"Here, my friend, take the harp. I am sure you can entertain us with a fine lay " For Caedda, a slave on the estates of the monastery ruled by St Hild, no words could be more terrible. Escaping to the solitude of a byre, the slave reviews his privileged past before trying to come to terms with the danger that he finds himself in. Where can he find refuge when he has already hidden in the most obscure way that he could? Can the Lord's Poet avoid retribution again or is it time to rise to the challenge and embrace his destiny?"