‘The usual. Flannan. Mathuin. What might happen. If I could find Conmael I’d ask him about it. About the seven years, and whether he might be prepared to compromise. And other things. But I haven’t seen him since we came home from Bann. Going out into the wood and wishing he’d appear doesn’t do the trick anymore. Either he doesn’t want to talk to me, or he’s gone away somewhere.’

‘What other things?’ Grim put a bowl of soup in front of me. ‘Careful, it’s hot.’

‘Smells wonderful. I’d ask him about the past. I’d tell him my theory about how he and I might have met as children, unlikely as it is. Because if I’ve guessed correctly, that could make him readier to help me. I’d tell him I think five more years is too long to wait for justice. Conmael may be right about my needing all that time to learn self-restraint, much as it galls me to admit it. But I’m not the one who matters. Every day that passes, Mathuin destroys more folk’s lives. How can it be right to let that go on for five more years instead of stopping it now?’

Grim dipped his bread in his soup, saying nothing.

‘And what about Flannan’s wife and children, supposing that story was true? What happens to them when he never comes home? What happens to them if Mathuin finds out I’m still alive? Flannan said they would pay the price if he failed in his mission.’

‘Sad if what he told you was true,’ Grim said. ‘No woman deserves to have that happen. But it could be there never was any wife or children.’ He chewed on a crust, small eyes thoughtful. ‘Say you could track his wife down, anyway. What would you say to her? Sorry, your man was a liar and a killer and we had to make an end of him. Now let us rescue you. She’d spit in your face.’

‘I’m not suggesting we do anything. Only . . .’ I could not say it. If Flannan had been telling the truth about having a family, and about Mathuin having made their safety the price of his delivering me back to Laois, then that woman and her children might be facing the same fate my little family had faced. They might die in terror as my husband and son had. They might be added to the long list of Mathuin’s victims.