“We can’t fight many more times, and lose, without the whole will of this army snapping,” he said. “We need a win, even if it is fleeting.”

Kerak shook his head. “In this war there will be no victory, short of a miracle. Tomorrow, if we make a stand here, I will invite the opportunity for a miracle, but that is all I promise.”

Why did I want this job? Gavin said, but only inside his head. He’d already learned the key role of a commander in an alliance is to show relentless good humour and confidence.

So instead of speaking, he looked back west into the setting sun. The light was turning bronze from gold, but the strange metallic quality of the light was unchanged.

As far as Gavin could see, a carpet of moving creatures covered the earth, so that instead of grass, shrubs, and marsh, he could see only a vast blanket of enemies stretching to the horizon.

At his elbow, Tamsin’s voice was soft. “He has emptied every nest along the banks of the West River. Every bogglin. He has stolen the wills of millions of beings and he will use them as fodder for his vanity. Oh, how I hate him.”

“Tomorrow, I will use that vanity against him,” Kerak said.

“From your beak to God’s ear,” Ser Gregario said with his usual humour. “Let’s sleep. Unless you think they will come at us in the darkness.”

Tapio was still watching the endless carpet of foes. “If we lose here, we lose N’gara,” he said.

Tamsin kissed him. “Yes,” she agreed. “I am ready to lose it. Are you, my love?”

Tapio looked at Gavin. “We are all sssupposed to trussst your brother. Perhapsss I do. But even sssuppose that in the end, we triumph. Will there be anything left of my world?”

Very softly, Tamsin said, “No, my love.”

They all looked at her, for she was renowned as an astrologer and prophetess.

She shrugged. “When the gates open, the world changes. It has always been so. I need no wizardry to predict this.”

Gavin shook his head. “Let’s get some sleep,” he said. Far off to his right, the last of the column of rangers arrived at the foot of the great ridge to find rough shelters built of bark, and hot food. And bundles of arrows. There was fodder for man and beast, and fresh water. Everything that the hand of man and irk could do had been done.

“Tomorrow,” Tapio said. “I can feel it. I think we can stop him. My people have never been beaten here.”

Kerak bowed. “Tomorrow,” he said.

Mogon laughed. “In my youth, when this tree was young, I tried to make it up this ridge against you, Prince of irks, and my nest died like bogglins,” she said. “It is really quite pleasant to be on this side.

Tomorrow we will win.”

Gavin nodded. “Tomorrow,” he said.