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“Toss the corpses over?” Snorri asked

“It ht make them think twice” It would ht would be I’ll come back later

Snorri nodded and, taking two e They landed with a sound that et and crunchy at the same time, and my stouard would likely take—the route we had taken Meegan and his companions had only been inspired to the alternative and more difficult ascent by the sounds of battle The sensible desire to flank Snorri rather than face him one by one in the narrow defence point he’d chosen had driven theerous path

Still sat on ood leg against a ridge of rock, and started to tug him by inches towards the drop I moved him about a yard in the time it took Snorri to toss all but one of the rest in the area

“This one’s still alive” Snorri leaned over Meegan and kicked hih” He looked over at rin “You saved a s like you promised”

“All part of the plan,” I grunted, shifting my corpse another three inches He was the speare across the rocks had left a red sed hi to touch his warers

“I’ll sort out the others” And Snorri headed off to deal with any of the fallen froh

“No, I’ot no reply—with Snorri already out of earshot and the rest of my audience dead or unconscious, ain The corpse slid forwards another three inches Dead fingers s flexing, stroking down the veins and tendons in h, but the hand clasped me as I unclasped it, the dead aped a cri flesh Fear lends adead, apparently I wrenched hard enough to drag the spearht hied half a screarip

It’s not until you’ve actually been throttled that you realize how terrible it is It doesn’t take enorth to seal your air off coth was enormous When you’re denied a breath, then all of a sudden breathing is the only thing you’re interested in I clawed at the wrist beneath ers, but if a face can kiss Snorri’s axe and still find a s to ’s shoulder and pushed for all I orth It felt as though rip wasn’t released Black spots began to grow in es to h the black, e of ribs, and the stink of burning flesh filled h I could draw no air into them

And then, as suddenly as the hand had seized ripped under my armpits, and hauled me clear If my throat hadn’t been so well lubricated with terror-sweat I suspect I would have seen it still clutched in the dead

Snorri snatched up his axe while I sucked air through the straw that being choked had leftamidst the butchered remains of his face, and raised his hands towards us, the wrists and forear froures tackled hi Two of his victi froiven them

Gasping and weak, I backed away frost the rocks, retreating before his unhurried advance Snorri looked in trouble too, with one of the things clinging to his back, the other encircling his waist with both ar to eat its way into his stomach

“Help” I only ed to squeak it out as a whisper I don’t think Snorri noticed He’d just thrown hie, sandwiching the corpse on his back between the broadness of his shoulders and the stone Hecracking of ribs and vertebrae loud and clear