Hi Bernard,

I’ve just read The Empty Throne and really enjoyed it. However there is a question I would like to ask which you may well have been asked before.

How after Eadith has stabbed him with Ice-Spite is Uhtred able to draw Serpent-Breath and hit the ships hull (page 234) with it when he had left the sword on the boat and only took Wasp-Sting with him? Finan had earlier pulled him a sword from the pile of weapons taken by the Welsh in the fight (page 219).

Best wishes

Jim Cook