‘My da used to say something similar,’ Vonn said. ‘I used to think he was wrong. That people were honourable, that good should stand against wrong.’
‘And you’re right to think so,’ Marrock had said.
‘Am I? I’m not so sure any more.’
They powered over a ridge and the ocean opened up before them, the trail they were following winding down a lush green slope. They were upon the crest of a hill, beneath them a sharp rocky drop leading to a quay that jutted out into the water, a larger ship moored to it.
Our ship. Our safety.
The road they were on wound down the slope, curling away from the quay and then looping back, turning to sand as it spilt onto a narrow strip of beach. A few huts were scattered about, nets hanging along the beach, ridges in the sand where fisher-boats had been beached. They rode onto the beach, sand and surf spraying, and after a last gallop were finally at the quay, a milling chaos of people dismounting, pulling provisions from saddles, climbing narrow wooden stairs to reach the quay.
Camlin shouldered a bag, mostly full of arrows, his bow gripped in his other hand, and then he was running along the quay, past Halion, who stood rearguard by the stairs, sword in hand, eyes fixed on the approach to the beach. Half a dozen warriors stood with him, the rest hastening to the ship. Waves churned beneath the timber boards as Camlin ran fast, the waiting vessel further along than he’d realized, fifty, sixty paces.
Roisin had already boarded, holding her hands out for Lorcan. Edana was aboard, Vonn and Marrock beside her. Marrock saw Camlin and waved him on. Quinn stood close to Lorcan on the quay, waiting his turn to climb aboard. Other warriors were milling about, only a few being able to board at a time. To Camlin’s eye there was no way they were all going to fit on this ship; there were just too many of them.
Then a cry was rising up behind them, a warning.
Camlin looked back and saw a row of dark silhouettes lining the slope above the quay, more and more swelling the line as every moment passed. One of them kicked his horse closer, moving to the edge of the slope, stones skittering down to rattle on the quay.
Conall.
‘Give the boy up,’ he yelled.
‘Never,’ screeched Roisin.
‘Give up the boy and Eremon’s bitch, and I will grant you pardon. More – I’ll reward you. I’m regent of Domhain now, and I have power and riches to spare. You’ll not have this chance again. Join me now, or I’m coming down there to kill every last one of you.’
A buzz of muttering spread through the warriors massed on the quay. That bothered Camlin – if he could work out that the ship was too small to take them all, then so could others. Men faced with being left behind and dying made rash choices. Roisin screamed for Lorcan to board the ship. Camlin took a few steps away from the crowd, back towards the beach. He saw a figure climb the stairs on the quay and step into Conall’s view.
Halion.
Conall saw him. The colour drained from his face.
‘I thought you were dead, Con,’ Halion called up to him.
‘Me? I’m hard to kill, you should know that.’
‘What are you doing, Con?’ Halion said.
‘What we should have done together, years ago. I’m righting the wrongs of our father, and of that murdering bitch.’ He jabbed a finger towards Roisin. ‘The question is what are you doing, Hal? Protecting her and her spawn, when our mam died because of them, and we’ve lived a life on the run longer than I can remember because of them. Join me; together we can have our vengeance and rule Domhain into the bargain.’ He grinned. ‘A good day’s work, if you ask me.’ He held a hand out to his brother, his eyes pleading.
Camlin froze, waiting on Halion’s answer. It felt as if everyone was doing the same; even the wind and waves were momentarily calm.
‘I swore an oath to Brenin. I’ll not be breaking it, Con. Not for you, not for anyone. But you don’t have to do this. Just let us go. We’ll sail away, never to trouble you again. For Elyon’s sake, man, they’re women and children.’
‘That’s not going to happen, Hal. You’re either with me or against me.’
‘Then I’m against you,’ Halion said and raised his sword.
Conall snarled and yanked on his reins. He rode away, following the trail towards the entrance to the beach, his warband moving behind him.