“He’s got to be in there! We’ve tracked him down at last!”

“Good work, lads! Who’s going in to fetch him out?”

“Going in? You must be joking.”

No time; he woke Nessa quickly, silently, his hand over her mouth to warn her. She, too, was instantly alert, moving to dress herself, to hunt for her few possessions in the half-dark, to slip her feet into her boots. Morning light came dimly through the tunnelled entry. Nessa’s eyes met his, wide with shock, recognizing that this time there was nowhere to run to. Eyvind struggled to keep his expression reassuring. The voices came again.

“What do you suggest, then? We’ve got to get him out somehow. There’ll be a handsome reward in this, boys. Go on, Thorvald. You’re a big, strong fellow. It’s only a dog.”

“Anyone got a thrusting spear? That thing’s no dog, it’s a fiend from the Underworld. Take it from a distance, you might have half a chance.”

Nessa’s fingers moved to touch Eyvind’s in the shadowed silence of the howe. Their hands clasped tightly together. Even if it had been possible to speak, there were no words for this.

“Hang on,” said another voice. “Don’t be so ready with your talk of spears. That’s Ulf’s dog, don’t you recognize it? Shouldn’t think Somerled would be too pleased if you ran it through like a pig on a spit.”

“Here, give me that hammer of yours,” said another man. “Let me take a shot at the creature.” There was a shuffling followed by a dull thud. The barking ceased abruptly, and Nessa drew in her breath in a little gasp.

“Right. Now let’s see you go in, Thorvald. You’re the biggest. Fellow’s quiet enough; maybe he’s still sleeping.”

“Very funny.” Thorvald sounded anything but amused. “Great way to get us all killed. We creep in one by one and he finishes us off one by one with his little knife the moment we come out the other end of that tunnel. This is a Wolfskin, lads, not just another miscreant on the run. You won’t see me crawling in there, reward or no reward.”

“Why don’t we just wait?” offered somebody. “He’s got to run out of food sometime.”

“Stay out here in this place overnight?” This voice was incredulous.

“Smoke,” someone said suddenly. “Make a fire at the entry; there’s no hole on top, place’ll fill up quick as a flash. He’ll have to come out then; if he doesn’t, he’ll soon fall unconscious and we can go in and get him trussed up before he knows what’s what.”

Eyvind bent to touch his lips to Nessa’s brow, to stroke her soft hair with his fingers. Farewell, Bright Star. My hand in yours. His heart was thundering in his breast. It was apparent to him that there was only one thing he could do.