‘What’s happened?’ Arwain demanded, Ibris’s son now, and shaken by the response of the Mantynnai.
Before Ryllans could reply however, the traffic started to move forward again and there were some cries of abuse from the riders and carts behind them.
Uncharacteristically, Ryllans turned round and abused the abusers before clicking his horse forward. It was an action that gave Arwain a further measure of the man’s turmoil.
‘What’s happened?’ he asked again as the platoon began to move off, though this time his voice was concerned rather than commanding.
Ryllans’ face was grim and he stared resolutely forward in silence for some time. Arwain sensed that he was debating what to say, perhaps even whether to lie or not, and he knew that, whatever he was told, he had no way of judging its tru
