‘Yes, mercy,’ Haelan said, holding his chin high. He looked at Corban. ‘Some of them, many of them, were just following the orders of their King, yet still they cheered you . . .’

Corban looked back at him, dark eyes thoughtful, and behind that Haelan saw a well of exhaustion that Corban held in check.

‘You’re right,’ he said. ‘No need to go on killing. It’s just how exactly we’re going to do this.’

Haelan dangled in the air, Balur One-Eye holding him up high over his head, like a human banner. On one side of him rode Tahir, on the other Corban. Balur was calling out in a booming voice, proclaiming Haelan King of Isiltir and pronouncing mercy upon all those who would lay down their arms.

Over seven hundred men surrendered.

‘Well,’ Farrell said to Corban and Haelan when they were gathered before the gates of Drassil, ‘I would imagine that it’s rare to end a battle with more men than you started with.’

‘Aye. I think it’s safe to say we can call this a victory, then,’ Corban said.

‘That we can, Ban, that we can,’ Gar said with a weary smile.

Just then a group of men and women approached from the northern end of the battlefield – Dath and his archers, as well as Wulf with his axe-throwers and Javed and his pit-fighters. Wulf held up a severed head as he drew near, and threw it at Corban’s feet.

‘Ulfilas,’ he said. ‘Jael’s high captain, and the man that killed my da.’

‘I am glad for you,’ Corban said wearily. ‘A day where much justice has been done, and injustices set right.’

‘Aye,’ murmured many voices around them.

Haelan noticed that Dath was looking up at Corban, the widest smile upon his face. One of the Jehar stood close to him, a small, pretty young woman, or so Haelan thought. She was smiling too.

‘What are you smiling about?’ Corban asked Dath.

‘I’m getting married,’ Dath said, his grin growing even wider.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE

CAMLIN

Camlin sat and waited.

Feels as if I’ve spent half my life waiting for men to kill. Not sure which part is the worst. The waiting, or the killing.

Depends on who I’m waiting around to kill, I suppose.