They fell partway to the floor before coming to a gentle stop, and rose up. On every one was carved a single rune. Behind Kva's leather mask, his golden yellow eyes closed, and a sense of power bellied out from him, like wind filling the sail of a wolf ship.

The Einherjar spat upon the floor again.

'Bror and Malcador's champions marked the Vengeful Spirit for attack. They carved the futharc into its ways. These signs will guide our boarding parties, but they do more than that. Through these marks, I and the other gothi can find the Warmaster's ship within the Sea of Souls.'

'What if the Warmaster's devils have found the marks?' asked Ogvai Ogvai Helmschrot. 'We could be walking into a trap.'

'They won't,' said Bror. 'We were careful.'

'He has many witches,' said Hvarl.

'The power they contain is alien to the Warmaster's servants,' said Kva. 'They will not sense it.'

'If he finds some, he won't find all,' said Bror. 'And he'll think they are only what they look to be, scouting marks for important locations aboard his ship, because that's what they are, but they also aren't.'

'Attacking him is too risky,' said Skunnr. 'Horus is too battle-canny. We can't attack the traitor head on, we are too few. What do your brothers say?'

'You're too timid, Skunnr!' shouted Lufven. 'There's glory here.'

'Timid? It is you who are unwise!'

Shouts rose.

'Of course it's risky,' said Russ, interrupting the brewing argument. 'Of course he'll see through everything we do. We go against the arch traitor, the Warmaster, the greatest general in human history. This is no land-raid. Compared to this our greatest campaigns will be as nothing. The Wheel of Fire? Nothing. The Rangan Xenocides? A day's friendly brawling.' His warriors bristled at his words. There was a bitter undertone they were not used to hearing in their lord's voice. 'This battle will define us. This will make us. By this deed will our Legion be forever remembered,' said Russ. 'I want Horus to guess what we are doing. I want him to expect us. A good hunter uses the land against his prey. He makes his prey confident in its might I want him to think us foolish, to charge back. In this way can mere men bring down an algr, the Great Razor Elk. This is how we will beat Horus. He is arrogant that is our greatest weapon.'

'I laud your courage, great jarl,' said Skarssensson. 'But first you have to find a way to kill him, or the cleverest trap will do nought.'

'As always, Amlodhi, you have a fine grasp of the strategic detail,' said Russ with a grin.

'Just so long as I know,' said Skarssensson.