mistake, but he’d learned to take his da’s advice on such subjects, no matter how much it bothered him. And it did bother him. Listening to someone make a mistake and not correct it was like listening to nails scraping across slate and not asking them to stop.
‘Big as draigs, they were, those wolven.’ Ulf rubbed a hand along his thigh, leg out straight before him, eyes distant.
‘There’s more than wolven to watch out for up in those hills,’ Olin said. ‘We came across a giant bear. White as snow, it was.’
Ulf grunted and sat up with interest. ‘A white bear pelt; now that would fetch a rare price. Why didn’t you bring it home?’
‘We were too busy trying not to let it eat us.’ Olin smiled ruefully.
Drem nodded his head vigorously.
Ulf raised an eyebrow.
‘It was big,’ Olin said, ‘bigger than any I’ve seen before, even those with a giant on their backs.’
‘Pffft.’ Ulf spat with a smile. ‘Animals grow in the telling, I’ve learned.’ Nevertheless, Drem saw him give Olin an appraising look.
Ha, you’re a fine one to say that! Drem thought, almost grinding his jaws together to stop himself from saying anything. Instead his hand reached up into his woollen shirt and he pulled out the bear claw tied around his neck, dangling it for Ulf to see.
Ulf whistled and held his hands up. ‘Fair enough,’ he said, eyes wide. ‘The beast on the end of that must’ve been a rare sight.’
‘We didn’t stand still to admire it,’ Olin said.
‘No, spent more time running, and swimming,’ Drem added.
‘And near soiling our breeches,’ Olin put in.
Ulf spat a mouthful of his mead onto the fire, which hissed, flames leaping.
‘Ah, I miss those days.’ He laughed wistfully.
‘And even then we didn’t get away free of harm,’ Drem added, pointing to his ankle and his da’s arm.
‘Good job Drem can stitch a wound,’ Olin said.
‘Like that, eh?’ Ulf nodded knowingly. ‘Man-eater, then. I’ve come across them before. I wonder …’ Ulf gazed at the fire, falling silent.
‘Wonder what?’ Drem prompted.
‘Not just trappers lost to the Wild. Townsfolk have been going missing, too. Lads out hunting, mostly. Some near the lake.’ He shrugged. ‘And a bairn or two. First I thought it was southerners not having enough respect for a northern winter. Too many, though. Then I thought a wolven pack may have come south early. Thought I heard howling, the other night, off to the north-east. Might have been the wind. But maybe it’s your white bear. Once they get a taste of man-flesh …’ He looked to the flat dark of a shuttered window, and suddenly Drem was imagining the white bear padding through their yard.
‘That was just a wild animal protecting its kill,’ Olin said with a wave of his hand, though he looked troubled by what Ulf had said. He looked hard at Ulf. ‘Tell me, these new arrivals at Kergard. Has this ever happened before? So many coming north in just one season?’
‘Not since I’ve been here,’ Ulf said, ‘and that’s over a score of years. Most I remember is a dozen in one year. Usually it’s people like yourselves, coming up in twos, threes, fours. Sometimes a family.’
Olin nodded thoughtfully. ‘Why so many, do you think?’
‘Two reasons, far as I can tell,’ Ulf said. ‘They’ve found iron ore, lots of it, close to the northern rim of the lake. A mine’s sprung up, all sorts coming north to work it.’
That would explain the lights we saw the other night, Drem thought, sharing a look with his da.
‘And then there’s the other reason,’ Ulf continued, looking about the room, hunching closer to Olin as if there were spies in the shadows. Drem did the same. ‘There’s trouble in the south,’ the old tanner said. ‘Hard to get the truth of it, a rumour here, another there. A lot of unrest, I’m hearing, people not happy.’
‘Not happy with what?’ Drem asked.
‘The Ben-Elim,’ Ulf said. ‘There’s another side to their so-called peace, and to living in their Land of the Faithful.’ He took a large sip from his cup. ‘I saw it all those years ago, but apparently it’s getting worse.’
‘What is?’ Olin asked, his voice impatient.
‘You know the Ben-Elim demand a tithe for their peace and protection. Coin or goods, and flesh?’ Ulf said.
Olin nodded.
How is it that Da knows this, and I don’t.
‘What do you mean, flesh?’ Drem asked, looking pointedly at his da, who just frowned, avoiding Drem’s eyes.
‘I mean people, Drem,’ Ulf said. ‘The Land