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He found he couldn’toff for the rocks at a run, covering the ground in what seee boulders that rose out of the snow like slu monsters He cast a quick eye around for any sentries but saw nothing From the camp came the faint scent of woodsainst the guards at the gully Vaelin reached for his quiver and extracted a cloth wrapped arrow, discarding the covering to reveal an ash black shaft and raven fletching, a Cumbraelin arrow taken from the archer who had slain poor Lord Al Jelnek, his instrule arroould claim Lord Al Hestian’s life as he heroically led his ainst an enemy encampment A fine end indeed, the voice said His father will be proud, I’m sure Remember your words? Remember your vow? I’ll kill but I won’t murder…

Leave me be! Vaelin spat back I do what I must There is no choice in this I cannot break a contract with the King

His hands shook as he notched the arrow to the string, his heart a boo the tremor away I do what I must I’ve killed before What is one more death?

From behind him came a faint clash of s and a sudden cla across the clearing and Vaelin saw Al Hestian’s co noble was easy to pick out, leading his h, his cloak trailing Vaelin could hear his calls to the ratified to see the whole co expected ht of air, the chill burning his lungs, and raised his bow, drawing he string back to his lips, the raven's feathers in the shaft caressing his check, the bead centred on Al Hestian’s rapidly approaching for over his fingers Like snuffing out a candle

Soht and scraped at the snow So made the hairs on the back of his head prickle

The faness built within hi to his hands as he lowered the bow and turned

The wolf’s teeth were bared in a snarl, its eyes bright in the gloom, raised hackles like spikes of silver As their eyes ressive crouch it had assu him with the same silent intensity he reo

The aze, unable to ? I a away across the snow, a blur of silver and frost, gone in a heartbeat

The approaching shouts of Al Hestian’s chargingto see they were alarbed in sable, a drawn long bow aiht at Al Hestian’s chest Vaelin’s arrow took the archer in the belly He was on hi down to make sure of the kill

“My thanks, brother!” Al Hestian called, leaping past to charge on to the ca his sword

The camp was a chaos of death and flame The Cumbraelins could equal the Order’s bow skills but at close quarters they were hopelessly out tents A wounded Cu useless at his side, his good li a hatchet wildly Al Hestian The noble easily side-stepped the blow and hacked the sword Another ca-bladed boar spear at his chest Vaelin ducked under the weapon, grasping the haft below the blade and pulling its owner onto his sword One of Al Hestian’s soldiers charged forward and rammed his sword into the Cu with the shouts of the otherall they could find

Vaelin saw Al Hestian charge off into the s him cut doohis legs around the noble’s chest, dagger raised high Vaelin’s throwing knife took the Cu hi down to cleave his chest He raised his sword in a silent gesture of thanks and ran on

The bloodshed becah the ca down the few Cu those found lying wounded Vaelin ran past a series of night the severed head of a Cu turns to slash at aat a Cuuts back into the hole in his belly He had seen men drunk before but never on blood Afterfull measure of retribution from their tormentors