I was?

I looked down to see my coat sliced open on the left, below my shoulder. It was stained with blood. When I took the coat off, I saw more blood, wet, and the gash in my shirt. Someone’s blade had got past Tom and cut me.

“I don’t even feel it,” I said, amazed.

“Give it a minute. You will.”

Lord Ashcombe himself had countless cuts and bruises, though none looked serious. Tom also had a few, the worst of which was the spear wound in his lower thigh, but he could stand, so I hoped it wouldn’t be any trouble. The king had a shallow cut across his chest, and his hair was shorter by four inches on one side. Someone’s sword had cut it off.

Charles thought that was incredibly funny. “Odd’s fish. Better than both sides, if you catch my meaning,” he said, and I couldn’t argue with that.

I learned, then, that Lord Ashcombe had spotted my warning. He told me the king’s escort had pulled up within a hundred yards of Barnham Wood when my first firework flashed behind them. For a moment, he’d thought it was lightning, until he realized there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.

He’d called for a halt, waiting, frowning.

“Saw your second firework then,” he said. “You were either celebrating or trying to warn someone. And I didn’t think you were celebrating.”

Lord Ashcombe had pulled the king from the carriage, and arranged his men on the ridge, the most defensible position he could see. “The Covenanters must have realized their ambush had failed. They came pouring from the trees and fired their volley. We shot back, and then they charged. You arrived soon after.” He frowned. “Why are you here?”

I told him what had happened, what we’d discovered. When he read the letter I’d found in Domhnall Ardrey’s desk, his face darkened, and he shouted for our reinforcements to return.

As for me, I was relieved. It was certain now that Lord Ashcombe couldn’t be the “man in black” mentioned in the letter, and not merely because I didn’t want him to be. He’d defended the king with the ferocity of a lion. This man was no traitor.

The king read the letter as Lord Ashcombe turned back to me. “Was Ardrey in the palace when you found this?” he asked.

“No,” I said.

“Then I know where he is.”

As the King’s Men galloped up to the ridge, Lord Ashcombe barked out orders. “Ten of you with me. The rest see to the wounded.” He turned to me. “Where’s your horse?”

“We were attacked,” I said. “She ran away.”

He ordered one of the King’s Men who’d relieved us to lend me his. As I waited, I said, “Could someone please look for Blossom?”

“There’s no time for that,” Lord Ashcombe said shortly.

“I know. I don’t mean now. But… please.” What had happened to Blossom was my fault. “She’s hurt, and she’s scared, and she’s out there somewhere, all alone. I wouldn’t have made it in time without her.” I looked at the king. “Please.”