The Brothers Lionheart

“Jossi is going to show us where we can best get through the wall,” said Sofia. “We must know to be ready when the battle actually starts.”

“Yes, we must,” said Jossi. “We must have a plan ready before we attack.

I was boiling inside. No doubt you’ve got your plan ready, I thought. I knew why he had come. He was going to lure Sofia and Hubert into a trap; straight to destruction, he would lure them, if no one stopped him. And then I understood: I am the one who must stop him, and it couldn’t wait. It had to happen now. However much I disliked the idea, it had to happen now. But how should I begin?

“How’s Bianca, Sofia?” I said at last.

Sofia looked sad.

“Bianca never came back from Wild Rose Valley,” she said. “But do you know anything about Jonathan?”

She didn’t want to talk about Bianca, but I had heard what I wanted to know; Bianca was dead. That was why Sofia had come here with Jossi. She had never received our message.

Jossi wanted to know, too, whether I knew anything about Jonathan.

“Surely he hasn’t been captured?” he said.

“No, he hasn’t,” I said, and I looked straight into Jossi’s eyes. “He’s just rescued Orvar from Katla Cavern.”

Jossi’s red face turned pale and he fell silent. But Sofia and Hubert were delighted, so delighted that Sofia hugged me again and Hubert said:

“That’s the best news you could have given us.”

They wanted to know how it had all been done, but Jossi didn’t, for now he was in a hurry.

“We can hear all about that later,” he said. “We must go to where we’re heading for now, before dark.”

Yes, because Tengil’s soldiers will no doubt be lying in wait, I thought.

“Come, Karl,” said Sofia. “We can ride together on my horse, you and me.”

“No,” I said. “You mustn’t ride anywhere with that traitor!”

I pointed at Jossi and I thought he would kill me. He grabbed hold of my neck with his great hands and snarled:

“What did you say? One more word and I’ll finish you.