"How d'ye even know that's him?" Hermes asked, still squinting at the pale-haired lad across the barracks.
Somner gave him a look like the answer was painted on the wall. "Blond hair and green eyes, Master. Ye could count the men like that in all Ireland on one hand, so ye could."
Hermes folded his arms. "That's it? The hair and eyes?"
"That, and me equivalent back in your time was made to be his cousin. Not exactly subtle, is it?" Somner's grin widened. "But there's a bigger give-away. His mam. Rumour has it she was a merrow."
Hermes blinked. "A what now?"
"Merrow. Sea-person. Lives under the waves, sings poor lads to their deaths, that sort o' thing."
Somner leaned closer, dropping his voice like he was passing along a ghost story. "They say his da was fair entranced by her voice. And though he was wed, he kept slippin' away to see her until there were two children between them. Fionnghlas… and his sister, Muirenn."
