‘True enough.’

All had been chaos back in the arena before Jerolin, and Maquin had taken advantage of it, using the mayhem and confusion to rush Fidele out of the arena. The closest cover had been woodland to the south; Maquin led Fidele in a mad dash across open meadow towards the trees, all the while his heart thudding in his head as he waited for the expected cries of pursuit. None had come as they reached the treeline and so they continued to run deeper into the woodland, Maquin’s only thought to put distance between him and the Vin Thalun. Something had sparked the riot. Maquin’s duel with Orgull had played a part in it, but Maquin had also seen warriors amongst the crowd, urging them on. They had been wearing the white eagle crest of Tenebral. There was some kind of resistance forming against the Vin Thalun, that was clear. But how strong was it? Had they managed to crush the Vin Thalun? To drive them from Jerolin and Tenebral? Maquin doubted it – the Vin Thalun had numbered in their thousands; it would take a lot of manpower to finish them. ‘And what would you do now, my lady?’ Maquin asked her.

She frowned and sat upon a rock. ‘I don’t know is the short answer. I would find out if the Vin Thalun have been defeated –’ she paused, a tremor touching her lips – ‘but I am scared to go back. The thought of being caught is more than I can bear.’

Maquin nodded. I can understand that. For himself, he wanted to leave. To point himself north-west instead of south and aim straight for Jael. What about her, though? He could not just abandon her in the woods.

‘Will you help me?’ she asked. ‘I have seen that you are no friend to Lykos or the Vin Thalun. We have a common enemy.’

‘I’ve had enough of fighting other people’s battles,’ he said. ‘I’ve got my own to fight. I need to go home. I have something to do,’ he muttered quietly, almost to himself. He looked at her face and saw a determination of purpose there, battling with the fear of her circumstances. ‘But I will see you safe first, my lady. If I can.’

She breathed a relieved sigh. ‘My thanks. I will do all in my power to repay you, and to speed you on your way.’

‘First, we must survive the night and the cold.’

‘Wait here,’ Maquin whispered to Fidele.

They were crouched behind a ridge, looking out upon a wide stretch of land covered in tree stumps. On the far side was a row of timber cabins, piles of felled trunks surrounding them. It was dusk; the forest was grey and silent.

‘Do not come after me for anything. Nothing, you understand?’

She nodded and he slipped away, staying low to the ground,

keeping to the outskirts of the manmade clearing, stalking within

the shadows amongst the trees. Eventually he was behind the row of cabins. Gripping his knife he slipped to the front and entered. Grey light filtered through gaps in the shutters and he paused to let his eyes adjust to the gloom.