Pagan Siege (Tribes of Britain Book 5) by Sam Taw (10 best novels of all time TXT) 📕

my place.” She looked affronted, but I would not be swayed. “If you want to speak to the gods on their behalf, be my guest. I don’t think they’re listening anyway.” I made sure that those standing closest to us heard me, including Tallack. I hadn’t realised just how much her relationship with Endelyn had elevated her in the tribe. She was bolder than I ever thought possible. Senara did have some admirable qualities, but I wasn’t used to being ordered about by anyone other than Chiefs. My nephew glared at me, but he didn’t offer to speak either.

In the end, it was down to Massen. He spoke from the heart, listing their qualities and begging the gods to find them an honourable place in the Summerlands. When it came down to it, there was not much to be said about those poor young men. Their accomplishments during skirmishes and battles amounted to the events from the last few moons at most.

Tallack lit the pyre with a torch, throwing it into the dry brush beneath the wooden platform. We stood and watched as the fire spread quickly, the flesh from their young bodies charring and sizzling in the engulfing flames. All three were of the Sea Warrior Clan, whose numbers had taken a beating during the last cycle. Kitto stood next to Tallack for a few moments, just long enough for the blaze to take hold, before ordering the Head Hunters back to their posts. He didn’t even wait for Tallack to realise that he’d been usurped in the line of command.

Ren gave a bag of plucked feathers to Senara for fletching and joined me on the slow walk back to the hut. The Sea Warriors remained at the pyre, sharing stories and lamenting the loss of their friends. The shield maiden stood at the river mouth, clutching the bag and looking back along the beach. Most of the Hunters were either at their watch posts or bedding down at the high water mark next to roaring fires. I could see that she was struggling to decide where to camp for the night.

Chewing on her lip, Senara skipped into a slow jog to catch up with Ren and me. “You don’t mind if I bunk down with you two tonight, do you?”

Ren gave her a sharp look. “I thought you’d be keen to share stories with the Head Hunters. Aren’t you one of them now?” He didn’t even attempt to mask his annoyance.

She glanced down at her feet as she flicked the sand with a toe. “I don’t belong anywhere.” She wouldn’t make eye contact with either of us. When Ren said nothing in response, she swallowed hard.

“I’m neither sailor nor Hunter, Alchemist nor priest. I have no clan and no clan wants me.” She sniffed. I was fairly sure that she was sincere. Three days riding with the Hunters had diminished her confidence. The show at the pyre was all an act. It made me wonder whether they had done something to her, some bizarre initiation or ritual to test her worth. As much as I was looking forward to spending a quiet night alone with Ren, I pitied the girl. She was just trying to find her place in the world, and that was no easy feat for a woman.

I held out my hand towards her. “Come with us. You can tell us about your ride down here.”

Ignoring Ren’s perpetual scowl, she threaded her arm through mine and together we sauntered to our hut. Senara rolled out her furs on a smaller bunk that was once occupied by one of Kenver’s children. Ren and I shared the largest, but it was still too humid to stay close to one another for long. With no fire inside the hut and the door skins pinned back, we made the most of what little breeze we could to keep cool.

As my eyes adjusted to the dark shadows, Ren began to snore. That was when I heard her little voice from across the hut. “Fur Benyn, Kitto is going to kill the Chief.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

There was not much chance of me sleeping with Senara’s proclamation spinning around my head all night. It had confirmed what Ren and I already suspected. Becoming clan leader was not enough for the warrior, Kitto wanted power over our whole tribe. The question remained, would he wait until we had regained control of the mines or strike before more men were killed and negotiate a new deal with the Alchemists?

I rose before dawn with the aim of speaking to Senara. She was more likely to reveal what she knew to me without Ren about, making her feel unwelcome. I drank a little water from the jug and squatted outside in the grasses. There was no meat or fish left, nor grain to boil up for porridge. It was too early in the season for most berries and too dry for fresh shoots and leaves. I returned to the hut with my stomach growling and nothing to offer to Ren and Senara. She was awake and sitting up on her bunk as I entered.

“Did you mean what you said last night?” I leaned closer to her, narrowing my eyes and watching her reactions.

She stretched and slung her legs down to the ground. “I did. I overheard Kitto talking to some of his men. They had no idea that I was so close to them.”

“But are you certain that it wasn’t just men bragging and making ridiculous claims, like they do?” I practically hissed at the girl so that Ren would not wake. Senara nodded. Blowing out air over my teeth, I sat on the edge of her bunk. “Have you spoken to the Chief about this?”

“And say what? You’ve seen how he is with Kitto. The man could murder every one of us and Tallack would dismiss it as necessary. He’s untouchable. Not to mention the fact that the men would gut me for betraying their new