The men and women of Lorca’s band stood staring at the head on the lance. It was as if a spell had been cast over them. Grale cast his gaze over the group.
‘Does anyone else here wish to renegotiate our agreement?’ asked Bane, his voice cold.
The thin figure of Wik was the first to react. ‘What if we do?’ he asked.
‘You’ll get the same response as I have just delivered to the dear departed Lorca.’
‘You think to kill all seventy of us?’ asked Wik, gesturing his men forward.
‘Do I need to?’ asked Bane, moving in close to Wik. ‘Have you not fed well through this winter? And what will you do when I am dead and gone? Seventy men, you say. And why do you have such numbers now? It is because there is food here, and many of those who joined you were starving at home. Without my farm and my cattle how many will remain, Wik? Twenty? Less?’ Suddenly he laughed. ‘I am through talking,’ he said. ‘Make your decision.’ His sword flashed once more. Wik jumped back. The powerful figure of Gryffe stepped forward, a broadsword in his hands, to stand beside Bane. Grale read Wik’s intent. Pride was strong in the outlaw leader, and he was about to order his men to attack.
‘Wait!’ shouted Grale, striding forward into the group. ‘What he said makes sense. We have a constant supply of food, and when he sold his cattle to Govannan he brought us a tenth. Or, to be more precise, he brought Lorca a tenth. We made an agreement with him. Lorca broke it. And Lorca paid for his treachery. Let that be an end to it.’
‘You have no say in this!’ stormed Wik. ‘You are not the leader here.’
‘No, I am not,’ said Grale. He swung and pointed to the head on the lance. ‘He is! Shall we ask him for his views? I say we should call for a show of hands.’ He raised his voice. ‘How many here want to see our food supplies ended?’ No-one raised their hands. ‘Then that should settle it,’ he said, turning and walking back to his roundhouse.
For a moment there was silence, and in that silence the tension eased. The seventy outlaws, weapons ready, awaited an order from Wik. Wik looked at Bane and shrugged. ‘Most of us were not in favour of Lorca’s actions,’ he said. ‘Cascor was a good man, and did not deserve to be cut down. Does our agreement still hold?’
‘Of course. Though I’ll need a man to replace Cascor for the spring gathering.’
Wik nodded. ‘I’d offer him to you,’ he said, gesturing at Grale, ‘but he’s only got one good hand.’
‘I’ll take him,’ said Bane. ‘If he wants to work for me.’ He grinned. ‘Maybe he’d prefer to stay here and become leader.’ Wik scowled, then laughed.
‘You are an unusual man, Bane. What made you think you could ride in here, kill Lorca, and ride out again?’
‘I didn’t expect to ride out,’ admitted Bane. He glanced around at the waiting men. ‘You’d better start thinking of limiting your numbers,’ he added. ‘Either that or start a new tribe. No way will you be able to feed many more than this.’
‘I have been thinking the same,’ agreed Wik.
The twin invasion was proving a logistical nightmare for Connavar and his generals. Fiallach was sent south with one thousand Iron Wolves and six hundred Horse Archers, and ordered to gather fighting men from the Norvii. ‘Do not’, Connavar urged him, ‘seek a direct clash with Jasaray. Avoid a major battle at all costs, no matter what the enemy tries to do. Instead destroy his cavalry and his scouts.’
‘You can rely on me, Conn,’ said Fiallach.
‘I do rely on you, my friend. But Jasaray is a cunning and pitiless enemy. He will stop at nothing to force you into combat.’
Meanwhile Bendegit Bran was gathering troops from all over the north, ready to march against Shard and his fifteen thousand Sea Wolves.
At Old Oaks Connavar faced a growing problem. The five thousand inhabitants of Seven Willows and the surrounding areas had been evacuated before the invasion, thanks to the uncanny talents of Banouin, who had seen Shard’s ships set sail. Although the Rigante had therefore been saved losses, it meant that the food stores around Old Oaks – already low – were now almost gone. To lessen the drain on resources a large number of women and children were sent to settlements further west and south, where granaries and warehouses were still stocked with food.