“You worry me sometimes.” Somerled was drawing again, marking in the cliffs of the west coast, south of Engus’s stronghold. “You make things so difficult for yourself, when really they are quite simple. If a man wants something, he should take it. Why worry about anything else?”

“I don’t understand,” Eyvind said, frowning.

“If I follow the path you suggest and become a man of compromises and treaties like my brother, there’ll be nothing to keep you amused over the winter but feeding chickens and mending holes in fishing boats,” Somerled replied. “Aren’t you itching for a real battle? You’re so good at it. Why else did I bring you here, after all?”

“Perhaps because we are friends, and you wanted me here,” Eyvind said, wondering why he was suddenly feeling cold, as if the breath of winter had crept into this fire-warmed chamber. “I do not relish the prospect of war with these folk. They are not our equals in fighting; such a conflict would be unfair, one-sided. There is little glory in winning such a combat. Besides—”

“Besides what?”

“There’s something more here. Not the folk themselves. We’d defeat them if it came to war, because our skills at fighting are superior, because our weapons are better, because we have Wolfskins. But they have…something else. I can’t say what it is. Something old. Remember what King Engus said, that first time? They’re part of the land, somehow, and the land doesn’t give up. Maybe that sounds silly, but you can’t ignore it.”

Somerled sighed. “It does sound a little silly, Eyvind, but you are my friend, my oldest friend, and I understand your concern. You can rest easy. I will be going to see the king, but not yet. The winter’s closing in; this is not the time for major campaigns, it’s a time for settling down for some serious planning, so we’re ready for whatever comes our way. There’s something you must remember. I am not Ulf. I conduct my affairs in my own way, and if folk want to be part of my household, they need to understand that. My brother died. That changed everything here. These people must be punished for what they did. I would be a weak leader indeed if I did not seek retribution for his murder.”

“I wondered…I did wonder if it was quite fair to blame Engus for what happened. He did say it was not his doing. Others say the same.”

“Others?” Somerled’s tone was suddenly sharp. “What others?”

“Just people, here and there. I don’t remember who.”

“You’re a bad liar, Eyvind. Of course Engus’s folk killed my brother. Of course they did. Who else would have done it?”