Although he'd expected to be meeting Holgrim, It was Haarlan Greenwood who met Eirik by the well in the morning. The sun had been up for two or three hours and was already making its presence felt.

"Good morning," Greenwood said, the ever-present half-smile on his face, "I trust you slept well under the circumstances."

"Yeah, it feels good to be behind a decent wall after the last few days. What have you got in mind for today?"

"A little experiment," Greenwood began walking slowly toward the gate which was now being manned by two soldiers. "Captain Holgrim has given us leave to go outside, gentlemen. We shouldn't be more than an hour or two, but make sure the gate is closed behind us."

The soldiers nodded and raised the bar, swinging one of the wooden gates inward. Eirik followed the agent outside, puzzled and curious. The thud of the door closing startled him and his nerves rattled briefly.

A breeze ruffled Eirik's hair and he raised his face to it, feeling its coolness clearing his mind.

"What's this experiment of yours?" Eirik asked.

Greenwood sat down on a rock and squinted in the sunlight. "It's a long shot, I admit, but I thought it worth a try. Having seen how efficient you are at picking up incoming danger, I wondered how good you were at tracking."

Eirik frowned. "I've got no experience at tracking,"

"Ever tried?"

"No,"

Greenwood smiled and rose from his rock. "Well, this is what I propose. You and I will take a turn around the perimeter of Canthia and see what we can see. From the information I received, the attackers dragged off every resident who was fit and healthy and, presumably, took them back to wherever they're based. Given that there were many people taken, they must have left signs of their passage from here to where they're going."

"Don't they teach tracking on the Silent Isle?"

"Indeed they do, but we're searching for tracks weeks - maybe months - after they were made, and nature will have erased most, if not all of them already."

"So why am I here?"

"After we were ambushed on our way here, you told me that you neither heard nor saw any warning signs of danger,"

"That's true,"

"And yet you still knew they were there. I'm curious to see if you pick up anything in the vicinity that will indicate where our quarry took their captives. To be clear, I'm not expecting to hand you a map and for you to mark a spot on it. Just some idea of which way they went will be enough."

Eirik sighed and looked around him. The first thing to catch his eye was the nearest tripod with a shrivelled corpse swinging gently in the wind. What are the chances of all of us ending up like that?

Eirik walked east towards the sea following the wall, his eyes scanning the ground. He didn't expect to find anything on the seaward side of town but it was as good a place to start as any. If he was being completely honest with himself, he didn't expect to find anything anyway. Back at home, the army generally trained specialised trackers and brought them in whenever they were required. Training for the general infantry concentrated exclusively on attack and defence, not following the enemy via vague hints and signs. As he walked, his mind returned to the ambushes and the inexplicable way he'd known they were coming. The realisation that the rest of the unit had begun to look to him for protection filled him with unease. One mistake on his part could kill them all and such a grave responsibility sat uncomfortably on his shoulders.

They passed around the northern end of town and began the walk through the wide margin between the town wall and the edge of the forest. As he moved through the short, dry grass, Eirik began to rub at his forehead just between his eyes. It wasn't an itch, more like the tickle of an insect. Rubbing at it made no difference. He scoured the ground, wandering further from the wall until he was meandering across the open space toward the trees.

He stopped. At his feet, the dry earth had a series of shallow ruts and channels that did not look natural. He gazed at them and turned to look in the direction they pointed. The tickling on his skin grew stronger as he peered into the shadows beneath the high forest canopy. His feet starting walking unbidden and Eirik didn't realise how far he'd gone until Greenwood hailed him. He stopped and half-turned to see the agent jogging across the dry vegetation, his face hopeful but a warning on his lips.

"Stay out of the trees! We're not looking for a fight today,"

Eirik turned back to the forest. "There's no-one here," he said with confidence, "but someone has been."

Greenwood finally caught him up, a white kerchief in one hand and a canteen in the other.

"What do you see?" he asked, wiping his face and taking a good swallow of water.

Eirik pointed back to where he'd seen the marks. "There are some ruts and divots over there that the weather hasn't destroyed. It looks like something has been hauled through this area into the forest. Maybe some of the prisoners weren't very co-operative."

Greenwood retraced Eirik's steps to the point he'd started from and Eirik watched him squat down and examine the ground before returning, regarding him with admiration.

"I would have missed those. In fact, I did miss them. Which way do you think the tracks lead from here?"

Together they stood on the very edge of the forest and Eirik slowly cast his gaze from right to left. At the point where he was facing northwest, the tickling sensation in the middle of his forehead reached a crescendo and he rubbed at it hard. To his right he could see some of the bushes had branches that dangled loose where they had been broken. He took a couple of steps, ignoring Greenwood's cautionary words, and crouched down to pick something from one of the hanging fronds. In his hand lay a small, torn fragment of greenish-brown fabric. He returned to Greenwood and held out the scrap for inspection. The agent turned it over in his fingers.

"Homespun. I doubt a local would blunder through vegetation tearing their clothes while foraging, so we could suppose they came this way unwillingly."

Greenwood looked Eirik squarely in the eye. Eirik felt the scrutiny in that stare but held his gaze without looking away.

"I think we may have a lead here. Let's get back to town before the guards start getting worried. We can decide what to do next over a drink."

With a last glance into the trees, Eirik followed Greenwood back to Canthia.

The gate had barely closed behind them when Holgrim hailed them from the barracks. He stalked through the dust to where they waited, his brows furled and his fists clenched.

"Where the fuck have you two been? You said an hour,"

Greenwood raised a hand in apology. "I'm sorry, my friend, but we did find something of interest. At least, Eirik did."

Holgrim's face relaxed and his hands unclenched themselves. "You found tracks?"

"Not tracks,as such," Eirik began, "but I can see where someone has been dragged into the forest."

"Which way did they go?"

"My impression was that they headed northwest. We stopped at the edge of the forest but I got the feeling that's the way they went."

Holgrim nodded in approval.

"That gives us something to work with. Maybe I should talk to the locals again and see if there's anything more they can tell us.

"I'd be interested to know who led the raid. A description would help me a great deal," Greenwood mused.

"You want to know if it was this fire-wielding smuggler you spoke of?" Holgrim asked, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"Until I know otherwise, I'm going to treat those reports as true. The last thing I want to do is blunder unawares into a man who could roast me alive. I prefer my hide untoasted." Greenwood smiled, his hands held out to the sides.

Eirik watched the exchange between the two men. He knew what needed to happen next as well as what his part in events would be.

The horizon glowed with the barest hint of dawn as four figures passed through the gates of Canthia. After a brief pause for a final check of equipment, the group hurried across the open grass and into the trees.

Once under cover, the group paused again. Eirik began scouring the area to find the tracks he'd seen the previous morning. It didn't take long for the subtle tingling on his forehead to lead him to the spot, and he stood there casting his gaze through the deep shadows. Less than a minute later he'd worked out which direction give the strongest response. He turned to his companions and pointed north.

"We need to go that way,"

They moved off through the trees, each man gently pushing branches aside and watching the ground beneath their feet. Eirik passed through the trailing leaves and dry grass without a sound, almost as if the trees moved aside for him. Like the others he wore soft leather armour in lieu of his cuirass and had secured any loose items to prevent noise. As they progressed through the forest, Eirik got the feeling that the others had fallen into line behind him and were following in his steps. Responsibility weighed on his shoulders and he felt a great sense of apprehension at what he was leading them into. Coupled with the fact that he had no idea how he knew where to go, he began to hesitate until he finally came to a stop at the edge of a small clearing. He didn't turn round. He didn't want to see doubt on their faces. After a brief wait, he stepped into the clearing where the dawn had begun to penetrate the canopy above. Greenwood, Holgrim and Dane followed him but remained at the edges, their eyes never leaving Eirik.

The grass in the clearing was greener, fresher than that around Canthia, and no footprints - human or otherwise - were visible. Eirik stood at the northern edge and leaned against the trunk of a tree, gazing deep into the forest. He glanced up at the rising sun then back at his companions.

"Are we sure this is the best time of day to be doing this?" he asked.

Greenwood joined him at the clearing's edge. "We can't do this at night, we'll make too much noise. And we wouldn't be able to carry a light. Are you worried?" The agent peered into Eirik's face, inspecting him.

Eirik shrugged and looked away. "I have no idea where I'm leading you," he said with a sigh, "and I don't even know if the trail has been made by the people we're looking for. I'm following a trail I can't see through a place I don't know in order to find a man I've never met. Who might be able to burn us to cinders with one wave of his hand. So, yes, I'm worried."

By this time, the others had joined them and Holgrim was scowling. "What's the hold-up? We should get moving."

Greenwood rested a hand on Eirik's shoulder. "This is just a reconnaissance mission, not a sneak attack. We'll leave that until we know more. For now, we need to know if Lorcan Astralis has set up home on the island and where we can find him. Then we get ourselves back to Canthia and make a decision." He clapped Eirik on the shoulder, "Just get us there, that's all I need."

For a moment, Eirik didn't respond. The doubts still remained. "You're relying on something I don't understand. I could get us all killed."

"You could, but you probably won't. If we're spotted, we run," Greenwood turned to Holgrim and Dane, staring hard at each in turn. "I'm being serious. If anyone sees us and raises the alarm, we head back to Canthia as fast as possible. Are we all agreed?"

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Holgrim and Dane nodded assent and turned their attention back to Eirik. He sighed, regarded the forest, and pointed north.

"We need to go this way. The undergrowth is thick here but it looks like there's an animal path here we can follow. Let's go."

For the next hour they continued through the forest along the narrow trail. Twice Eirik stopped sharply, the gentle tickle on his forehead replaced by the itching at the back of his head. Each time he stopped he held a finger to his lips, then pointed at his eyes and indicated a position to one side. All four of them dropped to their haunches in silence, sweat beading their brows and a sudden fear in their eyes. Eirik ignored them and kept his attention ahead until the itch eventually subsided. He glanced at his comrades before nodding once and moving off once more.

The trees came to an abrupt end and the group found themselves at the bottom of a rocky escarpment. Loose shale interspersed with large boulders and tufts of stunted vegetation led up to what appeared to be a plateau. Eirik's senses told him that they needed to head straight upward but his eyes told him how exposed they would be. He took a step back into cover turned to Holgrim.

"The trail leads north, straight up and over, but I suggest we follow the base of the slope until we find a route with better cover. What do you think?"

Holgrim leaned over a little to get a better view. "I'll go with that. No sense in advertising our presence by running around on the mountain top."

"That's what I thought. We'll need to watch our footing here because there's a lot of loose material lying around."

Eirik led them onward, hugging the bottom edge of the slope as it wound its way northeast before swinging back to the north. The slope grew steeper into a cliff before falling away again as they moved further into the foothills. Other than the occasional bird call and the omnipresent insects buzzing there was no sound apart from the gentle crunching of their footsteps in the gravel and dry grass.

As noon approached, the party made a rest stop beside a stream that burst forth from the rocks and carved its path northward down the hillside and out of their view. They sheltered beneath an outcrop of rock and took the opportunity to eat, and drink copious amounts of water. Eirik followed the route of the stream with his eyes and gauged its proximity to the route his senses told him to take. The paths didn't quite align, but he was still reluctant to expose the group up on the mountain.

"Right," he said, taking a drink a putting his canteen away, "we need to make a choice. The trail still leads up onto the mountain and we can go that way if you want, but I've a feeling that, if we follow the stream, we're going to get where we want to go." He stopped, waiting for someone to pass comment or, better still, make the choice for him.

Greenwood reached into his pocket and pulled out a small square of grey silk. On it Eirik saw a map.

"I think we're about here," the agent said, his finger pointing at the carefully inked lines. "That stream is going to turn to the west in a few miles, so I say we follow it. Also, if we need to make a fast exit and get separated, it will lead us all back here."

"So we'll make this our emergency fall-back point and meet up here if it all turns to shit. Everyone clear?"

Heads nodded and turned back to Eirik.

"Okay, let's get going," he said with a shrug.

The fast-flowing water followed a shallow ravine through the rocky hillside. It curved this way and that before levelling out and curving gradually toward the east. In the distance, Eirik could see the mountain-tops becoming lower until a gorge split the skyline. A smile crept onto his face when he realised his instincts hadn't lied and their destination lay through the gorge. He scanned the local area quickly for hazards and, finding none, glanced over his shoulder.

"I think it's safe to move faster here. The stream should mask any sound we make and the terrain isn't difficult. The quicker we get through here, the better, because I think we're getting close now."

No-one spoke, but the pace picked up as they began to hurry along the banks of the stream toward the gorge ahead. The water picked up speed as other, smaller streams joined the flow until a good-sized river surged along the bottom of the valley. The sound of rushing water covered any noise they made and Eirik broke into a jog, his eyes fixed on a small dark spot up ahead where the water disappeared. He didn't look behind him but he heard the footfalls of the other close behind and pushed on. Behind his eyes, the tickling feeling grew stronger still and he was convinced they were nearing their journey's end.

The dark spot he'd seen revealed itself to be a shallow cave carved from the stone by the passage of water over time. He ducked inside and waited until everyone was gathered, then slowly crawled out on his hands and knees to peer out.

The cave was situated at the point where what had become a small river poured over a sharp edge into a pool below. It wasn't the pool that caught his attention though, it was the small cluster of huts that huddled in a small, heavily barred area in front of an opening in the mountainside beyond.

Squinting in the sunlight, Eirik could make out people in the clearing and their clothing suggested they were Mantea. From what he could see at this distance, they were carrying baskets from the opening that appeared to be heavy. Even from such a distant vantage point he could see the chains on their legs. He almost slapped his own forehead before retreating out of sight to the cave.

"There's a mine down there and people in chains working. I think we've found what we were looking for."

#

For a few moments, his comrades stared at him, uncomprehending. Eirik extend a hand towards the viewpoint overlooking the mine.

"Look for yourselves, but you might want to keep your head down,"

Greenwood and Holgrim looked at each other and quietly dropped to their knees and crawled from the cave to the edge of the rocky cliff. Dane stayed put, dismayed by the whole business.

"This is not what we came here for," she said, using a short knife to pick at her nails. "If those people see us, we're all as good as dead."

"Well keep your voice down or Holgrim might toss you to them," Eirik replied under his breath.

"How the fuck did you find this place anyway? I didn't see much in the way of tracks on the way,"

Eirik heaved a heavy sigh and put the stopper back in his canteen. How many times would he have to go through the same conversation?

"You know how you can tell if someone's watching you sometimes?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure,"

"It's like that. Sometimes I can tell if there are people around even if I can't hear or see them. And the tracking? Didn't know I could do that until yesterday morning. And no, I don't know how it works, it just does."

Dane lapsed into silence. Eirik sat himself down at the cave's mouth where he could just see the backs of Holgrim and Greenwood. He could just about hear them whispering and was about to lean out with a caution when they ducked down and scuttled back into the shade. Even at the back of the cave in semi-darkness, it was plain to see the flush of elation on Greenwood's face.

"So many answers all in one place," he said, pulling out a small flask and taking a generous swallow. Well done Eirik, you've found what I'm looking for."

Eirik waited while Greenwood pulled a notebook from inside his jerkin and frantically scribbled some notes with a thin stick of charcoal. The agent sensed his stare and looked up, a smile on his sub-tanned face.

"Lorcan Astralis is here - I have no doubt about it now. And from what I can see, he's using slaves to do the mining work for him."

"That's why he abducted the people of Canthia, then. More workers means more money," Eirik said.

"Yes but it's not just the people of Canthia. Many of the workers down there are of the Mantea tribes. In fact, I'd say that most of them are. It suggests that his regular heavies have gone into the forest with their superior weapons and rounded up the local people to bring them here to work,"

"That would make the rest of the tribesmen pretty hostile, " Eirik said, seeing the pattern.

"Yes. It would make them hostile to anyone who wasn't one of their own. The peace on this island had lasted this long because the colonists kept to the coastal farming areas and, other than a little subsistence hunting, left the forests alone. It appears that the smugglers' aggression has turned the locals against anyone from the continent."

"I can kind of see their point," Eirik said, more to himself than Greenwood. The comment didn't pass unnoticed.

"Between us, I agree. Their people have lived here for generations without issue, and suddenly they're being kidnapped and forced into slavery, and now the rest of the tribes want vengeance. I can't argue with the sentiment, but the people of the coast have done them no harm. Something must be done."

At this point, Holgrim cleared his that and leaned into the discussion.

"What exactly do you propose we do?" Holgrim said. "I have thirty men left standing back there in Canthia, and some of them have injuries. Getting them here while avoiding detection by both the Mantea and the smugglers is borderline impossible. Even if we got here and were in a combat-ready state, I saw enough armed men down there to put us at a serious disadvantage. Plus, those people know the area and we do not."

Silence fell, each locked in their own thoughts. Eirik pondered for a moment then crawled back out to the viewpoint for a second look.

The sun was well past its zenith now and the mountains were throwing the smugglers' camp into shadow. Eirik concentrated his attention on the guards, paying particular attention to their garb and weaponry. Even from this distance he could see that none of the guards had been drawn from the local population. Every one wore the bright colours common to the Continental style, even if the actual garments were tattered and dirty. In their hands they carried steel swords in place of rustic wooden spears and their feet were encased in sturdy boots instead of being bare.

The slaves were, as Greenwood had already noted, for the most part native. The occasional pale face appeared and Eirik guessed they had been taken from Canthia. The ire of the tribes made sense in the face of this treatment by brutish outsiders. The question that now needed answering was how to release the enslaved workers as well as deal with the smugglers. Holgrim had been right in his assessment. The unit was too depleted to attack the enemy on its home range, especially given the distance they needed to travel.

He slithered back into cover and sat with his back to the rocky wall, listening to the hushed discussion of his companions.

"Couldn't you get reinforcements from the Sacred Hand?" Holgrim asked, his patience evidently wearing thin.

"It would take too long for them to get here. By then, Astralis might have decided to expand his operation and take his slaves from further down the island. The upshot of that would mean that the island would become lawless. The continent would lose one of its trade and resupply posts and pirate activity along the southern coast would increase dramatically." Greenwood scratched at his sweaty scalp and scribbled more notes in his book.

Holgrim thumped his fist against the floor in frustration.

"I've got no way of bringing in more men either. One of my other units is based at the port and the other unit are assigned to other matters under Captain Agramm. I'd have to send a messenger all the way back to the port along that damned trade road and, even if he made it alive, there would be no guarantee that the fresh troops would get here unmolested. We have to make do with what we've got and work something out."

While the others argued, Eirik sat in silence, his mind working fast. He considered the route he'd followed to bring them here against the trails the smugglers had taken with their captives. An idea came to him.

"Is Canthia the nearest settlement to the mine," he asked.

Greenwood nodded. "Yes. Why?"

Eirik ignored the question. "If they spotted someone who wasn't one of their own or from the local tribes, would they assume they'd come from Canthia?"

"It's reasonable to assume so. What's in your mind?"

All eyes were on him now and Eirik shifted uncomfortably in place. He addressed his next question to Holgrim.

"Canthia has a pretty good wall. And only one gate. Do you think we could defend it with the troops we have?"

"Well...we've got a dozen archers to put on the wall, I suppose. We could thin 'em out a bit before they'd have chance to attack the gate," Holgrim replied. His expression changed from frustrated to thoughtful."

"We could have men inside the gate ready to hit them hard if they break through. Their men would have had to hike down from the mountains to get us, so they would be at a disadvantage. Our guys haven't done anything strenuous since we arrived in Canthia and are probably in the mood for a bit of payback."

Holgrim nodded slowly and Greenwood's smile returned.

"I like that idea much more than trying to fight them here where they have the natural defence of the mountains. There is one obvious complication, however."

"Which is?"

"Getting them back to Canthia. They took what they wanted last time they visited and left the old and infirm behind. As far as they know there's nothing of value left, and certainly nothing that threatens them."

Eirik took a deep breath. It was a risky plan he had in mind and he anticipated ridicule.

"That's why I asked you about what they'd do if they saw someone. If they're trying to keep this place hidden, they'd want to stop a spy spreading the word. If they assume a spy has come from Canthia, wouldn't they go back to ensure there was no-one left to talk?"

"I suppose..." Greenwood replied, his brow crinkling.

"So here's my idea. I give you a head start and you make your way back to town without me. Maybe I'll wait here until the sun starts to set. Then I'll backtrack and approach their camp along the trail they followed when they brought the captives back. When the lookouts spot me, they'll assume I've tracked them here from Canthia, and the armour will tell them I'm not a local. As soon as the alarm goes up, I'll turn tail and get myself back to town as fast as I can. The mountain route will be quicker than the way we came up and I'll probably get back just an hour or two after you."

Greenwood's mouth hung open and Holgrim rested his chin on his hand. Eirik ignored them.

"They may just kill you on the spot," Greenwood said, "then we're another man down and no better off."

"They won't get time. As soon as I know they've seen me, I'll be off and running. By then it'll be getting dark and too late to send their fighters out. Even if they leave here at daybreak, it'll still be past noon tomorrow by the time they reach town. That's half a day at least for us to organise our defences. Longer if they camp in the forest and plan for an evening attack What do you think?"

"Don't you think it smarter for us all to stick together? We're a long way from safety out here," Holgrim asked. Eirik watched his gaze darting towards Greenwood who exuded a sudden, enthusiastic energy.

"That's true, but once we've been seen we'd need to move fast. Really fast. One man can travel faster than a group. And, with all due respect captain, I can find my way back in darkness without making too much noise. That's why I'd give you guys a lead before I start attracting attention. By the time I make my move you'll be back in the forest. I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find Canthia without my help and you can make as much noise as you like."

"Against my better judgement, I'm liking your plan," Greenwood said suddenly. "I'm uncomfortable with the idea of leaving a man behind though, especially with that hair-trigger temper of yours."

"I'm not planning on engaging them," Eirik said quickly, sensing he was doing well. "I'm just going to make myself obvious until they react. Then I'm going to run for it."

"What if their reaction is a shower of arrows?" Holgrim said, his eyes narrowing.

"I'll duck," Eirik replied with a smile.

For a minute or two, they all sat staring at each other until Greenwood glanced out at the afternoon sun.

"In the absence of a better plan, I suggest we go with it," he said, putting away his notebook and adjusting his boots. "Which means the three of us should get moving. Are you going to wait until sunset?"

"I'll go while it's still light. I don't want to have to knock on their front door,"

"Understood," Greenwood clasped Eirik's hand and shook it. "Don't get too close, and don't run off a cliff in the dark."

Holgrim slapped Eirik on the shoulder. "I'll have our boys watch for your return. For fuck's sake don't do anything stupid."

Eirik watched his companions duck out of the cave and begin to pick their way back along the path. Then he sat back down to watch the sky and wait.