Bardán says nothing, just reaches out to stroke Ripple. She sighs in her sleep.

‘Bardán,’ I say.

‘Mm?’

‘I’ve got something to tell you. It’s about your daughter.’

Chapter Thirty-nine: Blackthorn

39

~Blackthorn~

‘Today,’ Ségán said. ‘As soon as you can be packed and ready. Take only what you can stow in your saddlebags. You’ll have one night sleeping in the open, but at your destination there will be a house to stay in. Your escort will provide food. Bring your own water skin. Dress for riding. You do have time for breakfast first, but make it quick.’

‘Today,’ I echoed. It was impossible to keep the dismay from my voice. He’d warned me to be ready to leave at short notice, but . . . already?

‘I did make it clear –’

‘I know that.’ Now I sounded snappish. I reminded myself that I’d been waiting years for this opportunity. Only . . . ‘What about Grim?’ I asked.

‘If Grim is not here in time we’ll be going without him.’

Breathe, Blackthorn. ‘So the message was taken to Wolf Glen? He is coming?’

‘The message was delivered, yes, but not to Grim in person. He was away at the time. The best our man could do was extract a promise that Grim would be given the message as soon as he returned.’

My heart sank. ‘Away where?’

‘That I do not know. But we must leave this morning, Mistress Blackthorn, or there’s a risk that you won’t reach your destination in time. Your escort is waiting for you at your cottage over by Dreamer’s Wood.’

This felt wrong, even though he’d told me to expect short notice. ‘If you are so expert at planning this kind of thing, why leave it so late to go?’

‘Not your concern. I think I mentioned the need for secrecy. You are the last to leave from here. Others are already on their way. We want no undue attention. As for the timing, it was necessary to wait for a certain . . . confirmation . . . before we could begin to move. This is a complex mission. Pack quickly.’

‘Ségán.’

‘Yes?’

I heard the impatience in his voice. It set me on edge. ‘I need Grim to come with me. It’s important.’

‘We can’t wait for him.’

‘What is the very latest I could leave and still get there in time for the . . . and still get there in time? I know there’s an overnight stop. It doesn’t get dark until quite late at this time of year. Surely it wouldn’t matter if we reached that stop a little later than planned.’

‘Grim may be waiting at the cottage when you get there. The message was clear enough.’

‘Answer the question, will you?’

Ségán’s eyes widened a little. I had managed to surprise him. Perhaps he was accustomed to being obeyed without challenge.