‘Feel better?’ Rhin asked him.

‘Aye. Thank you,’ he said, remembering his manners a little late. ‘My Queen,’ he added.

Rhin laughed and gestured for him to sit. He did, a cup of water already poured for him. He drank, savouring it. Most of the marsh water had been stagnant and rank, even the fresh water was questionable, and usually with something slimy in it. He looked up over the rim of his cup, realizing Rhin and the giant were both staring at him.

‘So,’ Rhin said. ‘Where is Evnis?’

It was not the question he had expected, certainly not the first one, at least. He’d been expecting something more along the lines of What happened?

‘I don’t know,’ he said.

Rhin sighed. ‘Please, it is very important. Think. Hard.’

She looked scary sometimes, and Rafe suddenly remembered sitting with her in a dark room, watching a fire reveal pictures of Halion and Conall in a dungeon far below them. He shivered.

‘He was in his boat, we were on the lake, all rowing at Dun Crin, chasing Edana—’

‘Edana. Dun Crin. Chasing. Good,’ Rhin murmured.

‘Then there was fire – they set traps, started setting the boats on fire.’

‘In a lake!’ Rhin said, not sounding pleased again.

Rafe explained in more detail the battle of Dun Crin, the tactics used against them. He told her how his boat had capsized and how he had swum to the shore.

That wasn’t exactly what happened. I don’t like fire much. I paddled my arms off and got to the lake shore without even getting my feet wet. But then I tried paddling up a stream and men started throwing spears and pots of oil at me. I got wet then, capsized, swam a hundred paces underwater, scrambled out onto the opposite bank and ran like hell.

He told how the battle was lost by then, and he had escaped into the marshes.

‘Hmm,’ Rhin said when he finished, steepling her fingers. ‘That’s not very helpful.’

Rafe shrugged. ‘Sorry.’

‘Not very helpful at all,’ the giant rumbled, which made him jump a little.

‘I’m sorry. I was in front – I led the warband to Dun Crin – and Evnis was right behind me. But then it all went to hell – excuse me – fire and water and blood, and I didn’t see any more of Evnis.’

‘You were the master huntsman?’ Rhin said.

‘Aye.’

‘What of Braith?’

‘Braith’s dead.’

Rhin sat back in her chair at that, looked genuinely dismayed, even as if she might shed a tear.

‘By whose hand?’ she asked, voice like sharp flint.

‘Camlin. He was Braith’s captain from the Darkwood. Gut-shot him, from as far apart as we are.’

‘I’ve heard his name,’ Rhin said with a hiss, ‘and I won’t forget it. And you escaped?’

‘Aye.’

‘You seem to be very good at that,’ Rhin observed.