The mission, the longed-for chance had driven Cara and her problem right out of my head. Now it returned, and along with it Bardán and the whole difficulty at Wolf Glen. ‘You might need to word it carefully,’ I said. ‘Make sure Grim knows it’s vital for him to come back straight away.’

All of them were staring at me now, as if I were talking nonsense.

‘Would not a message that you needed him here be sufficient?’ Oran asked, brows lifted.

‘Usually, yes.’ Before Wolf Glen, before the wild man, such a message would have troubled Grim so much that he would have leaped on a horse and galloped all the way back. Or run all the way, if there had been no horse. But now . . . ‘He’s promised to stay up there night and day until the job is finished,’ I said. ‘If he knew what this is about he would come, certainly. But you can’t tell him. I understand why. Couldn’t I go to Wolf Glen with an escort and talk to him?’

‘No,’ the three men said together.

‘I’ll word the message precisely,’ Ségán said. ‘My messenger will take a spare horse and ask Grim to ride back with him.’

It was already late in the day. Prince Oran had arrived home in mid-afternoon, with a small number of Swan Island men and Donagan. Flidais and little Aolú had not come with him; they were staying at court. For their own safety, I assumed. I felt for Flidais. She went everywhere with Oran; it would be hard for her, knowing he was going into danger. And she would be party to the secret, I was sure. Not only were she and Oran close, but Mathuin was her father’s enemy. It was not his crimes against folk like me that had sparked this venture, but his armed attack on Lord Cadhan. Though it seemed both Oran and Ségán believed my account would make a difference. If I’d been readier to trust, if I hadn’t let my old fear stop me from telling Oran my story, maybe this venture could have happened far sooner.

‘Master Tóla won’t be pleased if Grim walks off the job,’ I said. And Bardán would be on his own again, just when I had told Cara she might be his daughter.

‘The message should bear my signature,’ said the prince. ‘Master Tóla can be as displeased as he likes, but if he has any common sense he won’t refuse a direct request from me.’

‘Am I allowed to know how long we might be away? I will need to tell Emer, my assistant. There’s nobody else to do my job while I’m gone.’