I was fairly certain that the man who is called Night Raven or Hadaig was the thief who stole the brughaid's bull and probably murdered the night watchman to make the trick work. I decided to play along for awhile, pretending I was a fellow outlaw, and when the opportunity came I would capture the Night Raven and take him back to Inver Colpa. He would be brought to justice, I could return Dessel to his owner, collect the extra reward and go on my merry way. With that simple plan, I accept the invitation to throw my lot in with theirs and accompany them to the Sea Hag.

Now I am in deep water. Hadaig's woman, Baine, has taken a fancy to me. She believes our destinies are entwined because I returned her precious lost sword. I didn't have much of a choice in that matter. How could such a plain old sword be so important? The way she put her arm around my waist when we walked into the Sea Hag was beyond the borders of friendly affection. She stared at me all during the feasting and drinking, while her mate did nothing but look daggers at me. I may have to abandon my disguise as the gallant rogue Labraid, but only if things take a serious turn with Baine. I'll try to keep a safe distance from her and hope I can take her Night Raven away very soon.

To make things worse, what I learned from the table talk at the inn was that this Night Raven is a famously murderous renegade who killed the Niafer war chief during last summer's fighting. Pretending to drink as much as any of them, I only touch the cup to my lips and sneakily dribble the ale onto the floor. Tongues are loosened as the night goes on. A pattern of murder and revenge between the outlaw band and the Niafer clan slowly takes form. And to top it all off, while I am faking getting drunk and trying to sort all this out, someone pushes the hood back from the small, hunched figure beside the bruised archer lad and what I see almost makes me betray myself with a shocked giggle. Never have I seen ears like those or that odd color of skin. I blurt out a remark and the archer looks ready to cut my throat, for the exotic creature is his wife! Oh! Brighid save me, what deep waters I am in now, please help me to swim for my life!

The last horrible bit of knowledge that I gain from the chatter around the table is that this outlaw band is soon to join up with the ones who abducted the Rian of Niafer. I've unwittingly thrown myself headlong into intertribal warfare.

When they all shamble to their feet, I rise with them. Making for the door, I hear a mumbled threat and the hunchback's evil cackle as we all file outside. No! I can't allow this to happen, no matter what danger my own life faces. I turn back, saying I've forgotten something at the table.

The old woman innkeeper is already scooping up the pile of silver left behind. She looks up in surprise to see me.

"They're planning to throw a torch as they leave!" I warn her. I only stay long enough to see that she snatches up some buckets by the back door and rouses a few of the doddering men who've been nodding by the hearth.

With heavy feet and a heavier heart, I hurry outside to catch up with the others. I can't let the Night Raven get away.