‘I can see why he came to you,’ said Senlic.
‘Shut your trap!’ hissed Eain.
‘Leave it!’ Draig ordered him. He sipped his tisane then turned to Chara. ‘One he wanted dead was the Dweller, the other was this boy. I told him I wasn’t interested. My guess – and the boy has just confirmed it – is that he then went to Tostig and the Low Valley scum he leads.’
‘Tostig sports that beard style that was popular among the Varlish a few years back,’ said Eain. All three adults swung to stare at him. ‘You know the one, where the chin is shaved but you leave a small wedge of beard under the lower lip. Looks damn stupid, if you ask me. Course you wouldn’t say that to Tostig, him being a killer. Wouldn’t catch me with a beard like that. Beards should be beards, I say. Proper beards.’ Eain fell silent. They were still looking at him and no-one was speaking. Senlic was staring at him, bemused, and Draig had an expression of barely suppressed anger. Eain didn’t want to look at Chara Ring. Even when she spoke.
‘How did we get to talking about beards?’ she asked.
‘It’s just that the boy mentioned an arrow-shaped beard,’ said Eain, blundering on. ‘It was a Varlish fashion, like I said, and—’
‘Enough about damned beards!’ thundered Draig. ‘Gods, you’re like a dog that won’t let go of a bone.’
‘Do you believe this story about hiring assassins?’ Chara asked Senlic. ‘Why would any Varlish want’ – she glanced down at Feargol, who was listening intently – ‘such a thing?’ she concluded lamely. ‘The Dweller has no links with the Varlish. And neither does Feargol.’
‘The Cochlands steal cattle, Chara,’ said Senlic. ‘They are not subtle or clever men.’
‘Thank you,’ said Eain.
‘That was actually an insult, brother,’ said Draig, wearily. ‘But let’s move on.’
‘Then you do believe them?’ put in Chara.
‘I do. It has the ring of truth,’ replied the old man. ‘And Feargol has seen that Tostig is coming here.’
‘He is a bad man,’ said Feargol.
‘Yes, he is,’ said Draig. ‘As soon as Kaelin gets back I’d suggest you take the boy into the Rigante passes. Tostig won’t be able to enter Call Jace’s land. Now we’ll be leaving you.’ Draig rose. ‘Thank you for the tisane.’
‘Kaelin will be gone for three weeks,’ said Senlic. ‘He’s taking a herd down to Eldacre. Most of the men are with him.’
‘This is not our problem,’ said Eain, sharply. ‘We’re not to get involved.’
‘You don’t need to be involved,’ said Chara. ‘I’ll fetch you some food for your journey home.’
‘Forget the food,’ Eain told her. ‘Come on, Draig. Our business here is done. Let’s just go now. We’ll get a bite in Black Mountain. At the Dog Tavern. Come on.’
‘How many men are with Tostig?’ Draig asked Feargol.
The boy closed his eyes, and Eain saw him counting his fingers. ‘Seven,’ he said. Eain swore.
‘Can you see where they are?’
‘Yes, but I don’t know where it is.’
‘What can you see, boy?’ asked Senlic.
Feargol closed his eyes again. ‘I can see a big building, all stone. And lots of houses. The man with the arrow beard is riding over a stone bridge. There are people fishing in the river.’
‘Black Mountain,’ said Senlic.
‘That’s no more than a two-hour ride in this weather,’ added Chara.
Eain looked at his brother, and saw his features harden. ‘Don’t do this, Draig,’ he pleaded. ‘They don’t want us. They hate us. It’s got nothing to do with us now. You promised we wouldn’t get involved.’
‘The boy gave me a biscuit,’ said Draig.
Eain’s heart sank through his boots.
Chara Ring stood in the long kitchen, staring down at the pistol lying now beside the bread board. ‘You can’t stay, Chara,’ said Senlic.
‘I have weapons here, and I know how to use them,’ she told him.
‘There are eight of them, girl.’
Chara swung on him. ‘Do not call me girl! I don’t care how many there are. You think I’d be safer out in the wilderness with them?’ she asked, keeping her voice low and pointing back towards the living room. ‘I know men like them, Senlic. I spent a day and a night in a dungeon with men like them. Never again!’ She leaned back against the work surface and began to tremble. Senlic reached towards her with his good hand. ‘Do not touch me!’ she told him sharply.