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`We'll do that,' Terrence said fervently.
Conal studied Halt's face. Instinctively, he had trusted this grey-bearded stranger when they had met the previous night, and his trust had been borne out. Now he sensed that Halt wanted this rumour spread and Conal saw no harm in that. He was no fool and he'd heard rumours about a religious band that was moving through Clonmel, with a prophet claiming to offer safety and protection under the wing of his god. He suspected that Halt was working to undermine this group. Why, he didn't know. But he trusted and liked the small man in the mottled cloak. And if Conal had little time for myth or legend, he had even less for hysterical religious cults.
`Aye, we will,' he agreed. His eyes met Halt's and a message of understanding passed between them. The Ranger nodded his thanks and Conal continued. 'Will you stay the night? You'll be welcome inside the barrier this time,' he added, with a smile.
Halt shook his head. 'I appreciate the offer. But we have business in Mountsha
Of course, no word had reached Craike
He shook hands with the two men and turned away to where Abelard and Tug were quietly grazing, side by side. Will was a few metres away and he caught Halt's eye. The older Ranger gave an imperceptible nod and Will hurried to join him. They mounted together and rode towards the knoll, where Horace sat waiting for them.
`What's Horace looking so enigmatic about?' Will asked. A faint trace of a smile touched Halt's lips.
`Someone gave him a stale fish,' he said and was gratified by Will's puzzled reaction. Sometimes, he thought, you had to keep these youngsters guessing.
Mountsha
The market stalls were gone. The large white pavilion that Te
`What do you think happened here?' Will asked, indicating the blackened circle. Halt regarded it for a few seconds.
`I'd say the villagers were giving thanks to Alseiass for saving them.'
`You mean I could have had a bonfire and a party at Craike
`Yes,' Halt replied. 'And?'
`And… you know, I could have done with a little adulation for my trouble. Maybe a bonfire, a feast perhaps. I would have made sure that a reasonable share went to my faithful servants,' he finished, indicating the two of them with a lordly sweep of his hand. Then he spoiled the effect by allowing a grin to break through.
Halt muttered something inaudible and set Abelard to a canter, heading for the tents.
`I was just being enigmatic!' Horace called after him.
That evening, they packed up their camp and rode back into the village, where they hammered at the door of the darkened i
`Hullo the i
`Warn us if you're going to do that, will you?' Will said sourly.
Horace gave him an injured look. 'I was only trying to help.'
But there was no reply from the i
`They've gone. All gone,' she told them.
`Gone where?' Halt asked her. She made a vague gesture towards the north.
`Gone to follow the prophet to Dun Kilty, so they said.'
`Dun Kilty?' Halt asked. 'That's the castle of King Ferris?' The old woman regarded him with tired, knowing eyes and nodded.
`That it is. The prophet -'
`You mean Te
She frowned at him, not appreciating the interruption. `Aye. The prophet Te
`But you didn't,' Halt said.
There was a long silence as she regarded them.
`No,' she said finally. 'Some of us here worship the old gods. We know the gods send us good times and bad to try us. I don't trust a god that promises only good times.'
`Why not?' Horace urged her gently, when she seemed unwilling to say more. Now, as she looked at him, there was a definite knowing look in her eyes.
`A god who brings you good and bad in equal amounts doesn't ask for much,' she said. 'Maybe a prayer or two. Maybe the odd sacrifice of a beast. But a god who promises only good times?' She shook her head and made the warding sign against evil. 'A god like that will always want something of you.'
Halt smiled at her, nodding his head in acknowledgement of the wisdom that comes with years, and the cynicism that comes with wisdom.
`I fear you're right, Mother,' he told her.
She shrugged. She had little use for his words of praise.
`I know I'm right,' she said. Then she added, 'There's a small door at the side that's never locked. You can get in there. It might stop you knocking and bellowing to raise the dead.' She gestured down the narrow alley beside the i
They found the door and let themselves into the i
A short while later, the three sat comfortably around the fire, eating slightly stale bread and cheese, with some slicesoff a good country ham and tart local apples, washed down with the inevitable coffee. Halt looked around the deserted room. Normally, he knew, it would be packed with customers.
`So it's started,' he said. When his two young companions looked questioningly at him, he elaborated. 'It's the final phase of Te