The Cross and the Curse

Book excerpt: THE NEW BERNICIA CHRONICLES NOVEL FROM MATTHEW HARFFY, SHADOWS OF THE SLAIN, AVAILABLE TO PREORDER NOW! The life of an Anglo-Saxon warrior is full of blood and fury. For young fighter Beobrand, exploits in war will win him renown... but they will also make him many enemies. The second gripping, action-packed instalment in the Bernicia Chronicles. AD 634. Confusion and conflict continue as warlords battle across Britain to become the first King of the English. After a stunning victory against the native Waelisc, Beobrand returns to a hero's welcome. His valour is rewarded by wealth and land by Oswald, King of Northumbria. Exhausted, he retires to his new estate with his bride only to find himself surrounded once again by enemies old and new. With treachery and death on all sides, Beobrand fears he will lose all he holds dear. On a quest for revenge and redemption, he accepts the mantle of lord, leading his men into the darkest of nights and the bloodiest of battles. 'Murder, betrayal and vengeance fuel tribal warfare and personal combat. Beobrand is the warrior to follow' David Gilman 'Historical fiction at its finest' Stephanie Churchill