When Molua brought out their horses, they found that the big farmer had watered, fed and groomed the animals.
Fidelma thanked both Aibnat and Molua profusely for their hospitality and swung into the saddle.
Fidelma gave their erstwhile hosts a blessing and they began to turn their path back towards Ros Ailithir.
"What did you learn, Fidelma?" demanded Cass, once they were out of earshot, crossing the river's ford and ascending across the wooded hills which crowned the large headland.
"I found out, Cass, that Cetach and Cosrach were taken to Rae na Serine just a few weeks ago to live with Sister Eisten. They are…" she paused to correct herself, "They were the sons of Ulan."
"But the brother at Sceilig Mhichil said that Illan's sons had copper-colored hair, like the little girls."
"Anyone can dye hair," observed Fidelma. "Moreover, they were several times visited by someone from Ros Ailithir. Cosrach boasted to the boy Tressach that the man was a scholar. That someone Cetach and Cosrach called aite."
Cass looked amazed.
"But if this person was their father then they were not the sons of Ulan. Ulan was killed a year ago."
"Aite can also mean foster-father," Fidelma pointed out.
"Perhaps," Cass said reluctantly. "But what does it mean and how does it fit the puzzle of this murder?"
"It would be no puzzle if I knew," Fidelma reproved. "The man was sometimes accompanied by one of the sisters. There is a path here which leads to Intat! And we know that Intat is Salbach's man. There is a circle here if only we could find a way of entering it."
She lapsed into a thoughtful silence.
They had gone over a mile, perhaps not more than two miles, when, topping a rise, Cass glanced over his shoulder and exclaimed in surprise.
"What is it?" cried Fidelma, swinging round in her saddle to follow his gaze.
Cass did not have to reply.
A tall, black column of smoke was rising into the pale-blue, cold autumnal sky behind them.
"That's coming from the direction of Molua's place, surely?" Fidelma said, her heart beginning to beat fast.
Cass stood in his stirrups and seized the overhanging branch of a tree, hauling himself up into the topmost branches with an agility which surprised Fidelma.
"What do you see?" she cried, peering up into the dangerously swaying branches.
"It is Molua's place. It must be on fire."
Cass scrambled down the tree and jumped to the ground, a pile of early fallen leaves breaking his drop. He brushed himself down and grabbed the reins of his horse.
"I don't understand it. It's a big fire."
Fidelma bit her lip, almost causing blood to flow as a terrible idea grew in her mind.
"We must go back!" she shouted, turning her horse.
"But we must be careful," warned Cass. "Let the incident at Rae na Serine serve us as a warning."
"That is precisely what I fear!" cried Fidelma, and she was already racing her horse back towards the column of smoke. Cass had to urge his horse to its utmost stride to keep place with her. Although he knew that Fidelma was of the Eóganacht and brother to Colgu, who was now his king, Cass was always surprised that a religieuse could ride so well as Fidelma did. It seemed that she had been born in the saddle; that she was at one with her horse. She nursed it with dexterity as it thundered along the trail they had only recently traversed.
It was not long before they came over the brow of the hill and saw the great muddy estuary spread before them.
"Halt!" yelled Cass, pulling rein. "Behind those trees, quickly!"
He was thankful that for once Fidelma did not question him but obeyed his orders immediately.
They drew up behind the cover of a copse of amber-yellow leafed aspens with a surrounding dense thicket.
"What did you see?" Fidelma commanded.
Cass simply pointed down the hill.
She narrowed her eyes and saw a band of armed horsemen breaking through the fragile fences which surrounded the small community of Molua and Aibnat. A squat man sat on his horse before the burning buildings as if surveying the handiwork of his men. There were a dozen of them. They completed their grim business and then went riding away through the trees on the far side of the river. The squat rider, who was obviously their leader, turned with a final glance at the burning buildings and galloped after them.
Fidelma suddenly gave vent to a cry of impotent rage. She had heard Salbach say, as he rode away from the cabin in the forest, "I know where they might be… I'll give you my instructions for Intat." She had heard and not understood. She should have realized. She could have prevented… At the back of her raging mind a voice told her it was the second major mistake she had made.
"We must get down there!" cried Fidelma in fury. "They may be hurt."
"Wait a moment," snapped Cass. "Wait for the assassins to leave."
His face was gray, his jaw was tight set, the muscles clenched. He already knew what they were bound to find in the inferno that was the once the prosperous farm settlement.
However, Fidelma was already urging her horse from the cover and racing down the hill.
Cass gave a cry after her but, realizing that she would not obey, even though there might be danger from the attackers, he drew his sword and urged his horse after her.
She galloped down the hill, splashing through the ford at speed and tore to a halt in front of the buildings.
She flung herself from the saddle and, raising an arm, to protect herself from the fierceness of the heat, she ran forward towards the burning buildings.
The first bodies that she saw, sprawled by the entrance, were those of Aibnat and Molua. An arrow had transfixed Afbnat's breast while Molua's head was almost severed by a sweeping sword cut. They were quite obviously beyond help.
She saw the first child's body nearby and a cry stifled in her throat. She was aware that Cass had ridden up and dismounted behind her. He still had his drawn sword in hand and he stared about him impassively but with horror mirrored in his eyes.
One of the two sisters who had been helping Sister Aibnat to take care of the children was slumped against the chapel door. Fidelma realized in revulsion that she was held there by a spear which had been run through her body to transfix her to the wooden door. Half a dozen little bodies were clustered at her feet, some of the children's hands still clinging to her skirts. Each one of the children had been stabbed or had their tiny skulls shattered by blows.
Fidelma held an overwhelming urge to be sick. She turned aside and could not quell the bile that rose to her throat.
"I… I am sorry," she mumbled as she felt Cass's comforting arm on her shoulders.
He said nothing. There was nothing one could say.
Fidelma had seen violent death many times in her life but she had seen nothing so heartrending, so poignant as these dead little bodies who, a few moments ago, she had seen happy and laughing, singing and playing together.
She attempted to quell her loathing, pull herself together and move on.
There was the body of the other sister of the Faith who had been playing the pipes, lying still under the same tree where Fidelma had seen her, the pipes now broken in two and lying near her outstretched and lifeless hand, obviously crushed by the foot of some maniacal assassin. There were more bodies of children near her.
The buildings were burning fiercely now.
"Cass." Fidelma had to force the words, through the tears and heartache she felt. "Cass, we must count the bodies. I want to know if the children from Rae na Serine are among them… whether everyone is accounted for."
Cass signalled his acknowledgment.
"The little boy certainly is," he said quietly. "He lies just over there. I'll look for the girls."