“You’re up early,” I said, noting the pale faces, the tight lips. “I was just looking for something for Grim to eat—he’s been up all night making the finishing touches for his roof.”

“Let me find you something, Mistress Blackthorn.” Senach moved with his usual smooth competence to the larder, picking up a tray as he went. “I hope you got some rest.”

“I haven’t slept. But thanks.”

Nobody commented, but I guessed it had been the same for all of them. They had spent the last night of the curse together, in what I imagined must be a mixture of hope and doubt. I suspected that Geiléis would be awake in her quarters, as tight with anticipation as I was. Perhaps she was up at her high window, waiting for the dawn. Thinking that this might be the last day that voice rang out to play with folk’s minds and to turn all within her holdings sour and sad.

“I hope I can do it,” I said quietly. “I can’t promise I’ll succeed. But I can promise to do my best for you all.”

“Let me carry this through for you, Mistress Blackthorn.” Senach was by my side, the tray in his hands laden with sufficient food to make breakfast unnecessary.

“Best if I take it myself. But thank you.” I set my candle on the only free corner of the tray and headed back.

We ate the food, though neither of us had any appetite. We tidied up and got dressed. Dau came to the door and asked if we wanted breakfast and we said no. Grim packed his reed creations carefully into two bags. Raven and dove, cat and fox. I watched him. He suggested we might pack up the rest of our things, since we’d most likely be leaving tomorrow morning, and I said no need, there would be plenty of time in the evening. Then we waited. All too soon the sun came up, the creature in the tower began its daily lament, and it was time for Grim to head for St. Olcan’s where, according to him, they would be singing Prime and after that sitting down to breakfast. The pattern of daily prayers meant monks were up before first cockcrow.

“I’ll walk out to the courtyard with you,” I said.

“If you want.”

He didn’t know this was good-bye forever. And if I had any wits at all, I’d make sure I did nothing to put that idea into his mind. We walked out side by side, he with his two bags and his knife in his belt, I in my ordinary clothes. The leather breastplate and cap the guards had fashioned for me were in the bedchamber. I was not quite sure yet if I would wear them; it felt like pretending to be something I was not.

At the small gate in the wall Grim halted. “See you later, then. Be a good idea to catch some sleep this morning, if you can.”