Veradis did. They had seen a host of ants on the march, millions of them, each as big as a thumb. Seeing them had been the seeds of Nathair’s inspiration for the shield wall.

‘I do,’ Veradis said, joining Nathair at the window.

‘Gods above and below, but it feels like a different lifetime.’

‘It does,’ Veradis agreed. He thought back. ‘Nearly four years.’

Nathair fell silent, staring.

‘Nathair, what your mother just said. About Calidus . . .’

‘Aye.’

‘Why did she say that?’

‘Perhaps because she’s grief mad.’

‘I don’t think so.’

Nathair sucked in a deep breath. ‘History is a peculiar thing, is it not? Take the giants, for example. Our histories tell us that they are the enemy. That they were wicked – evil, even – and that our ancestors’ war against them was righteous. That right was on our side. Is that not what our histories say?’

‘Aye,’ Veradis said, wondering where this was leading, ‘that is what our histories tell us.’

‘What if it was a lie?’

‘It isn’t,’ Veradis said without thinking.

‘How do you know that?’ Nathair asked him. ‘We were not there. No one whose word we value was there. We only have the ancient record, and that was written by our ancestors, the victors. The people that fought the giant clans and took their land.’

‘What of it?’ Veradis asked. He had an unpleasant feeling in his gut, part sickness, part fear.

‘I do not think that all giants are evil. Alcyon, for example. You would consider him a friend, even.’

‘I do,’ Veradis said.

‘So, perhaps those that wrote our histories were biased. Twisted the truth to suit their perspective, even.’

I’m sure Ektor would have an opinion on this but Krelis and I were always more comfortable with a blade in our hands than a book.

‘Why are we talking about this?’ Veradis asked.

‘What if those who wrote about the Scourging, about Elyon and Asroth, were equally as biased?’ Nathair looked at Veradis now, eyes bright with fervour. ‘What if the Ben-Elim were not the righteous ones, the Kadoshim not evil? What if they were just like the giants and us, two peoples fighting a war for their own ends, and the defeated were portrayed as the villains?’

‘No,’ Veradis said.

‘What if Kadoshim and Ben-Elim are just names.’

Veradis’ mind was reeling. He wanted Nathair to stop, the words feeling like a sudden flood in his mind, a river bursting its banks, changing the world as he knew it.

Or as I want to know it. What if Nathair’s right, all that we know a mixture of truth and lies. He mind was swept on by the thought, more and more truths coming into question.

‘Wait,’ he said aloud, shaking his head to try and bring some focus back. ‘What are you saying, Nathair? Are you telling me that Calidus is Kadoshim, not Ben Elim?’