“I’m right, then,” she said quietly. “You think Somerled himself was responsible.”

“Perhaps he did not perform the deed. But I believe he arranged it. He was missing that night and half the next day. He turned up unhurt, speaking of voices in the darkness, and mysterious lights. The men who were with him told much the same tale. Brude was led astray by these manifestations all night, until sleep claimed him at last. He awoke far away from our campsite, when the sun was already high in the sky. As for Drest, the voices led him high up the crag, where he was set upon by, he thinks, the Hidden Tribe. It was dark; he could not discern if they were men or something other than men. He was lucky to escape with a broken leg. The question is, where was Somerled during that time? He claims he, too, wandered lost. But he had men there in the valley and back at the anchorage. My guards could not watch them all. Somerled’s own henchmen could have come to help him. That cruel murder was not a task for one man alone. His hand was on it, Nessa.”

“But why? His own brother, that is against all natural laws. And Ulf was a good man. Surely Somerled would not have done such an ill deed in order to take his brother’s place here as chieftain. How could any man live with the guilt of that?”

“This is not a man like other men,” Engus said heavily. “This is a man driven by some kind of darkness. And I think it is not as chieftain he sees himself, but as king. That is why a treaty, now, is out of the question. One does not make agreements with such as he is. And yet, to do so may be our only hope of survival. Brother Tadhg knows more of this man. Tadhg spoke long to Ulf, on Holy Island; he was privy to the secrets of Ulf’s heart. But he will not tell of these things, a holy brother cannot. That is regrettable; such knowledge could help us.”

The sun was quite gone now. They must head back to the settlement before all was ink-dark.

“There are other ways,” Nessa said slowly. “Other paths to follow, which may lead to answers. I could do it for you, with Rona to help. I would not relish such a task, but these are desperate times, Uncle.”

“I don’t want you going back to the women’s place.” Engus’s voice was stern. “You saw the fellow, you heard his outrageous suggestion. You saw those oafs in their barbarous cloaks. The only place we can keep you safe is here on the Whaleback, Nessa, and even that may not be safe enough. If it were not the dark season, I would send you away. There are folk in the northern isles would shelter you until this is over. You are too precious to be put at risk. Could not you perform this ritual here, summon the voice you need? We should fetch Rona at any rate; she is in danger if she remains in the place of ritual alone. The secrets of the spirit will mean nothing to Somerled’s thugs.”