Krelis snarled and punched down at Veradis, again and again, men rushing to pull Krelis off. He shrugged them away, carried on punching, blood spattering from Veradis’ face. He made no effort to fight back, or even to pull away.

Then Alben clubbed Krelis across the back of the neck with the hilt of his sword, subduing him enough to enable warriors to pull him away.

Lykos left the tent, shaking his head.

Family.

The gates of Ripa’s tower were open and Lykos strode through as if he owned them, a hundred Vin Thalun about him. The Old Wolf is shackled, but he’s not my only enemy.

Veradis’ eagle-guard had stepped in during the confusion of the rowan-meet’s end, when rumour had spread and violence hung in the balance. The warband of Ripa had snapped and snarled like an angry dog, for the moment without clear leadership as Lamar was slain and Krelis was grief-stricken. Caesus, Veradis’ captain, had brought up his warband and ordered the men of Ripa to stand down. After a few tense moments they had, and now Lykos thought to take advantage of the confusion that had spread in the rowan-meet’s wake.

That Caesus is one to watch – followed Veradis’ orders without hesitation, and it was clear he’d have killed his own countrymen without any hesitation. Another fool too loyal to think for himself. He shook his head. Where does Nathair find them?

He strode through a timber feast-hall, through an arched doorway; the floor became stone as he entered the tower; a spiral staircase stood before him.

Up or down? Where are they? He sent half of his men up, took the rest with him and spiralled downwards, footsteps echoing as he wound his way deep into the rock of Ripa’s cliffs. At every corridor he sent men to search, until he was left with only a dozen men about him. Soon he found what he was looking for. A bolted door, two guards outside – men of Ripa. They stood uncertainly before him. He snapped an order and quickly had them overwhelmed and disarmed, then unbolted the door and kicked it open.

‘Ahh, here you are,’ he said as he peered in.

The giantess Raina and her bairn Tain were standing against the far wall.

The first thing Lykos noticed was that their collars were gone from their necks.

He stepped into the chamber and Raina snarled at him like a cornered wolven. Tain appeared hostile, too, but in a more brittle way, the kind you’d see in a wild horse – fire that could turn to flight. He clutched a chair in one hand.

Lykos’ men flowed into the room, Lykos pacing closer, drawing his sword.

‘I have missed you,’ he said, arms open in friendly greeting.

‘Come no closer,’ Raina growled. He saw a piece of chain in her hands.