24
Bebbanburg, Bernicia December 20, AD 642
“Thomas! God be praised!”
Thomas turned from his task of unsaddling Missy, relief washing over him as he saw Celyn entering the stable.
Thomas grinned, glad to see the Welshman. Oswy and his war band had recently returned from a skirmish against a neighbouring kingdom, but the monks had not heard yet the details of who might have fallen against the Alt Clut. Thankfully, Celyn looked unharmed. “We heard Oswy had returned. I’m glad you did, too.”
A shadow passed over Celyn’s face. “Aye. But Domnall Brecc of Dál Riata is dead.”
The monks had taken a dim view of the king of the Alt Clut’s winter campaign to strike at Oswy, but they were equally certain that Oswy himself had been partly to blame. And for it all to end in the death of the king of
