As a druid I was trained to endure. I made body and mind quiet; I slowed my breath. My thinking shrank to the kernel of a nut, the petal of a flower, a single blade of grass. Night followed day. A small part of me was aware of the purposeful, grim-faced men, the violently rocking ship, the waves washing over, the white face of Felix beside me.

On the third night I dreamed of violent struggle, of screams and clawing fingers. I woke abruptly to a hand on my shoulder, and swam up to full consciousness to see Cathal crouched beside me. It was morning. Through the opening above the hold, the sky was a clear light blue.

“What is it, Cathal?”

“We need to talk.”

I sat up. Gull and Felix were both awake, seated not far from me. Felix had dark circles under his eyes. And Svala—what was wrong? She was standing awkwardly, her hands up in front of her, and . . .

“She’s tied up!” I exclaimed in horror. Was this real, or was I still dreaming? Svala’s wrists were bound together with a rope, and a length of it tethered her to the timbers of the hold’s interior. No wonder Felix looked as if he’d seen a ghost. “What happened?” I demanded, struggling to rise. My legs were cramped from my uneasy sleep. “Who has done this?” I must release Svala right now.

“Leave her, Sibeal.” Gull reached out a hand to hold me back. “Captain’s orders. You slept through it all, but last night she got up on deck while the ship was under full sail. I was down below, but Gareth said she caused chaos up there so he ordered the men to bring her back to the hold and restrain her. She fought off four crewmen. Did a lot of damage. I’ve been kept busy attending to scratches and bruises. Believe me, Sibeal, Gareth had no choice.”

This was wrong, utterly wrong. It made a mockery of the mission; it was akin to caging a beautiful sea bird. And I couldn’t bear that look on Felix’s face, the look that told me he was remembering Paul; I couldn’t bear it a moment longer. “How can you be so calm about it, Gull?” I burst out. “I don’t care what she did! She’s frightened—just look at her!” Svala was pulling against the ropes with some violence. A raw bracelet of damaged flesh encircled each wrist. A whimpering came from her, the hoarse, defeated sound of someone who has raged and wept all night long. “I’ll set her free myself if none of you is prepared to do it!”

I was moving toward her when Felix’s arm came around my shoulders, holding me, halting me. “Sibeal,” he murmured in my ear. “I know how you feel. Wait.”