As we turn from the strange scene with Keu in the back of the cave, Hadaig digs his fingers into my arm. I throw a nervous glance over my shoulder at Keu, who follows us several paces behind.

"There's something terribly wrong with him," I whisper to 'Daig. My night raven looks away, stone-faced.

I pull away from him and throw myself and the hares down by the fire. I take out my dagger for skinning them. Although my hands are shaky, the work goes quickly. Nion is eager for breakfast. His long night of terrors has produced a wolfish hunger. Keu and Hadaig crouch across from each other, 'Daig sitting a little too close to me. I can smell his breath.

The hares are skewered and sizzling. The children have gone. I wonder where they are and hope they are safe. I observe Keu rubbing his arm. It looks the same as it has been, an arm that would be the pride of any warrior. I yearn to know what charms the healers worked on him. He is obviously in pain. A weird thing, his arm almost seemed to take on a life of its own when he grabbed me. It might be dangerous but I will find out more as soon as there is another chance for us to be alone.

To break the thick frost of tension between Keu, 'Daig and me, I begin to chatter. "Today I want to find that sword. I know the place where I threw it into the river. It should be easy to get it back. I was sick from battle-shock when I gave that sword to the Boinne. I will have it back on my hip before sunset!"

Hadaig grunts. "Give it up, Baine. You threw it away. Forget it. You'll never get it back. The river keeps what she's given."

"But I want it now! I'll get Winter Mist to go with me. Maybe she can use her sidhe-powers to help with finding it."

Just as I say Winter Mist's name, Sean ambles out from the back room of the cave. Like a pack of hounds, the three men all turn as one to look at him, searching for any reason to make fun. His nose is in the air as he reaches for a haunch of hare. Nion shrugs his humped shoulders, hiding a smile in his beard. The archer didn't even notice that Hadaig and I borrowed his bows, both his old favorite and his wedding gift, and took the quiver of arrows as well. We were careful to clean the darts! Sean doesn't sit down but leans casually against the wall to have his breakfast. Hadaig shuts one eye at this. He is ready to make a cutting remark. I begin chattering about my sword again to spare the lad embarrassment.

Winter Mist saunters through, and the three heads swerve to gawk and follow her. She looks very different, with her leine kilted up high and her shiny tresses all tangled in love knots. The way she moves, she could be walking on air. She drifts over to Sean and snatches the haunch from him just as he opens his mouth to take a bite. After teasingly kissing his nose, she airily announces that she's going to see to the horses. And she's off, leaving dropped jaws and sly chuckles behind.

It feels easier now, the tension dissolves. I finish my share of breakfast and then I find my comb. I wish my hair was as sweetly tangled as Winter Mist's.