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Relief sighed out of iant’s shadow passed over us and moved on The man was taller than Snorri by at least a hand’s width, his ar the Norsehs Brothers scattered out of his way as he closed on Snorri: Young Siht between them—slippery that one, as I suspected Mary also vanished with co his alethe beard at the corners of his er detritus from his meal

Generally, even when a fight is inevitable, both parties take a short while to war remark is aimed, the reply ups the stakes, someone’s mother is a whore, and an instant later—whether the round Brother Rike favoured a shorter path to violence He simply let out an animal roar and closed the final three paces at speed

At the last ht and the end of the hastily cleared bench shot up to sainst his throat Even with Snorri sitting on it, the bench scraped several inches along the floor before arresting Rike’s advance Snorri stood, letting the bench fall as Rike reeled back, then in one quick stride seized the man behind his head with both hands and rammed hi out of its cup and intored stain across the beer-soaked boards

The killer stood behind his fallen companion Red Kent, they called this one His hand on the hatchet at his side, a question on his brow

“Ha! Let hirinned at Kent and sat down Brother Kent returned the smile and went back to sit with his fat companion

Snorri returned to his place and reached across to retrieve his drink from the other table

I felt much better after that Rike’s sudden downfall filled ood huirl, tossing a copper onto her tray

“Well, Brother E not dissi rather more of the bren your chest “I don’t know about you but I’m in the mood for some more horizontal entertainment” And as if on cue sweet Mary stood at race,” I said, alcohol substituting for wit “My father’s a cardinal, did you know that? Let’s go upstairs and discuss eculed dutifully, and with a hand on Brother Emmer’s shoulder I found ht better of it,deserted me

I followed Mary to the stairs, veering fro to spill a Brother’s pint or otherwise causing offence, and always drawn back on course by her tele At the bottom of the stairs Mary took a candle from the wall box, lit it, and led on up It seemed I’d started a trend as so

A long passageway divided the second floor, doors to either side Mary led the way to one of the ones standing ajar She set the candle in a holder on the wall and turned Her s

“Get lost” For a moment I wondered why I’d said that, then realized that the voice had come from behind me

Mary dodged aside and pattered back down the corridor whilst I wrestled with the business of turning around without falling over Before I could ers knotted in the hair at the back of my head and steered me into the darkened room

“Snorri!” What had been meant as a manly cry for assistance came out more as a squeak

“We don’t need hi as the candle moved behind me “I—” A pause to deepen my voice “I don’t have anycarries for me”

“I don’t want your money, boy”

Even a skinful of ale only allows so e of a bed fra round, fist flailing The flickering light allowed limpse of Brother E backwards My fist found only air, and the candle went out

“No!” It becaulfed me, lavender scented to obscure the stink of old sweat I lashed out again but the blanket tangled ht of a body covered me