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Let's take the witch's things and the windbringers."
    "And one keg of brandy," Draven amended.
    The mates worked quickly, handing the cargo over the side and stacking it neatly on the sledge. Eben and Karrol took ice axes and filled a large tub with glassy shards chopped from the frozen wave—sea-ice for the windbringers. Lonn helped carry the tub to the sledge.
    They started up the beach, Lonn, Glyssa, Eben, and Draven on the lead ropes, Karrol and Brinda pushing from behind. The wind howled in their faces, stinging cold.
    They had hauled the sledge a third of the way to their house when Lonn stopped abruptly. A fur-cloaked figure was marching toward them from the direction of the village, carrying an ivory spear. Lonn glimpsed a furrowed face inside the hood, a hooked nose and familiar, biting eyes.
    "Greetings to you, honored Belach." Lonn shouted above the wind. The klarnmates bowed ceremoniously to the village shaman.
    Belach stopped in front of them and thrust his spear into the frozen ground. "Greetings to you, Lonn, son of Orla, and to the hunters of your klarn." Then he waited, calmly blocking their way despite the oncoming storm.
    Normally, with a boat landing unexpectedly on the island, a watch party would have come from the village to investigate. But with the squall coming on, Belach had no doubt been asked to come alone. Everyone knew shamans were impervious to the cold.
    Lonn said to him: "Honored Belach, may I invite you to share the warmth of our lodge house, so that we may have words away from the wind?"
    Belach showed a faint smile. "That is hospitable of you, Lonn. May I then assist in hauling your sled?"
    Lonn and his mates muttered their thanks. The old shaman snatched his spear from the ground and tossed it onto the sledge. He took a lead place on one of the hauling lines and started up the hill with a ferocious burst of energy. The klarnmates struggled to keep up.
    Shortly they reached the lodge house and dragged the sledge inside. The dome was twenty paces across, with walls of hide that bowed and shook now in the wind. Across from the main entrance, a low tunnel gave access to the smaller dome used for sleeping.
    Karrol and Brinda closed the door flap and tied the laces. Draven and Eben knelt to make a fire in the circular stone hearth at the center of the dome. The lodge house had come to the klarn from Glyssa’s family, so it was her role to act as host. She took a water skin from the sled, poured a cup, and offered it to Belach.
    "Share water and warmth with us, honored guest."
    Belach drained the cup and smacked his lips. "My thanks to you, Glyssa, daughter of Sorcha." He turned to Lonn. "The villagers will wish to know why your klarn has returned alone. Where are the other boats you hunted with?"
    Lonn felt all eyes turn on him. When he hesitated, Draven cheerfully supplied the answer.
    "We left the fleet to go raiding. Lonn had a dream, and it led us to a Larthangan ship. We captured it and got treasure, which we mean now to ransom or sell in Fleevanport."
    Lonn rolled his eyes, wishing briefly that Draven had been more discreet. But perhaps it was for the best after all.
    Belach was frowning, scrutinizing the sledge in the dim light of the new fire. "That is the treasure?"
    Lonn nodded. Everyone had stopped now and was watching the shaman. Belach stepped to the sledge and picked up his spear. He used it to lift a fur here and there, to poke at one of the witch's chests. Lonn noticed that Kizier was gazing intently at the shaman from his place at the back of the sledge.
    Belach started to make loud, clicking noises with his tongue. He wheeled suddenly, waving the spear in the air. Then he froze and touched a finger contemplatively to his lips.
    "There is power here. And danger."
    Lonn's heart was pounding in his chest.
    "What do you see, honored Belach?" Glyssa asked quietly.
    Belach's eyes grew large and lost focus. His mouth started clacking again. Then he shuddered, and sucked in a loud