Hasso grabbed Sholseth’s arm just behind the wrist. Half a second later, Sholseth flew through the air with the greatest of ease. The big Lenello had time to begin a startled grunt, but it cut off abruptly when he slammed down on the rammed – earth floor of Castle Svarag’s great hall.

Hasso had hoped that would put him out of action, but he started to get up. The Wehrmacht officer kicked him in the ribs – and had to skip back in a hurry, for a long arm snaked out and almost tripped him up. He didn’t want to get locked in a grapple with Sholseth, not even a little bit.

The boot to the ribcage made the Lenello flatten out again. Hasso darted in and kicked him once more, this time in the side of the head, not too hard. Hard enough, though. Sholseth groaned and went limp.

A pitcher sat on a table a few meters away. Hasso walked past half a dozen staring Lenello warriors, picked it up, and poured two liters of not very good beer over Sholseth’s head. The big man groaned and spluttered. His eyes opened. He made a horrible face and clutched at his temples. The Wehrmacht officer nodded to himself. Concussion, sure as hell. Sholseth wouldn’t be worth the paper he was printed on for the next few days.

Another Lenello said something to Hasso. It was probably, How the devil did you do that, you shrimp? With an inward sigh, Hasso made a gesture inviting him to find out for himself. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, one of these big apes would cream him. But how many he smashed up first would go a long way toward showing where he fit in the pecking order.

He flattened four and had a fifth on the ropes before the fellow landed a blow to his solar plexus that folded him up like an accordion. He couldn’t do a thing about it, either. The Lenello was groggy, but not too groggy to fall on him like a landslide and thump him while he couldn’t fight back. Hasso got paid back for some of what he did to the soldier’s friends. He’d known that would happen, too, which didn’t make it any more enjoyable while it was going on.