns – families.’

Edana shrugged. ‘We can’t make a life here hidden away from Evnis and Rhin. They are searching for you even now; eventually they will find you. Better to act now, while they’re still off balance. And besides, I didn’t come here to catch fish and eke out a life in the marshes. I came here to fight back. I’ve had enough of running and hiding. It’s time that Rhin’s tide was turned.’

‘I agree,’ Roisin added.

Camlin looked from Pendathran to Drust. It was clear that those two had been running things here – Pendathran the chief and Drust his captain. And they don’t look to appreciate two women wandering in, throwing their weight about, despite them both being queens.

‘That’s all well and good,’ Pendathran said. ‘But fight back how? Morcant patrols the marshes’ border with more men than we can take, and there’s plenty more where they came from. Evnis has a warband of Rhin’s at his disposal, and whatever else I’ll say about him, he’s no fool.’

‘No, Evnis isn’t, but Morcant?’ Edana said. ‘I spent some time in the Darkwood with him. He’s arrogant, conceited. Perhaps we can use that.’

‘I think you’re onto something there,’ Camlin said. ‘Prod him and he’ll get angry.’

‘And angry people make mistakes,’ Edana finished, with a smile twisting her lips.

‘Just so, my lady,’ Camlin said with a dip of his head.

‘How do you know so much about Morcant?’ Pendathran asked Camlin.