Balur heaved past him, Tukul stepping to the edge of the ramp, a straight lunge impaling the first sailor chasing after Balur. Tukul kicked him off his sword, sent his corpse falling back into the others following. He stepped forwards, his sword slashing twice, took off a hand at the wrist, opened a face and then the enemy were staggering back, tangled, falling as they tried to get away from him. He turned and sprinted back up towards the ship, Balur dragging the boarding-ramp in as he leaped to the deck, another Jehar slicing the rope that moored them to the bank. Oars rose and dipped; sluggishly at first, the ship pulled away, quickly picking up speed.

All along the river behind them others were following suit on different ships. Ten more followed, seven sleek-hulled, like the one Tukul was aboard, three wider, deep-hulled transporters with pot-bellies. The horses had been loaded on them.

A weight fell on Tukul’s shoulder, staggering him, and he looked round to see Balur, his big hand coming down again to pat Tukul on the back.

‘My thanks, little man,’ the giant said.

Tukul nodded. ‘Your companion?’

Balur pointed and Tukul saw Ethlinn, Brina and Cywen bent over the gangly form of the giantling Balur had carried aboard. A female.

‘She is in good hands,’ Tukul said, then climbed onto the rear deck, where Dath stood wrestling with a steering oar, Kulla the Jehar standing close to him, watching what he did with a raised eyebrow. Corban and Meical were standing at the rail, eyes fixed on the smoke-hazed riverbank. Farrell and Coralen were there, Storm sitting and licking blood from her claws.

‘You sure you know what you’re doing?’ Farrell asked Dath.

‘He is a skilled seaman,’ Kulla said.

‘Course I do,’ Dath grunted. ‘It’s a little bigger than Da’s fisherboat, but the principle’s the same,’ He wrestled with the oar a moment.

‘You need to be stronger,’ Kulla pointed out. Farrell laughed.

‘She’s got a point,’ Dath admitted. ‘You may be a better choice for this job.’

‘Here you are, then,’ Farrell said, striding over and taking the steering oar from Dath.

‘Try not to ground us on a bank,’ Dath said.

Farrell gave him a flat stare.

Tukul strode to Corban’s side and leaned on the rail. He noticed his hands were dark with blood and grime.

The cries of those trying to put out the flaming ships faded, further away.

‘Not all of their ships are burning,’ Corban said. ‘They could follow us.’

‘Perhaps, but not until they’ve cleared the way. That will be no easy, or speedy, task.’

‘Aye.’ Corban rubbed his eyes. ‘Well, then it would appear that we did it,’ he said to them both.

‘Aye. Fortunate for us that the bulk of their warband marched during the night,’ Meical said.

‘Someone on their side has a mind for strategy,’ Tukul added.