‘Camp is broken. They’re ready to ride,’ Coralen said. ‘All are waiting on you.’

‘We’ll leave when Brina is done,’ Cywen said, knowing she was being childish.

Coralen shrugged, which annoyed Cywen even more.

‘We are done here,’ Brina pronounced.

Storm growled, Buddai as well, looking at a cluster of trees at the far end of the glade. A twig snapped. In a heartbeat Cywen had a knife from her belt and threw it. It stuck quivering in a trunk. Dath had his bow in his hand, arrow nocked, Coralen and the Jehar had drawn their blades.

‘Come out, if you know what’s good for you,’ Coralen said.

There was a drawn-out moment, then a figure emerged from behind the tree. A giant, but slimmer, gangly limbs, and with no hair upon its face, not even straggly wisps of a moustache, like the other giantlings Cywen had seen.

A giant bairn, a girl.

She had her hands raised, palms out, and her eyes were wide, flitting from Storm to the array of weapons lined before her.

‘Mi breun chan aimhleas,’ the young giant said.

‘She means no harm,’ Brina said. It took a moment for Cywen to realize that Brina had translated from giantish. She can teach me that, if she likes.

The giant looked at Cywen’s knife stuck in the tree. She pulled it out, stared at the blade a moment, then ran, faster than Cywen would have thought possible.

‘Hey, that’s my knife,’ Cywen shouted, but the giantling had already disappeared amongst the trees.

‘The Benothi,’ Coralen spat, then shrugged and looked at Cywen and Brina. ‘Nice throw. Now get back to camp if you don’t want to be left behind.’ She looked up at the branches above them. ‘Craf, I know you’re hiding up there. Come with me – you’ve got work to do.’

‘Not fair,’ Craf grumbled.

Fech clacked his beak, the sound like laughter.

‘And I don’t know why you’re here,’ Coralen said to Fech. ‘You’re supposed to be flying rearguard.’

‘Talking to Brina. Important,’ Fech squawked.

‘Not as important as protecting us from Kadoshim,’ Coralen said. ‘Go on with you.’ She spurred her mount on. Dath winked a goodbye and they all rode off, Storm shadowing them. Buddai whined and Cywen rested a hand on his neck. ‘Stay with me, Buds.’

‘Tired,’ Craf protested.

‘Busy,’ Fech complained, but they both took to flight, flapping noisily away.

‘They’re good birds, but lazy,’ Brina said, a half-smile twitching her lips as she watched until they’d disappeared.

‘Craf’s too opinionated,’ Cywen said.

‘A terrible affliction, I must agree.’ Brina regarded Cywen with a raised eyebrow. Cywen had the good manners to blush.

‘Come on, then,’ Brina said. ‘Make sure that bag’s tied properly, and be quick about it. Don’t be ruining my supply of elder.’

Cywen sighed and rolled her eyes. What have I let myself in for?

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CAMLIN