“I didn’t kill anyone! It was the others. It was them who are guilty! Even here at Ravnholt. I just stood watch, I never hurt anyone! After you escaped the cage, after that storm and that monster—ai, God! Then all those who were so friendly to me before, all them turned on me and cast me out! What was I to do? The woodsmen—that’s what they call themselves—they’re not so particular!”

‘Although an honest woodsman might object to a pack of bandits calling themselves by an honest name.”

“We was hungry, just like others. Did what we had to do to get a scrap to eat.”

“Murdered folk here at Ravnholt Manor? Where are the four girls who were taken?”

He sobbed helplessly into the dirt, nose running. He stank with fear. “I left them after they done it. I wasn’t guilty. I didn’t do it!”

‘After they done what?”

“Killed them! Raped them and killed them. Said they might try to escape. I said they ought to spare ‘em. But no.”

“You touched none of those girls?”

“I didn’t kill them!”

“But you raped them! Isn’t that harm enough? And stood by and let them die after! Doesn’t that stain your hands with their blood? The one who refuses to act to save the innocent is as guilty as the one whose hand strikes the blow!”

These words set Heric caterwauling and writhing on the earth like a man having a fit.

“Roll over and sit up.”

Heric’s sobs ceased and, cautiously, he rolled onto his back, then sat, not even brushing off the leaf litter and dirt and twigs that smeared his rags. He eyed first Rage, who wanted to get back to licking the infected toe, then Sorrow, who yawned hugely to display his teeth.

Alain took a few breaths to clear his anger. “I believe you are telling the truth about those poor girls, but I’ll see those graves.”

“There aren’t no graves! The others slit their throats and cast them into the brush, that’s all.”

“Then you’ll bury their corpses. Lead me there.”

“Won’t! It’s close by the hideyhole. We’ll be killed, you and me. Twenty of them agin’ two of us. I have no weapon, not now you took mine … unless you want to give me back my bow.”

“No, I don’t want to. Come, then.”

“We’re not going there, are we?” His voice rose in panic. “I don’t want to die.”

“Did those girls want to die? Did they cry and plead, Heric? Did you hear them begging while you stood by and watched?”

“I turned my back!” he said indignantly. “I’m not a monster, to watch murder done!”

“If turning your back is not a monstrous deed, then what is?” He signaled with a hand. Tails lashing, the hounds waited for his command.

“Where are we going?”

“To Lavas Holding.”

“Not there, I beg you! They’ll hang me! They’ll chop off my hands and then my head.”

“If you’re not guilty, why do you fear their justice?”