The afternoon was passing; the house was clean and tidy, the water barrel had been topped up and enough wood had been brought in and chopped to last the household a good while.

“We should be going,” said Donncha in an undertone, glancing toward the inner door.

I was reluctant to wake Ana, who so badly needed rest. But if we didn’t leave now, we had no chance of being back in time for Flannan and his news. “All right, I’ll—” I began, but Fursa did it for me, waking with a start, opening his little mouth and letting out a cry that sounded too big for his body. I barely had time to gather him up before Ana was there to take him from me. A careful mother and a loving one, despite everything.

The grandfather still slept. We made Ana another brew, leaving a cup to cool for her while she fed her son. She thanked us, sounding rather desperate. We told her it was nothing and made our farewells. Donncha did not make any promises to return, and Ana did not ask. I reminded her that monks were not ogres, and said again that she should consider seeking their help if she needed it.

And then we left. Donncha was wrapped in a somber silence. As for me, all that scrubbing and wringing had done little to quiet the army of furious thoughts that was marching around in my head. We rode on without talking until we were well into the forest. Then Donncha said out of the blue, “Mistress Blackthorn, I have a favor to ask.”

I waited. He was full of surprises today.

“Ana and her child . . . I know the boy is sick, perhaps very sick. I have done what I can but . . . I’m not sure what I will be able to manage after Midsummer Eve. None of us can say what will happen when you break the curse.”

“If I break the curse,” I said. “Right now I am so angry with the injustices humankind visits on itself that I feel disinclined to do anything for anyone.”

Donncha brought his horse to a sudden halt, forcing me to do the same. “I hope you will try,” he said, his voice full of feeling. “For all our sakes. We believe you can do it. We believe this is the time.”

Bitter words came to my lips, but I held them back. Donncha had shown exemplary kindness today, and he did not deserve my anger. “When we get home,” I said, “Flannan should be there with his translation. I hope that will tell us what it is that I have to do. It might be something impossible, Donncha. Something I’m not capable of. A task requiring the strength of a giant, or the use of advanced magic. There’s no point in attempting something I’m sure to fail at.”

“I do not believe the task will be impossible,” he said, though how he could know was anyone’s guess. “The nature of a curse . . . it cannot go on forever. In time there must come an end.”