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then dug her fingers into the soggy earth around it. Despite the cool rain her skin felt hot, and there was a faint humming in her ears.
    The piece of rock was firmly embedded in the ground, going down the length of a forearm. Brie kept digging. The rock finally came loose and she pulled it out. It was an ordinary bit of stone, though long and narrow. Brie put her hand into the hole and pressed her fingers further into the earth. Her fingertips hit something solid.
    Using the rock as a shovel, Brie enlarged the hole and worked her way around the buried object until she could grasp it. It wouldn't budge. She dug and loosened soil for some time, rain saturating her cloak until water dripped through to her neck and trickled down her back. Finally, tugging hard, she pulled the object out of the ground.
    It was a long thin packet, wrapped in some sort of waterproof material that reminded Brie of the material used by fishermen to line their curraghs, the small boats they went to sea in.
    Her fingers shaking, Brie started to unwrap the packet.
    Suddenly a hand reached out and grabbed it from her. Brie jumped up, but she slipped on the grass and fell awkwardly on her side. Rising, she took off after the hobbling figure of Bricriu as he scrambled up the hill. He was headed toward the nearby forest. Brie could see a horse tethered at the edge of the trees. She ran faster. Then her foot hit a mossy patch and she slipped again. Letting out an oath, she clumsily regained her footing. She was slathered with mud and grass but kept slogging toward Bricriu. He was just mounting his horse when Brie reached him.
    Bricriu savagely whipped the gray horse. Brie thrust out a muddy hand and caught him by the leg and stirrup as the horse began to bolt. She was dragged several yards before the horse halted, unnerved by the extra weight. Bricriu again beat the horse's flank with a leather whip. This time the horse reared. But Brie held fast.
    Bricriu let out a grunt, trying to pry Brie's hand loose while he continued to flail at both Brie and the horse with his whip.
    Keeping her head low to avoid the lashes, Brie lunged up. She grabbed Bricriu by the neck and pulled him off the horse.
    They landed hard in the muddy grass and for a moment neither moved, the wind knocked out of them. Then silently they began to struggle, face-to-face. Bricriu's ravaged face was distorted by a look of naked desperation; Brie almost felt pity for him. All of the man's strength was concentrated on getting free of Brie and he barely seemed to see her, though her face was inches from his own.
    But because of Bricriu's ruined body, Brie was the stronger of the two, and inexorably she gained the advantage. She deftly pinned him facedown in the mud, his hands twisted behind his back. Then she quickly dislodged the packet from his grasp. Bricriu let out an animal-like howl. Brie rolled him over onto his back.
    "Who sent you?" Brie asked. "Medb?"
    Bricriu's body shuddered and a look of fear creased his face. He shook his head violently.
    "Then who? And why?"
    Bricriu's hollow eyes stared up at her.
    Brie heard a noise from the dun and, distracted, slightly eased the pressure on Bricriu's arms. Swiftly he twisted away from her and leaped up. With a berserk speed that astonished Brie, Bricriu darted into the forest. She heard a shrill whistle and saw Bricriu's horse plunge after him through the trees. She could just make out Bricriu swinging himself onto the animal, then they vanished from sight.
    Several of Amrys's men rode up. Two went in pursuit of Bricriu while the third bore a muddied, drained Brie back to the dun.
    Aunt Rainne took one look at her and ordered hot water and clean towels sent to her room immediately.
    Blissfully Brie lowered herself into the large tub of hot water. She sat there, eyes closed, savoring the sensation. When she opened her eyes she caught sight of the packet, still unopened, lying on the table where she'd placed it. Quickly she finished her