“There it runs!” I shouted. “There it runs! The Red Dragon of the West! I tell you, King Vortigern, waste no more time here with these ignorant fools who babble of blood sacrifice and build a wall of stone for you, a foot a day! What wall will keep out the Dragon? I, Merlin, tell you, send these priests away and gather your captains round you, and get you away from the hills of Wales to your own country. King’s Fort is not for you. You have seen the Red Dragon come tonight, and the White Dragon lie beneath him. And by God, you have seen the truth! Take warning! Strike your tents now, and go to your own country, and watch your borders lest the Dragon follow you and burn you out! You brought me here to speak, and I have spoken. I tell you, the Dragon is here!”

The King was on his feet, and men were shouting. I pulled the black cloak round me, and without hurrying turned away through the crowd of workmen and soldiers that milled round the foot of the platform. They did not try to stop me. They would as soon, I suppose, have touched a poisonous snake. Behind me, through the hubbub, I heard Maugan’s voice and thought for a moment they were coming after me, but then men crowded off the platform, and began thrusting their way through the mob of workmen, on their way back to the encampment. Torches tossed. Someone dragged the sodden standard up and I saw it rocking and dripping where presumably his captains were clearing a path for the King. I drew the black cloak closer and slipped into the shadows at the edge of the crowd. Presently, unseen, I was able to step round behind the pavilion.

The oaks were three hundred paces away across the dark field. Under them the stream ran loud over smooth stones.

Cadal’s voice said, low and urgent: ‘This way.” A hoof sparked on stone. “I got you a quiet one,” he said, and put a hand under my foot to throw me into the saddle.

I laughed a little. “I could ride the firedrake itself tonight. You saw it?”

“Aye, my lord. And I saw you, and heard you, too.”

“Cadal, you swore you’d never be afraid of me. It was only a shooting star.”

“But it came when it came.”

“Yes. And now we’d better go while we can go. Timing is all that matters, Cadal.”

“You shouldn’t laugh at it, master Merlin.”

“By the god,” I said, “I’m not laughing.”

The horses pushed out from under the dripping trees and went at a swift canter across the ridge. To our right a wooded hill blocked out the west. Ahead was the narrow neck of valley between hill and river.

“Will they come after you?”

“I doubt it.”