‘And I will miss you,’ Brígh surprised herself by saying. ‘Who will remind me to sit up straight and wear the right shoes?’

‘I expect you’ll manage.’

Chapter Forty-four: Blackthorn

44

~Blackthorn~

‘I have something to tell you,’ I said. ‘Something important. But it’ll have to be quite quick.’

‘Go on, then.’

We were seated a little apart, waiting for Cionnaola and Cúan. Ripple was leaning against Grim, her muzzle on his knee. Someone had brought a blanket, which Grim had around his shoulders. Someone else had brought a water skin, but neither of us had touched it. The toadstools had been a close thing.

I told Grim about Mathuin. A gathering so secret nobody could say a word about it. A council that was unofficial, but that had the High King’s approval. A hearing at which Mathuin would, in effect, be tried in secret by his peers. At least, that was my understanding. I told him about my document, already on its way to that hearing. All this I passed on in a whisper. There was no need to tell Grim how important it was to me to give my evidence in person. He had the same passion for justice written on his heart.

‘Morrigan’s britches,’ said Grim. ‘So why aren’t you looking happy?’

‘I missed my chance to go. It’s too late now.’

‘Missed it? Why?’ Grim sounded bewildered.

‘I gave it up. So I could come to Wolf Glen today.’

‘You what?’

‘You heard what I said. That was the choice, ride off for the hearing this morning or answer Brígh’s call for help. And as you see, I came here.’

Grim looked stunned. ‘Brígh could have got help from Winterfalls. You knew that. Wouldn’t have taken much longer. What stopped you from going? Conmael?’

‘There was the minor matter of you being in all kinds of trouble. I knew how bad it was when Ripple turned up half-dead from exhaustion. And Brígh said she thought Tóla might kill you.’

Grim stared at me. There was no reading his expression now. ‘You’re saying you – nah.’

‘I’m saying I what?’

‘You gave up the chance to put that wretch behind bars at long last because of me?’

‘That’s it, more or less,’ I said, not looking at him.

‘Holy Mother of God.’