It was Braith.

Face pale, skin tinged blue. There was a great wound between his neck and shoulder that still leaked blood, the surf foaming pink. Rafe grabbed him and began pulling the huntsman to shore.

Then Braith groaned.

CHAPTER SEVEN

TUKUL

Tukul held the severed head up high, gripping a handful of black hair. He regarded it grimly. A young Jehar warrior, female, younger even than his Gar. Empty, lifeless eyes stared back at him.

You were my sword-kin. A warrior, bred for battle, trained in righteousness, yet you ended life as a servant of Asroth, his tool. He shook his head, feeling a wave of sympathy for his dead kin, knew the shame she would carry across the bridge of swords. The emotion shifted quickly to anger as his thoughts turned to Sumur. The prideful fool who followed a Kadoshim, who led my people into disgrace. With a growl he put the head into a leather saddlebag, along with the heads of the other Kadoshim that had been slain during the night raid. A reminder to us of the cost this God-War will carve from us.

‘What of these?’ Gar said with a gesture as Tukul stood surveying the twisted headless corpses of the slain Kadoshim. He looked at Gar. The sight of him after so long a separation filled Tukul with deep joy. My son, how you have grown. Strong, and with a fine measure of wisdom. Pride and humility mixed. You make my heart soar. Tukul had often daydreamed of the man his son would grow into, but the reality was better. Quicker to smile than the rest of us, but that is no bad thing. No smiles today, though, or for a while, I think. Grief sat fresh and raw upon Gar’s face. The death of Corban’s mam had hit him hard.

Life and death, grief and joy, all part of the road Elyon has set before us. Nevertheless he frowned, wishing he could ease his son’s pain. An impossible task, he thought, remembering the death of his own wife, Daria, a faint echo washing over him of the long despair that he had felt upon her death. Keeping busy is what kept me sane through those dark days, and if that is the case, then Gar will be fine. We are entering the time of the God-War and that should keep us all busy enough. He looked back to the corpses strewn upon the ground. ‘I was thinking we should leave something that would serve as a reminder to those who follow, to Calidus and his ilk. A warning to them.’

Tukul gazed about, saw a cluster of windswept trees close to the stream. ‘Over there,’ he said, and they set about carrying the bodies to the trees. They passed Corban sitting by his mam’s cairn, staring into nowhere.

He has much to think about, and not least is what he’s going to do with this unusual warband that has grown up around him.