They reached the third island. It was smaller than the others and had fewer trees. Alison's eyes moved back and forth. There were two men in the reeds, waiting to spring out at her. She couldn't see them but she knew they were there.
'Sister. Those reeds ... they don't look right.'
Weasel dug his paddle in the water and backed off.
'Let the wind guide us as I told you.'
The boy placed his paddle on his knees and they were blown towards a muddy shore.
Alison rose and drew her sword. Weasel watched it move back and forth as if searching out an enemy. Then, her muscles tensed and she sprang. For a moment he lost sight of what was happening. The coracle rocked and he struggled to stop it capsizing. When he next looked, Alison was standing on a log, confronting a soldier in grey.
The man had his shield at arm's length and was advancing with short, jerky steps. Weasel knew the technique. He'd seen it practised on the parade ground and knew it was difficult to counter without a shield. He tried to warn her but the words stuck in his mouth.
Alison sank down lynx-like.
'Psss.' She sprang onto a branch and spat like a wild cat.
A second figure emerged from the reeds.
'Psss.' She raced up and down the branch.
The men struck out. One came close to hitting her. His blade sliced into the branch and stuck there. He struggled to remove it and her sword found a chink in his armour. It sank deep and he collapsed into the mud.
The second man grabbed the branch.
'Die. Little She Whore.'
He worked the branch up and down and let go.
It sprang up and Alison rose with it.
'Magdoor!'
She shouted the battle name of the goddess and flew through the air. Her sword pierced the man's throat and he fell. Her feet returned to the log and she perched there, cat-like.
Weasel approached cautiously. 'Sister, we must go.'
She stared at him as if awakening from a dream.
'The sword's got blood on it.' She pointed to the blade. 'Why's that?' She reached for the grey military cloak of the dead man and wiped the sword before returning it to its sheaf. Weasel saw the vacant expression on her face and ran to where Adrina and Alvero were lying, both badly injured.
Fury brought the coracles round. They put Adrina in one and Alvero in the other. Then they went back for Alison and bundled her into the second coracle beside the young man. Weasel waded into the freezing water and pushed them off. The coracles entered the main channel and were carried away on the outgoing tide.