The Trollslayer has the hearing of a wild beast as well as the brains of one, he thought to himself, continuing to pull on the mail shirt.

“Aye. The manling thought it clever to put his case to the Emperor with petitions and protest marches. Old Karl Franz chose to respond, quite sensibly, with cavalry charges.”

The peddlers were starting to back away.

“An insurrectionist,” Felix heard one mutter.

Felix felt his face flush. “It was yet another cruel and unjust tax. A silver piece for every window, indeed. To make it worse, all the fat merchants bricked up their windows and the Altdorf militia went around knocking holes in the side of poor folks’ hovels. We were right to speak out.”

“There’s a reward for the capture of insurrectionists,” the peddler said. “A big reward.”

Felix stared at him. “Of course, the Imperial cavalry were no match for my companion’s axe,” he said. “Such carnage! Heads, legs, arms everywhere. He stood on a pile of bodies.”

“They called for archers,” Gotrek said. “We departed down a back alley. Being spitted from afar would have been an unseemly death.”

The fat peddler looked at his companions then at Gotrek, then at Felix, then back at his companions. “A sensible man keeps out of politics,” he said to the man who had talked of rewards. He looked at Felix. “No offence, sir.”

“None taken,” Felix said. “You are absolutely correct.”

“Insurrectionist or no,” the old woman said, “may Sigmar bless you if you bring my little Gunter back.”

“He is not little, Lise,” the innkeeper said. “He is a strapping young man. Still, I hope you bring my son back. I am old and I need him to chop the wood and shoe the horses and lift the kegs and—”

“I am touched by your paternal concern, sir,” Felix interrupted. He pulled his leather cap down on his head.

Gotrek got up and looked at him. He beat his chest with one meaty hand. “Armour is for women and girly elves,” he said.

“Perhaps I had best wear it, Gotrek. If I am to return alive with the tale of your deeds — as I did, after all, swear to do.”

“You have a point, manling. And remember that is not all you swore to do.” He turned to the innkeeper. “How will we find the Darkstone Ring?”

Felix felt his mouth go dry. He fought to keep his hands from shaking.

“There is a trail. It runs from the road. I will take you to its start.”

“Good,” Gotrek said. “This is too good an opportunity to miss.