‘What? Nobody ever says anything bad in these things. Anything all-true. Well, this is truth: he was the greatest fighter I ever knew. For all his posturing, he had the stones to back it. He was beautiful, he was poised, and he could move like no other.’ She sniffed back what could have been a tear.

‘His name was Dalim, and he was physical perfection. His personality, less so.’

They repeated the first part, at least.

When the circles were done, Foss had said the last of the incantations and the group had begun to settle, talking among themselves, Tarfel returned. He approached Chel directly, who still sat with Sabina, but when he spoke it was to the assembled group.

‘I’ve, er, I’ve been thinking,’ he said, voice scratchy. Loveless started to make a comment, but Foss cut her off with a glare. ‘About what the reaver said.’

Chel pushed himself to his feet again. It was harder and harder each time. ‘Yes, highness?’

‘She was … she was right.’

Chel struggled to keep himself upright. ‘Highness?’

‘She was right about Corvel. He is truly of their … our blood. He intends to conquer, Vedren. Controlling the church, the Names, the provinces, that is just the beginning.’

‘Do you—’

‘Please, Vedren, let me finish. She was right that rulers command, both loyalty and forces, and a prince who shirks his birthright is unworthy of the title.’ He looked at the ground, shook his head. ‘And she was right that perhaps I am not so much without allies as I imagined – or at least those who share an agenda.’

Chel paused, waiting to see if the prince had finished. He had.

‘What do you intend, highness?’

‘I have spoken with Brecki.’ He half-turned, indicating the reaver, who once again seemed more corpse than contender. ‘She has agreed to act as my guide.’

Chel’s mouth fell open, his words garbling themselves. ‘You surely highness can’t—’

‘I wish to travel south in her care, and hear out this queen of hers. Perhaps we will have fertile grounds for discussion, and perhaps not. But I cannot simply turn my back on my duties, on my father’s kingdom.’

Lemon snorted. ‘Aye, and perhaps she’ll skin you from boredom after the first half-mile. Or they’ll do it for you on arrival. Honestly, princeling, this must be the daftest—’

‘It strikes me,’ the Nort Kosh’s voice carried over Lemon’s, solid with self-confidence, ‘that the meeting you attended earlier this evening was in search of gathering forces to oppose your enemies. You appear to have identified similar forces, albeit elsewhere. What basis is there for complaint?’

‘Basis? I’ll give you fucken … For a start, that bunch of Horvaun bastards are murderous savages—’

‘You’re all murderous savages from my perspective, so it seems a false distinction.’

‘You come here and say that!’

‘A distinctly non-murderous and un-savage response.’