‘I will,’ Tahir said. There was a tremor in his voice. He gripped his knife’s blade, cut his palm and let blood drip from his fist onto the iron hilt.

‘Haelan, will you bind yourself to Tahir ben Davin, accept his fealty, swear to provide for and protect him to your utmost ability, unto your dying breath?’

‘I will,’ Tahir said. He picked up the knife, regarded it a moment, then squeezed its blade. He winced as blood welled from his hand, but he still felt brave, grown up. Blood dripped from his cut and he let it flow over the knife hilt, mixing with Tahir’s blood.

‘It is done,’ Wulf said.

Haelan handed the knife back to Tahir.

‘So you are my shieldman now?’

“I am,’ Tahir said.

‘Good. Then my first request to you is that you help Wulf get Swain and Sif back.’

Tahir sat back in his chair, blinking. Then he threw his head back and laughed.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

MAQUIN

Maquin recognized Krelis, like a memory from a dream.

He was the man who lifted me from the street and carried me through the gates of Ripa.

‘The Vin Thalun?’ Alben asked.

‘Some are still scurrying about the tower,’ Krelis said with a shrug of his massive shoulders. ‘Think we’ve dealt with the worst of it. Either way, we need to get you out of here.’

‘We’re safer down here,’ Ektor said.

‘Not if any Vin Thalun decided to come poking around. I haven’t come to debate it with you, brother. You’re coming with me.’

Ektor looked sullen but he said no more.

Krelis’ men closed about them as they filed out of the room, Maquin walking behind Fidele. He made it as far as the spiral steps before his legs began to shake. A dozen more paces and he began to sink. Fidele turned and saw him, grabbed him before he hit the floor.

‘Help,’ she called.

‘Didn’t realize it was you,’ Krelis said as he put an arm around Maquin and lifted him upright. ‘You should be dead, not walking around,’ he added good-naturedly.

Maquin grunted, ‘There’s still time.’ With Krelis one side of him and Fidele the other, he managed to climb the stairs. Distant sounds of combat drifted along a corridor as they passed its entrance, but nothing that sounded close.

‘Krelis, what is the situation, with the Vin Thalun?’ Fidele asked as they made their way upwards.

‘It was a coordinated attack,’ Krelis said. ‘A force approached the gates, drew our eyes and waited for their men to scale the cliffs. Then they assaulted our walls. We beat them back, though it was too close for my liking. The ones in the tower are mostly dead – they tried to get to the gates.’ He shrugged. ‘They failed. There’s a few still running around the tower’s corridors, but they won’t be breathing for much longer.’