The Hunters

They sailed into Raguza and Hal said, as bold as brass, “We’ve come to challenge Zavac and we plan to kick his—

So we’ve written a saga,” he said. “The Saga of Hal and the Heron Brotherband.” “Oh Gorlog help us,” Hal muttered.

Hal answered him. “We’re as sure as we can be. The guard captain said he found a ball of yellow glass. What else could it be?” Jesper shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe a ball of yellow glass?

Ingvar was on his back, moaning quietly. The pillow under his head, his jacket and the blanket across him, and the mattress under him were all totally sodden as perspiration poured out of his body in a flood. Jesper looked at them wildly. “He’s going to die, isn’t he?” It was Edvin who slapped him on the back, almost sending him sprawling across the sweat-soaked figure on the mattress. “No, you idiot!” he said happily. “He’s going to live. The fever’s broken!

Once, she came face-to-face with a heavyset man wearing a hooded short cloak. They came level with each other under one of the infrequent lanterns and she could make out only the lower half of his face. The upper half was shaded by the hood. She had an impression of a dark, full beard. In the shadow of his hood, his eyes were unblinking, staring at her.