‘Surprising, I know,’ Veradis grinned at Alcyon.

Another thing that is even more surprising is how I have come to value a giant as a friend. The first time they’d met, Alcyon had broken Veradis’ nose, but then Veradis had just hurled a spear at the giant. Since then, though, they had travelled and fought together, saved each other’s lives many times, and slowly the barriers had melted and a friendship had formed. They stood together a moment in companionable silence, Nathair with his back to them.

‘I have heard talk of the battle of Domhain Pass, and your name is always mentioned,’ Alcyon said.

‘Aye. It came as a pleasant surprise that I can manage to survive a battle even if you are not there to save me.’ Veradis looked up at Alcyon with a smile, saw the hilt of a longsword arching over the giant’s shoulder.

‘Where is your black axe?’

Alcyon scowled. ‘It was taken from me, in battle.’

That axe was one of the Seven Treasures.

‘So two of us out of favour, then.’

Alcyon looked down at Veradis with a frown. ‘More than you could ever imagine,’ he said.

‘Who took it?’

‘An enemy.’ Alcyon rippled, a tree shrugging off snow. ‘I will meet him again.’

Veradis did not doubt it. He glanced sidelong at the giant, at his tattooed thorns swirling around the slabs of his forearms to disappear beneath chainmail sleeves, his long drooping moustache bound with leather cords, dark eyes in a pale, angular face. Different, and yet not so different, after all.

‘Who are you?’ Veradis asked him.

‘Huh?’ grunted the giant.

‘You are of the Kurgan clan, are you not?’

‘I am,’ Alcyon agreed slowly.

‘Where are they from?’

‘We lived once in your Tenebral, our realm stretching further north and east, all the way to what you call Arcona, the Sea of Grass.’

‘And within your clan, who are you?’

‘What do you mean?’ Alcyon asked suspiciously.

‘You see how our people are divided – king, shieldman, warrior, blacksmith, horsemaster, shipbuilder, and so on. What were you?’

Alcyon’s brows jutted, a frown creasing them. ‘I am nothing,’ he growled.

Veradis shrugged. ‘It’s your business. But for my part, I don’t agree that you are nothing, now. If nothing else you are my friend.’

Alcyon turned his gaze upon Veradis for long moments. Then he nodded. ‘As you are mine,’ he said.

Nathair turned and walked over to them.

‘I am sailing for Tenebral today,’ Veradis said, remembering why he came here. ‘I wished to speak with you, before I left. As we once did.’

Nathair nodded. He looked pale, much as he had after taking his wound when Aquilus had been murdered. ‘I have wished to speak with you, share that jug of wine. But . . .’ he spread his hands.