I looked at the wound on his brow, raw oozing flesh, a livid bruise coming up. The cup was shaking in his hands. I must choose my words carefully. “You didn’t do any of it,” I said, “unless you’ve developed the ability to be in two places at once. Someone else killed Aidan; someone who is able to change his appearance at will so he can resemble you closely, if not exactly. Why anyone would want to do that I can’t imagine. But you shouldn’t blame yourself for Aidan’s death, or for anything that might change because of it. You came to Sevenwaters because you work for Johnny. You’re here with me now because, for your own reasons, you decided to help me. If you and Aidan found yourselves on opposite sides of a dispute, that was purely ill luck. Perhaps that man with the bow was connected with whoever attacked Glencarnagh; perhaps what we saw was part of a bigger battle.”

“I don’t think so. Aidan stood back and let us cross the river, Clodagh, but probably only because you had positioned yourself to shield me. In the vision he was still out on the search for me. He had the hounds with him. He was looking for his companions. How they became separated I can only guess.”

I thought he was right, but I would not say so. The last thing Cathal needed was another reason to heap guilt on himself.

“You said you’d stolen my future.” I had to speak of this, difficult as it was. “Cathal, I’m sad that Aidan is gone, terribly sad. I’m shocked and upset. To be drawn into your vision and to see that . . . I wish with all my heart that you believed there was some doubt about its truth. But, Cathal, whatever Aidan may have thought he felt for me, I didn’t love him in that way. He was a suitable candidate for marriage, certainly, and for a while I saw that as a possibility. I liked him very much. I’m sad at the waste of a fine man. But I didn’t love him like a . . . a sweetheart. At a certain point it became clear to me that I would never marry him. It seems wrong to say that now; it feels almost like a betrayal. But he’s here somewhere, watching us, and he understands. I know it.” Wherever Aidan’s shade had wandered, he was no longer part of that limp body lying alone in the forest with only the dogs to keep him company. I thought of that little girl, Rathnait, back at Whiteshore waiting for a betrothed who would never come home. Would she grieve for him?