Her blood felt as if it turned to ice as terror struck her, her freedom, the escape, all she had endured and conquered during her flight to Ripa suddenly forgotten. A hundred memories flooded back, jumbling her mind, all of Lykos, his voice, his eyes, his breath, his touch. Then a hot rage swept through her. They stood there staring at one another, then he stepped back into the shadows and was gone.

Fidele marched through the corridors of Ripa’s tower, Maquin at her side.

He had told her of Balara, of finding the Vin Thalun and giants. Of the decision to take them. And of their flight through Sarva.

‘I don’t know how the Vin Thalun found us so quickly. Perhaps someone escaped Balara, or they visited there soon after we’d left. Whatever it was, we knew we were being tracked by sunset of the next day. Alben led us deeper into the forest. We tried to lose them,’ Maquin had said.

‘How did you manage to do that with two captive giants?’

‘They cooperated,’ Maquin said, something in the tone of his voice shifting.

‘I saw that. The giantess helped you save Alben – fought beside you and carried Alben to safety.’

‘Aye.’

‘That’s unusual.’ She looked at him.

‘Aye, it is.’ He shrugged. ‘Alben spoke to them in giantish. He would not tell me what he said. Whatever it was, he must have been very convincing.’

‘Indeed. Giantish? That doesn’t sound like the Alben I know.’

‘There’s more to him than herbs and poultices.’

‘Yes, clearly. I think I’m going to pay these giant prisoners a visit.’

‘I’ll come with you.’

‘You should be resting,’ Fidele had said.

‘If you think I’m letting you walk alone into a room with two giants in it then you’re mistaken.’

‘I have guards,’ she had said, adding, ‘when I request them.’

He had just ignored her and finished slipping his knives into their various homes about his body.

Two guards stood outside Alben’s chamber in the belly of the tower, only a floor or two above Ektor’s rooms. They did not try to deny Fidele entry to the giants’ chamber, one of them dragging a huge deadbolt open and unlatching the door. They nodded respectfully to Maquin as he walked behind Fidele.

He is gaining a reputation amongst the warriors of Ripa.

The chamber was large, a row of shuttered windows high along one wall, chiselled through the rock to allow sunlight and fresh air in. Candles flickered in the salty breeze, the cry of gulls was loud and mournful.

Alben was there, sitting in a chair before a wide table. The two giants were with him, the giantess sitting on the far side, her son lying upon a thick-mattressed cot. They all looked at Fidele and Maquin as they entered the room.