To demonstrate the point, Balur hefted his freshly made wooden battle-axe. He swung it high and down at Corban’s head in a whistling arc. Corban stepped to the right, swung his own practice blade and struck the axe haft a glancing blow, steering it to crunch into the frozen ground. As Balur was off-balance Corban slipped inside his guard and had his sword-tip at the giant’s throat before Balur had managed to wrench his axe free of the ground.

Warriors around the court cheered and murmured.

‘It would never be as simple as that,’ Corban shouted. ‘Balur held back – he could have hit harder and faster. But the key point is still the same; it’s all about timing. Speed, balance, reactions. Whatever your choice of weapon, the same result can be achieved – sword, axe, spear, even a shield can be used to the same end.’ He looked about the court and nodded. ‘Come on, then,’ he said, ‘let’s see you do it. And no broken bones, eh?’

Warriors paired up with giants and filled the courtyard.

Coralen took the opportunity and headed towards Corban. He heard the sound of hooves on stone and turned, smiling up at her as she slid from her saddle. Storm padded beside Corban and Coralen saw the swell of her belly. They’d guessed for a while now that she was in pup.

What are her cubs going to look like? Coralen couldn’t help but feel excited about the prospect.

‘Dath’s got an idea he wanted to talk to you about,’ Coralen said.

‘What’s that, then?’ Corban asked.

‘Something I’ve been thinking about for a while,’ Dath said. ‘It might sound mad to you, or wrong, or—’

‘Just tell him,’ Coralen said.

‘It’s about archers,’ Dath said. ‘About using them in battle.’

Corban frowned.

‘See, I knew he wouldn’t like it,’ Dath said to Coralen.

‘Just hear him out,’ Coralen said to Corban, staring at him fiercely. She knew what it had cost Dath even to approach him about this.

Corban looked a little abashed and nodded.

Dath hurriedly continued, ‘I know that the bow is not considered a weapon of war, that it is a huntsman’s tool. And that the old way talks of honour in combat, of one warrior testing his skill against another.’

‘Aye, that is how it has always been.’

‘Well, I think times are changing,’ Dath said.

Corban frowned again.

‘Look at them,’ Dath said hurriedly, before Corban had a chance to say anything. He pointed at Wulf and his men practising their axe-throwing. More than just the warriors of Gramm’s hold were there – Coralen saw Gar and a handful of other Jehar, as well as some of Javed’s pit-fighters.

‘Have you tried throwing an axe and making its blade hit the target first?’ Corban asked.

‘I have,’ Dath said. ‘It’s not as easy as it looks.’