But no. I was panicking for no good reason. The lamp was burning, the cottage was warm, the fire was banked up under a blanket of ash. She’d been here, and not so very long ago. And now I saw, beside the lamp, the wax tablet with its covers open and something written there. The druid is here and he knows the story. I want to talk to him on my own. If I am very late I will sleep in the women’s quarters so I don’t disturb you coming in. Cara.

Disturb me? Hah! I had enough churning around in my head to ensure I wouldn’t sleep a wink. And how late was she likely to be anyway? It would hardly take half the night to tell an old tale. I’d have liked to go and listen; not only would it be a welcome diversion from Mathuin, but I was curious about the story. Still, the message was clear. I want to talk to him on my own. At least, this way, I was spared from having to pretend to Cara that nothing was bothering me. As for Master Oisin, maybe I could speak to him in the morning. Before I went over to Dreamer’s Wood. Before I made one last attempt to summon Conmael.

All this time, I thought as I took off my shoes. All this time, and now, suddenly, it was happening. Two days’ ride at most, and surely it had to be south. That meant somewhere near the border with Ulaid. Perhaps still in Dalriada, perhaps not. But I’d be breaking my vow anyway, because I’d promised Conmael I wouldn’t seek out Mathuin. The oddest part of it was, if the hearing or council was only two days’ travel away, it most certainly couldn’t be in Laigin. Nor could it be at Tara, under the eye of the High King. We weren’t going to confront Mathuin on his home ground. So he must be coming to us.

Chapter Thirty-six: Cara

36

~Cara~

The druid, Master Oisin, was not lodged in the men’s quarters but in one of the farm cottages, like her and Blackthorn. Once Cara got the first words out, she saw the kind look on his face and had no trouble asking if he knew the tale about the heartwood house. He did, and when Cara asked if he would tell it to her straight away, in private, he said yes, of course.