I recognize those sails, and those ships from the battle at Dun Kellen. The Vin Thalun, servants of Nathair. Why have they been sent here? Has Jael communicated with Nathair, said that I need help? He felt a stab of anger at that, followed by a flush of pleasure that the hold was all but conquered. They are too late. We need no help. Distant sounds of battle drifted up from the slopes beyond the feast-hall, edging through the buildings and warehouses that led to the river. It will take some time to flush all resistance out from this rats’ lair, but their back is broken. Only the child to find.

Gramm’s screams still rose up from the courtyard, rising now to a hoarse, high-pitched shriek. The bear had worked its way through the piled intestines, had followed their trail up and was sticking its jaws into the wound in Gramm’s belly. Wulf hung limp as he watched. Ulfilas winced. I should go down there and put him out of his misery. He regretted his moment of anger.

The child. Where is he?

‘Ildaer,’ he called down from the wall. ‘Your bear, could he find Haelan’s scent?’

Ildaer nodded, climbed back into his saddle, and then his bear moved off, disappearing behind the feast-hall.

Ulfilas’ thoughts shifted to practical details and he thought of setting up a perimeter around the hold to prevent the chance of Haelan slipping away in any confusion. Perhaps I could use these Vin Thalun newcomers. He looked back to the ships, saw the first one docking against a quay, a boarding ramp sliding across. Figures began to disembark, too far away to determine details, but something niggled at his mind. Two hounds leaped from the first ship as the other ships began to thud against other quays. One of the hounds was enormous, white furred and exuding power even from this distance. He stared harder, eyes narrowing.

Are there giants amongst them? Jael had mentioned to him that Nathair had giants amongst his allies. But why are they here? He felt a seed of doubt squirm in his belly.

‘Lord Ulfilas,’ the warrior beside him said.

‘I know,’ Ulfilas murmured. ‘A strange shipload.’

‘Not the ships, lord. To the south-west – there are riders approaching. A lot of them.’

Ulfilas turned away from the ships and looked to the south-west. The warrior was right. A cloud of dust hovered above a smudge on the land, and now he could hear the faint rumble of hooves.

Who are they?

‘Blow your horn; gather the warband,’ he said as he tugged his helmet back on.

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

TUKUL

‘Looks like we’re in for a fight,’ Tukul said to Coralen and Enkara, the three of them riding at the head of their column. He glanced over at Coralen and saw she was buckling on her wolven gauntlet with her teeth. He grinned.