Chapter ThreeAs Nicolson swung the steering oar hard over, the chant of the iorram increased and the oarsmen doubled their speed.
'What the hell are the Caterans doing this far north?' Nicolson asked. 'Move these blasted oars!'
Prancer proved her name as she skiffed across the surface of the waves. With an ash frame covered in ox-hide, the curragh was lighter on the surface than any plank-built ship, so pulled away fast from the vessels that had emerged from behind the island.
'I see three ships.' Melcorka joined Nicolson in the stern of Prancer. 'Each one much larger than us.' She ran her eyes up the length of the vessel. 'What weapons do you have on board?'
Nicolson shook his head. 'None. The lads will carry a sea-knife, but that is all. Since Maelona became queen and the Norse were
