John Pritchard - Dark Ages

COPYRIGHT

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events of localities is entirely coincidental.

Harper Voyager

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Copyright © John Pritchard 1998

John Pritchard asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

For permission to reproduce copyright material the author would like to thank the following:

Lyrics from Sell Out (words & music by Simon Friend, Charles Heather, Mark Chadwick, Jonathan Sevink & Jeremy Cunningham) © 1991 Empire Music Ltd, 47 British Grove, London W4 for the World. Used by permission of Music Sales Ltd. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.

Lyrics from The Fear (words & music by Simon Friend, Charles Heather, Mark Chadwick, Jonathan Sevink & Jeremy Cunningham) © 1995 Empire Music Ltd, 47 British Grove, London W4 for the World. Used by permission of Music Sales Ltd. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.

Lyrics from Forgotten Ground (words & music by Simon Friend, Charles Heather, Mark Chadwick, Jonathan Sevink & Jeremy Cunningham) © 1995 Empire Music Ltd, 47 British Grove, London W4 for the World. Used by permission of Music Sales Ltd. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.

Lyrics from Tell Me about the Forest , by Dead Can Dance, © 1993, reproduced by kind permission of Beggars Banquet Music/Momentum Music.

Lyrics from The People who Stumbled in Darkness , by Roger Ruston, reproduced by kind permission of the author.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

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Source ISBN: 9780006496373

Ebook Edition © OCTOBER 2016 ISBN: 9780008219499

Version: 2019-04-11

DEDICATION

To

Mum and Dad,

who laid the deep foundations.

Michael Wood,

who made the past alive.

and F.M.E.,

who’s still my leading lady.

EPIGRAPH

Behind them, to divide the carrion meat ,

They left the raven, dark and shadow-clad ,

With cruel beak; the dun-cloaked eagle too ,

With his white tail – exulting in the feast ,

A hungry battle-hawk; and the grey beast ,

The wolf of the deep woods …

THE ANGLO-SAXON CHRONICLE, 937

Watchman, what is left of the night?

Watchman, what is left?

The watchman replies:

Dawn is coming, and also the dark.

ISAIAH 21:11 – 12

CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Epigraph

PROLOGUE (1989)

Rising Signs

PART ONE WATCHERS (1993)

I Spire Dreams

II Grey Ravens

III Cross of Iron

IV Testament

V Heaven and Hell

VI No Man’s Land

VII Running Blind

VIII The Waste Down

PART TWO SLEEPERS

I Fiends and Ashes

II Out of the Deep

III Predicator

IV Mind and Memory

V Dreams and Decay

VI Grief Riders

PART THREE SHADOWS

I Green Blades Rising

II On Earth as It Is in Hell

III Wessexena Sky

IV Moonblade

V Harrow Path

VI Home from the Hill

VII Our Summer

PART FOUR HUNTERS

I The Watchman’s Mark

II Odysseus

III Stranger

IV Wolf Hook

V Witch Hunt

VI Tare Dog

VII Circle of Sorrow

VIII The Anger of God

IX Lightning East to West

X No Graves on Badon Hill

PART FIVE RAIDERS

I Land-Waster

II Bone Fire

III Celebrant

IV The Lych-Road

V Fields of Blood

VI The Fell Tale of the West

VII Dark Moon Rising

VIII The Sermon of the Wolf

PART SIX MARTYRS

I Massacre Is My Forgiveness

II A Thousand Silver Pieces on the Black

III True Cross

IV Dead Men Ride

V In Search of Holy England

VI Night in Gehenna

VII Requiem

VIII Dominion

PART SEVEN PILGRIMS

I Liberation

II Inferno

III The Rage of Killing

IV Mystic and Severe

V Hell’s Ditch

VI Winter Runes

PART EIGHT WARRIORS

I Forgotten Ground

II On the White Hill

III Saint and Sorceress

IV Reprisal Weapons

V The Saying of the Swords

VI Wilderness

VII Black Cavalry

VIII Hard Standing

IX Legion

X Snake

PART NINE RAVENS

I Book of Shadows

II The Betrayed

III The Field of Blades

IV The Cat, the Wolf and the Dog

V Scorpion Gate

VI The Fire of the Dove

VII The End of the River

VIII A Roof for a Skyful of Stars

EPILOGUE

So Close that There Is Nothing in Between

Keep Reading

Author’s Note

About the Author

Other Books By

About the Publisher

Prologue

RISING SIGNS

(1989)

As touching the terrors of the night, they are as many as our sins. The night is the Devil’s black book, wherein he recordeth all our transgressions.

Thomas Nashe

She had no truck with horoscopes. No way could someone’s future be predicted by the stars. And yet, as Frances glanced at them with casual disinterest, her own was written there for her to see.

The sky tonight was orange and polluted, but frosty sparks were showing here and there. The only shapes she recognized were two her mum had shown her – out in the back, one bedtime, long ago. From the flyover embankment, she could see them well enough. The Great Bear, rising upward from the dark fields to the north; and setting in the west, the Northern Cross.

Cars passed fitfully, racing westward through the night; the junction left behind before they knew it. In the lengthy gaps between them, the dark and silent countryside drew closer. Fran turned on the spot, then pulled back her glove to check her watch. Just past midnight. They’d got here first this time.

Wrapping her long coat closer, she went back to the car. It was parked up a service road, just short of the underpass. The others had sat tight; she didn’t blame them. Paul leaned across to open the passenger door, and she climbed in, drawing a shivery breath between her teeth.

‘Anything?’

Fran shook her head. ‘Dead quiet.’

The CB crackled briefly, then lapsed into an empty, spooky hiss. She gave it a glance. The set was clamped below the dashboard, its digits glowing green.