We haven’t talked about the council much. Big day. Lot to take in. Too much to get my head around. Full of surprises. Hard to believe, but the judgement was fair. Didn’t think that happened anywhere. Didn’t think they’d listen to us, but they did.

I’m putting together a few things before I head off for the day, and Blackthorn says she’s coming with me. So I wait while she gets her basket and a knife, and Ornait packs up some food for us. Fraoch’s taking Emer back over to Silverlake to give Ness the news. He offers us a lift on the cart and we say no, we’ll walk.

We get as far as Iobhar’s brewery, where I’m planning to stop in and see if the lads are free to help. But before I can do that, up rides the prince’s man, Donagan. He says good morning and tells us Prince Oran wants to talk to us, now. What about, he doesn’t say. That’s a worry. Did we get something wrong without knowing? I don’t want to go, and I’m sure Blackthorn doesn’t. But you don’t say no to a prince. Not even one who seems like he might be a good man.

Blackthorn says what I’m not saying. ‘Can’t this wait? We need to put in a day at the cottage while the weather’s dry.’

Donagan gives her a look, and she stares right back at him.

‘Roof won’t mend itself,’ I say. ‘Want to be back in there as soon as we can.’

‘If it’ll help,’ Donagan says, ‘Niall can send a couple of our fellows across to give you a hand. But later, after you’ve spoken with the prince.’ And even though he’s the serving man, he’s got enough of that princely way about him to stop me from arguing. Maybe this won’t take too long. Whatever it is.

Blackthorn’s hugging her shawl around herself. She’s worried. After the council, seemed things might be good for a while. But if we’ve learned anything from the past, her and me, it’s this: good things don’t last. Soon as you think they might be here to stay, someone takes them away again. Freedom. Trust. Family. Love. All those and more.

‘I’ve got work to do,’ Blackthorn says. ‘Herbs to gather. Cures to prepare. Folk to tend to.’ Though I know she was planning to spend the whole day at the cottage, where she can gather the herbs but not do the other things. What she wants is not to have to talk to anyone for a while.

‘When the prince summons you to a meeting,’ says Donagan, and he’s trying hard not to snap, I hear it, ‘it’s usual to attend without question.’