'There are soldiers on the island ahead and they're not dead like the others.'
Fury came alongside. 'Have you seen them?'
'Aye,' Weasel nodded.
'Morgon's with them.' Fury stammered. 'He's up by that big willow. I can see the sun on his bald head.' He grabbed the boy's paddle. 'We've got to get further out. If we stay inshore they'll reach us with their arrows.'
'They can do that now,' Weasel said quietly. 'If we move out they'll know we've seen them ... that'll give them a reason to shoot at us.'
'They don't need a reason.' Fury pulled the boy towards him. 'I know them. They'll kill you just for fun.'
Weasel raised a hand to quieten him.
'It's best we let the current carry us on. Morgon's not stupid. He's not going to give his position away.'
Fury's face reddened. 'You stupid little boy. If we're dead, it won't matter. We won't be able to tell anyone.'
'He can't be sure he'll hit us.'
'It won't be one shot. He's got hundreds of archers with him. You listen to me. I'm older than you. I'm a prince.'
'Shut up.'
Alison's hissed.
'Shut up ... you silly little blub.'
She thrust a finger at Fury and he sank back as if stunned by a mortal blow. He let go of Weasel's paddle and the two craft drifted apart.
Alison sat in silence as the coracles were carried along. They passed the island without incident. Morgon's men melted into the trees. She guessed they were a well-disciplined force and weren't going to do anything that would betray their position to the dragon boats.
Plumes of smoke rose in the distance. Weasel said they came from the port of Dunavon. Alison wished she were there, lying on a pile of furs in a snug little house, listening to tales of Tom's victory. But Dunavon was not on their agenda. The port was a stronghold of Adrina's mother and Adrina was determined to have nothing to do with the lady.
They were now entering a region that had been cleared for farming. Homesteads stuck up in the marshes. They were built on islands and had once been prosperous. Now that had changed. Pleasant dwellings had been ravaged. On one island a dog was tethered, howling miserably. On another she saw a body ... a woman in a brightly coloured dress. She looked again and decided it was discarded clothing. Then she saw something sticking out from beneath a bush.
'One of Morgon's men,' Weasel whispered.
Alison leant forward. 'I see his sword ... it looks very valuable.'