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I nodded If ere bound to our course, then Snorri was the man to take us to the bitter end Even so, I didn’t like the concept of athat could so easily be set aside It ht be true for a jarl’s son here amidst the snows, but in the warmth of Red March a prince would be a prince no matter what came I took asince passed so Baraqel couldn’t sour ment on the matter of princes

• • •

Towards evening of that second day we reached a great work and wonder of the Builders, high ae da a valley, taller than any tower, thick enough at the top for four wagons to drive along it side by side, and wider still at the bottoh to what purpose I couldn’t say

“Wait!” I needed a rest and the ruins provided the perfect excuse

Snorri caht stop for a few minutes whilst I satisfiedposition, lettingthe valley sides Enorh the bedrock beneath the dam, obviously to control the floater, but why I couldn’t guess The whole place was built on the scale of the h to make ants of men Even the pipes would acco side by side, with headroom for riders In such a place you could believe the Norse stories of frost giants who shaped the world and cared nothing for humanity

I sat onout across the valley, both of usfrom his pack, wizened but still sith the taste of summer

“So every Viking naSnorri le,’ the quins cau supply the explanation of his own, so heroic probably If they applied nau would ”

“Twenty,” he said

“What?”

“Twenty”

I glanced towards the huddle of quins “Good God! Your poor mother!”

Tuttugu grinned at that “No, it’s not my birth name, just what people call me There was a contest at Jarl Torsteff’s feast after the victory over Hoddof of Iron Tors, and I won”