‘Let me see the boy,’ he whispered. Tanya called out to Gellan and the child moved forward nervously. The man looked up at him. Tanya saw him relax, and upon his face appeared a look of utter contentment. He smiled at the boy. Then his eyes closed, his head lolling to one side. Tanya sat beside him, holding his hand.
After a while the child spoke. ‘Is he sleeping, Mama?’
‘No, Gil, he is dead.’
The sound of a galloping horse came to her. Fear flared and she spun round. But the raiders had not returned. The rider was Dakeyras. He leapt from the saddle.
‘What happened here?’ he asked. She told him of the raiders, and of the arrival of the grey-faced man.
‘They were going to kill us all. I know it,’ she concluded. ‘He saved our lives, Dak. I’m sure I’ve seen him somewhere. Do you recognize him?’
Dakeyras knelt by the body. ‘He looks familiar,’ he said. ‘Perhaps he was a soldier.’
Little Gellan ran to him. ‘He killed the bad men, Father. And he made the others ride away. Then he lay down and died.’
The sound of a baby’s cry came from the house. Tanya rose and went to feed it.
Dakeyras walked to where the stranger’s crossbow was lying on the ground, and lifted it. It was perfectly balanced, and beautifully made. Extending his arm, Dakeyras loosed both bolts. They flew exactly where he aimed them, slamming into the fence post twenty paces to his left.
Tanya walked out into the sunlight, holding one of the twins to her breast.
Her husband was holding the bow.
She shivered suddenly.
‘Are you all right?’ he asked.
‘Someone just walked over my grave,’ she said.