in time to prevent the lynching, presided over by Brother Gadra (a firm adherent of the Penitentials), of a man accused of murdering a local farmer, his wife and two sons. Determined that the man, a foreign vagrant, should be given a fair trial, Fidelma and Eadulf remained in the area, but events, including a claimant to the murdered farmer's inheritance, began to spiral into a far more sinister pattern that would cost more lives (see Blood in Eden). In Spring 672, the body of Brother Brocc, who had been traveling with Princess Gelgeis, King Colgu's betrothed, on a secret mission, was found and brought to the Abbey of Gleann Da Loch. Fidelma, Eadulf and Enda were dispatched to the kingdom of Laigin to discover the truth, but were soon confronted by more deaths, warnings of demonic shapeshifters and brigands stealing gold and silver from the ancient mines, and rumors of a war between the Kingdoms of Laigin and Muman (see The Shapeshifter's Lair). In May 672, just before the Feast of Beltaine, a council of the seven senior princes of the kingdom of Muman was to gather at Cashel to discuss King Colgú's policies. Before the council actually met, Brother Conchobhar, the keeper of the sacred sword that symbolized the King's authority to rule, was found murdered. While trying to solve this mystery and as rumors of an attempt to overthrow Colgú began to spread, Fidelma and Eadulf also had to contend with news that a plague ship had landed at a nearby port (see The House of Death). Later that same month, during the renovation of the abbey of Muman at Imleach Iubhair, Fidelma and Eadulf were called in to investigate both the destruction of the guest hostel by fire and the death of one of the guests: Bishop Brodulf of Luxovium, cousin to the King of Franks, whom they discovered had been stabbed to death before the fire had even started (see Death of a Heretic). In 675, Fidelma received a letter telling of the ultimate fates of Bishop Leodegar and some of those connected with the 670 Council of Autun (see the epilogue of The Council of the Cursed). Because of the death of her parents at an early age, Fidelma grew up quite independent and self-reliant; at times she refuses to delegate gathering of evidence to anyone, even Eadfulf (although she does admit that Eadulf's