Free Ranger's Apprentice 3 & 4 Bindup by John Flanagan

lives,’ Erak pointed out. ‘Two men who were sworn to abide by your decisions, no matter how foolhardy those decisions might be. Any man with more than five minutes’ experience would know that this is too early to make the crossing!’
    â€˜There was a lull!’ the other man shot back and Erak snorted in disgust.
    â€˜A lull! There are always lulls! They last a day or two. But that’s not long enough to make the crossing and you know it. Damn you for your greed Slagor!’
    Slagor drew himself up. ‘You’ve no right to judge me, Erak. A captain is master of his own ship and you know it. Like you, I’m free to choose when and where I go,’ he said. His voice was louder than Erak’s and Will sensed he was blustering.
    â€˜I’ll note you chose not to join us in the war we’ve just been fighting,’ Erak replied, scorn in his voice. ‘You were content to sit at home for that, then try to sneak out and get the easy pickings before other captains were ready to leave.’
    â€˜My choice,’ Slagor repeated, ‘and a wise one, as it’s turned out.’ His voice became a sneer. ‘I notice you didn’t exactly have a great deal of success in your invasion, did you, Jarl Erak?’
    Erak stepped closer. His eyes blazed a warning at the other man.
    â€˜Watch your tone, you sneak thief. I left good friends behind me there.’
    â€˜And more than friends, as I’ve heard,’ replied Slagor, emboldened now. ‘You’ll get scant thanks from Ragnak for leaving his son behind as well.’
    Erak stepped back, his jaw dropping. ‘Gronel was taken in the battle?’
    Slagor shook his head now, smiling at the other man’s loss of poise. ‘Not taken. Killed, I heard, at the Thorntree battle. Some of the ships managed to make it back to Skandia before the storms set in.’
    Will glanced up quickly at that. Wolfwind, Erak’s ship,had been the last to leave the Araluan coast. The crew were still waiting for Erak’s return when the survivors of Horth’s ill-fated expedition had straggled back to the ships, bringing news of the failure and then sailing away. Will had later heard Wolfwind ’s crew talking about the Thorntree battle. Two Rangers, one short and grizzled, the other young and tall, had led the King’s forces that decimated the Skandian army as they had marched to outflank Duncan’s main force. Somehow, Will knew in his heart that they had been Halt and Gilan.
    Erak shook his head sadly. ‘Gronel was a good man,’ he said. ‘We’ll feel his loss sorely.’
    â€˜His father is feeling it. He’s sworn a Vallasvow against Duncan.’
    â€˜That can’t be right,’ Erak said, frowning in disbelief. ‘A Vallasvow is only to be taken against treachery or murder.’
    Slagor shrugged. ‘He’s the Oberjarl. He can do as he likes, I’d say. Now for pity’s sake, do you have any food on this godforsaken island? Our stores are ruined by sea water.’
    Erak, still distracted by the news he’d just heard, became aware of Will and Evanlyn’s presence. He jerked his head towards the huts.
    â€˜Get a fire going,’ he told them. ‘These men need hot food.’
    He was angry that Slagor had to remind him of his duty in this matter. He may not have liked the other captain, but his men deserved help and attention after all they had been through. He shoved Will roughly towards the hut. The boy staggered, then began to run, Evanlyn close behind him.
    Will had a nasty feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had no idea what a Vallasvow might be but he knew one thing. Keeping Evanlyn’s identity a secret had suddenly become a matter of life and death.

The road neared the ocean, and the woods on either side gradually moved closer and closer, as fertile, tilled fields gave way to denser forest country.
    It was the sort of country where