My memory of Sibeal’s words stopped me from questioning his judgment, and we moved off again, down a hill through a grove of young birches, our feet sliding on the muddy incline. It began to rain. The narrow trunks of the trees were useful for slowing our dangerous progress, but their delicate foliage provided little cover from the weather. My hood refused to stay up over my head. The sling protected Becan for now, but it would soon be wet through. I could hear the dogs, and they sounded closer.

Near the foot of the slope I lost my balance and came down heavily on my hip. Becan squalled in fright. Tears sprang to my eyes.

“Quick, Clodagh!” Cathal spoke with a new note of urgency. He seized my hand and hauled me to my feet. “Can you hear it?”

Up the hill behind us someone shouted. I glanced back, but said nothing.

“Not them, the river. We’re nearly there. Run!”

I could hear no river. There was no river, not on Sevenwaters land. But I ran, my body protesting at every step. The shouting came again, Aidan’s voice urging the others on and the dogs clamoring. My hand was still in Cathal’s. Rather than fall headlong I forced myself to keep up with him. Becan maintained a screaming protest, making my belly clench tight in sympathy. We raced along a narrow way under an arch of bigger trees, their pale trunks flashing by, the rain drizzling and dripping from every leaf to drench our clothing and our hair. Cathal swept his dark locks back from his face with an impatient hand. The pace never slackened.

We pelted out from the birch wood and into a curtain of rain. Suddenly there was no seeing the way. Water before, behind, on either side, a silver-gray veil obscuring rock, tree, path, everything but the little patch of ground at our feet. We slowed; to run on was to invite disaster. Cathal’s grip tightened on my hand.

“Cathal!” Aidan’s voice, somewhere within the downpour. “Don’t make me set the dogs on you, you fool! Give yourself up, I know you’re down there!”

“Good sign,” murmured Cathal, moving forward into the rain and pulling me after him. “He hasn’t let the dogs off yet. What are you doing, Clodagh, move!”