‘Whatever happened to them, Calidus will be bent on finding them. He will find them. And the knowledge that we are here will drive him. The thought of us in Drassil with two of the Treasures will consume him. He will think the longer we are here the stronger we will become – and he’s right. Besides, there are other Treasures here apart from those forged out of the starstone. He will come as soon as he can,’ Meical assured them.

‘How do you know that?’ Brina asked him.

‘Because I know Calidus.’ He sighed and shook his head. ‘I have made mistakes, in the past been outwitted by him. That is because he knows me, too. He sought out the people I recruited for this war and has removed many of them from the board.’

They were people, not pieces in a game!

‘We were one kin, once, before he fell,’ Meical continued. ‘I know him, and in this I am certain. He will come for us – and as quickly as he can mobilize his forces.’

Corban nodded thoughtfully, sharing a glance with Brina.

‘And that leads us on to the next question,’ Brina said. ‘How will he come here? It is not exactly a pleasant stroll through sun-warmed glades.’

Meical frowned. ‘We have all experienced the difficulties of marching through Forn, and we had the advantage of the tunnel. He will want to bring a lot of men – he will not want to risk defeat. How he will find Drassil, and then bring with him enough warriors to ensure a victory in his reckoning, I do not know.’

‘Maybe we’ll have longer than you suspect, then,’ Atilius said.

‘Maybe,’ Meical replied. ‘But one thing I have learned to my detriment; never underestimate him. He is cunning, and he is ruthless.’

‘I have a question,’ a small voice piped up – Haelan, the childking of Isiltir. ‘What of our allies? Do we have any?’

‘Now that is a very good question,’ Brina said. ‘This warband is low in numbers, though made of exceptional warriors, granted. We total around eight hundred men and women who can wield a blade. Calidus and Nathair, I have no doubt, can rally many thousands more than that. If they do make it this far, we will be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.’

‘There is Edana,’ Corban said. ‘Though we have no idea how she fares – alive, dead, a warband behind her?’

‘Craf will know,’ Brina said.

If we ever see the old crow again.

‘Is there anyone else?’ Haelan asked, looking to Meical.

‘There are friends to our cause in various places, but none who could lead a warband, except, perhaps, the Sirak.’

‘Who are they?’ Cywen asked.

‘The horse lords of Arcona,’ Meical said.

‘If we sent messengers, would they help us?’ Brina asked.