Pametum took a quick step back, raising his knife and holding it horizontally in a defensive position. The stone man across the deck let out another low grumble and, with some effort, took a lumbering step towards him. His movement was stiff and awkward, his frozen clothing faintly crinkling as the thin layers of ice and snow cracked and fell to his feet.

Pametum held his other hand flat in warning at the approaching sailor. “Apis! Apis!” Pametum whispered, but the sailor did not stop. Pametum glanced over his shoulder at the distant shore. Kautonbe and Yespilou were still well hidden, awaiting his return – he did not have time to signal for any assistance.

Several more steps and Pametum would be forced to either kill this man or retreat to his canoe and return to shore. “Apis!” he finally shouted, now pointing his knife at the approaching man’s throat. The lumbering man did not stop at his shout, but another dead man laying near the rigging slowly raised his head and reached out a frozen hand.