Suddenly a river barred her progress. It was the same river that ran by the cabin which had twisted round in its course. She had no choice but to plunge straight into it, hoping it was as shallow as it had been by the cabin; hoping that it was shallow enough to ford. It wasn't. She was halfway across when her horse stumbled, lost the bottom and plunged in panic underneath the water. Fidelma tried to cling on but found herself swept off while the animal went careering forward, found the bottom again and stumbled out of the water.
Desperately, Fidelma struck out but Intat was already urging his horse into the water.
He gave a loud shout of triumph.
She turned, saw him coming and struck out again in reckless desperation to reach the far bank. In her heart she realized it was impossible to escape. She splashed through the shallows, stumbled and slipped on the mud bank.
Intat's mount was pawing the air almost above her. The thick-set warrior leapt from the saddle and stood in the shallows above her, both hands clasping the hilt of his sword.
"So, dálaigh, you have created enough trouble for me. This is where it ends."
He raised the sword.
Fidelma flinched, put her arm up in an automatic defensive response and closed her eyes.
She heard Intat grunt sharply and when nothing happened she opened her eyes.
Intat was staring, his eyes unfocused. He was still standing swaying above her. Then slowly he began to sink down. It was then she saw two arrow shafts sticking from his chest. The sword slipped from his hands and he pitched forward on his face into the river before her.
With a cry, more to release her pent-up emotion than as a call for help, she scrambled swiftly up the muddy bank.
She became aware of horses milling around her and swung to face the new threat.
"Fidelma!" cried a familiar voice.
She stared in disbelief as her brother swung down from his mount and came running towards her, arms outstretched.
"Colgu!"
He hugged her violently and then held her at arms' length, concern in his eyes and, observing that she was not harmed, he grinned wryly.
"Where is the sister who said she could take care of herself?"
She blinked back the tears of relief. Across the river some of Colgu's bodyguard had rounded up Intat's other henchman.
"You have arrived not a moment too soon," she breathed jerkily. "How was this done?"
Colgu grimaced and gestured towards a nearby band of about thirty mounted men, riding under his banner.
"We are on our way to Ros Ailithir to the assembly called by the High King. My scouts saw you being pursued and we came to intercept you. But where is Cass?" He frowned in annoyance. "I gave him the charge of protecting you."
Fidelma was anguished.
"Cass is back at the cabin in the forest there. He tried to keep our attackers at bay while I escaped to get help from Ros Ailithir. We must get back there immediately. He was fighting with Intat." She indicated the man's body, now floating in the shallows of the river. "We must be quick, for he may be injured."
Colgu's face was serious.
"Very well. On the way you will have to tell me what is happening. Who is… was this man Intat?"
One of Colgu's men had gone forward to drag Intat's body out of the river and was now bending over it.
"The man still lives, my lord," the warrior called. "But I doubt for long."
Fidelma turned and scrambled down on the mud bank to where the warrior was holding the head and shoulders of Intat above the water. She crouched down beside him and took his head in both her hands.
"Intat!" she called loudly. "Intat!"
The man's eyes flickered open but there was no focusing in his dark eyes.
"You are dying, Intat. Do you wish to die in sin?"
He did not answer.
"Who told you to slaughter the children?"
There was no reply.
"Was it Salbach? Did he tell you?"
She saw his lips beginning to move and she bent forward to hear the wheezy sound of his breath.
"I… I'll meet—meet you in… helll"
The body suddenly gave a spasmodic jerk and was still. Colgu's man shrugged and glanced at Fidelma.
"Dead," he said laconically.
Fidelma rose and her brother reached forward a hand to haul her back up the river bank.
"What made you ask about Salbach?" he said with sharp curiosity. "What is going on?"
"Intat was one of Salbach's chieftains."
"Was Salbach responsible for this?"
Fidelma pointed to where Intat's companion was being held.
"Have your men question him. I am sure that he may incriminate Salbach in this affair. But let us hasten back now to find Cass."
Colgu signalled one of his men for a dry cloak and placed it around Fidelma's shoulders. She was shivering with the cold and damp and not a little with the shock of what had happened to her. Colgu helped her back on her horse, giving orders to his men. Then, when they were all mounted, Colgu and his bodyguard turned to cross the ford of the river, with their prisoner. They joined the track into the forest north of Cuan Dóir. On the way, Fidelma explained as much as she could to her brother. Particularly, she spoke of the slaughter of the innocents by Intat at, so she now fully believed, Salbach's instigation.
"How does this fit in with Dacán's murder?" demanded Fidelma's brother.
"I have not worked out every detail but, believe me, there is a connection. And I will argue that connection at the High King's assembly."
"You know that the assembly will be any day now? In fact, as soon as we arrive at Ros Ailithir. I am told that the High King is already there and Fianamail of Laigin's ships have been sighted off the coast."
"Brocc has already warned me," Fidelma acknowledged.
Colgu looked far from happy.
"If you are claiming that Salbach is involved and responsible for Dacán's killing then we might as well acknowledge that Laigin has a just claim to demand an honor price from this kingdom. Salbach is a chieftain of Muman, answerable to Cashel."
"I am claiming nothing, as yet, brother," Fidelma replied sharply. "And it is the truth I seek, whatever that truth is."
They halted before the now quiet cabin in the forest. The unconscious form of Intat's other henchman still lay sprawled among the fragments of the heavy barrel where Fidelma had thrown him. He was only just beginning to groan and stir into consciousness.
Her heart lurched when she saw Cass's horse still tethered and standing patiently outside the cabin.
Two of Colgu's bodyguard immediately dismounted and, with drawn swords, pushed into the interior of the cabin.
One of them returned to the doorway after a moment with a steely expression on his face.
Fidelma knew just what the interpretation of that expression was.
She slipped from her saddle and hurried inside.
Cass lay on his back. There was one arrow embedded in his heart and another in his neck. His attackers had not even allowed him the honor of a warrior's defense. All he had was his sword but they had shot him down from the doorway. Now he lay with his eyes opened, staring unseeingly upwards.
Fidelma bent down, her face cold and set, and closed the sightless eyes of his once-handsome face.
"He was a good man," Colgu said softly as he came up behind her and gazed down.
Fidelma's shoulders heaved imperceptibly.
"Good men are so often destroyed by evil," she muttered. "I wish he had been alive to see this matter resolved."
She stood up, both fists clenched tight in her anguish. She turned a sorrowful face to her brother, unable to prevent the tears. An inner voice told her that she had committed her third mistake. Her own vanity had led Cass to his death. She had made three mistakes and now she was allowed no more.