‘Ségán’s new rules for me.’ Blackthorn grimaced. ‘But it’s common sense; if you confront him with this, your father will be . . . unhappy. It’s best if you speak to him in my presence and probably Grim’s as well. Promise, please.’

‘I promise.’ Cara could just imagine it: herself and Father opposite one another in his council chamber, and the room full with Blackthorn and Grim and two guards. Maybe the wild man would be there too. The man who might be her real father, the man with the sad, crazy eyes. She would open her mouth to speak and the words would dance away like sparks from a fire, leaving her mute and helpless.

Chapter Thirty-four: Grim

34

~Grim~

Happy to see Blackthorn. Wish it had been longer. Tóla made sure she left quick. What I said once, about this place being a den of wolves – nothing’s changed my mind on that. Gormán’s as bad as the master. Rushed her off before we had time to talk properly, didn’t he? Nice enough fellow, but he’s in Tóla’s pocket, does what he’s told. Might have a few secrets of his own that he doesn’t want coming out. My guess is, the master’s got some sort of hold on him.

After what she said, Blackthorn I mean, I’m half minded to tell Bardán the truth. If it is the truth. If Cara’s his daughter, it’s cruel to keep it secret. I mean, he’s been thinking his child is dead. Worse, he’s been thinking it’s his fault. All those years. If she’s still alive and well, how can I not tell him? Thing is, though, telling him would be like touching a flame to a stack of straw. It’d be the blow-up of all blow-ups. That’d be the kind of shocking news that stayed with you for life, like a scar. The girl’s only fifteen. Wouldn’t want to do that to her. Be worse if she found out later, though. What if it came out after she married and had children of her own? Or worse, just before she married? She might be all set to wed some young man she liked, and when he found out she wasn’t Tóla’s daughter he’d say, sorry, changed my mind. Couldn’t inherit then, could she? But what’s Bardán got to offer her? Some folk would say love was enough. Sounds good. But a girl of that age wants a home and security. She wants a future. Bardán can’t work. He can’t earn a living; he can’t support a daughter. She’d be the one supporting him.