Peter Tremayne - Penance of the Damned

‘It is best if Enda and I go, Eadulf.’ Fidelma was determined to have her own way. ‘You and Aibell will remain here again.’

It happened without warning. There was a sound like a rush of air followed by two thuds. The quivering arrows stuck in a tree just above head height behind Enda. He was reaching for his sword when a nearby voice rasped: ‘Stop or you are dead, warrior. The next arrows will be aimed at you and not as a warning. Hold your hands high, away from your weapons.’

They all froze, hands rising reluctantly in obedience to the harsh command.

Then, to Eadulf’s surprise, there came a strange ‘churring’ sound. It took him a moment to recognise it as the call of a nightjar – a bird that was rarely heard, and only in summer. It must be a signal from one of the men hidden in the trees around them. A signal to whom?

‘Who are you?’ Enda called, trying to recover his dignity, because he felt he should have been aware of any hostile approach. After all, he had just boasted about his warrior’s training and then he had let them down.

‘You will find out shortly,’ came the uncompromising voice from behind the trees.

There was a movement through the shrubbery, a whispered exchange and a tall man appeared, then halted with an exclamation of surprise.

Fidelma looked at the newcomer and said wearily, ‘May we put our hands down now, Conri?’

The warlord of the Ui Fidgente turned towards his hidden companions and called: ‘You can put your weapons down.’ Then he said to Fidelma, shaking his head, ‘Yes, you may all put your hands down. However, I am in no mood to be tricked a second time.’

‘A second time?’ Fidelma asked, slightly amused, as four of Conri’s warriors emerged from the trees.

‘We thought that you were heading directly after Abbot Nannid to the Hill of Truth. But you eluded us.’

‘We took a more circular route,’ Fidelma replied mischievously.

‘And still you managed to meet up with Aibell. Where is Gorman, by the way?’

‘We believe that he has been captured by Glaed.’

Conri’s expression of surprise said it all.

‘It is a long story which I hope to make short.’ Fidelma told him as sparsely and as quickly as possible without losing its sense. When Conri had a chance to absorb the story, Fidelma prompted: ‘Now it’s your turn. How did you come here?’

‘Brehon Faolchair ordered me to take some men and follow you to ensure that you brought Gorman back to us. He wanted him safe at the prince’s fortress so that we can resolve the matter under the law. You managed to elude us almost immediately after we left the fortress. That was clever. So we came up along the river road and found Nannid, but no sign of you until just now.’

‘Are you saying that Abbot Nannid is here?’ demanded Fidelma with unconcealed excitement.

‘There is a small chapel and habitation on the east slopes of the hill. We followed the abbot and his steward, keeping well back so as not to be observed. They stayed there last night and then around midday today we saw a large body of men arrive. That was Glaed and his brigands.’

‘So Abbot Nannid had gone to meet Glaed?’

‘We kept well out of sight, hidden in the woods. I decided to wait until nightfall to see if I could get closer and find out what was happening.’

‘That is exactly our plan,’ Fidelma said.

‘But we were having some difference of opinion over it,’ Eadulf added.

‘As a dalaigh it is essential that I witness what is happening,’ explained Fidelma. ‘I was taking Enda with me.’

‘I insist on going.’ Eadulf was still assertive.

Conri scratched his head for a moment. ‘And I must go as an unbiased witness.’ He saw the dangerous glint in Fidelma’s eyes and her mouth open ready to protest, and held up his hand, saying, ‘I know that you, as a dalaigh , are sworn to be without bias, lady. I do not question that you serve only the law. But you know that tensions have risen between the Ui Fidgente and the Eoghanacht, especially over this matter that threatens dissension between us. I must go. But we would put ourselves in danger if more than two people went.’

‘I have to go,’ Fidelma said stubbornly. ‘It is my duty as a dalaigh .’

‘I was about to agree to that,’ the warlord said, surprising her.

‘If Fidelma goes,’ Eadulf was immovable, ‘I go.’

The warlord heaved a sigh to express his irritation. ‘Friend Eadulf, I must agree with Fidelma and insist that you stay here. You are no warrior and frankly your presence will put us at a disadvantage. I will take Enda but you must stay here with Aibell and my men. We will be back long before first light.’

Eadulf was still reluctant, but Fidelma told him, ‘You know that I will be in safe hands with Conri and Enda.’

He saw that her mind was made up and so bowed to the inevitable.

‘Very well, but I do not like it, Fidelma,’ he said. ‘But if you are not back at first light – what then?’

‘My men will take you to Socht,’ Conri answered for her. ‘I have left him and another man watching the main highway to Dun Eochair Mhaigh in case Glaed tries to make a sudden attack along it. He will decide whether we are at war with the men of Sliabh Luachra and act appropriately.’

‘Do you really think Glaed would be so foolish as to attack the fortress?’ Eadulf was dubious. ‘Ceit has twice the men Glaed has guarding the fortress.’

‘You are counting the men encamped here, but what if there are other encampments elsewhere?’ Conri said. ‘What if this is not the main force out of Sliabh Luachra? What if there is some strategy to attack us from two points? More worryingly, what if there are more conspirators within Prince Donennach’s fortress? Remember the guard who released Gorman and Aibell there? It is better to be prepared than to spend time regretting one’s lack of foresight.’

Finally, when the time came, Conri led the way with Fidelma and Enda into the encroaching darkness. They skirted the small hill, finding themselves on rising ground as they climbed towards the larger hill beyond. They could now see several campfires in the distance. It was difficult terrain to move across without a light for it was not cleared for farming purposes and there were many obstacles. They had to make their way through bushes and closely growing trees. Even though they were still in the phase of the full moon, An Gealach – the ‘great brightness’ as the country folk referred to it – the light was not entirely adequate.

It was to their advantage that the trees grew almost up to the area they were making for, the spot just below where Conri had identified the wooden chapel and some smaller buildings; the higher elevations of the hill were gorse-covered or fairly bare. As they neared the end of the treeline, Conri turned and made a lowering movement with his hand at the same time as dropping to one knee. Fidelma realised that they had come to the edge of the forest and were just below a shoulder on which one of several campfires blazed. This was just in front of the wooden chapel building. Unfortunately the fire was between the building and themselves and they could only see faint outlines of figures behind it.

Conri turned to Fidelma who had positioned herself alongside him, with Enda on the other side. The warlord pointed wordlessly to his right. Some distance away was a clump of gorse and small boulders further up the rise. If they could get to that spot, they would have a better vantage-point to observe the figures on the other side of the fire. Conri pointed to himself and then to the position, but Fidelma shook her head and indicated herself and then Conri. The warlord hesitated and then nodded agreement. He turned to Enda and, again using his hand, motioned him to remain where he was.