Unfortunately, it seemed that the whole of the town was now searching for a sleek black cat with amber eyes; it became much more difficult for Sif to slink by unnoticed in crowds, and he had to avoid some areas entirely. The other black cats were being constantly harried, caught by townspeople and released by the priests. He reckoned there might be some kind of reward for him

He decided that the best thing to do would be to throw himself into investigating Dubhán's whereabouts. This paid off immediately; he was able to overhear a woman complaining that her sister had been hired as a laundress in the castle, and was constantly menaced by the witchraiser.

" You'd think a castle job would be good, what with what they're paying and all," she said to her neighbor as they strung out clothes to dry. " But every time I see her, she's been on the verge of tears!"

Sif found it amusing that Dubhán was so wicked that he tormented even the laundress.

Having thus ascertained that he dwelled in the castle, a giant stone keep partitioned off from the city itself, he then had to find some way to gain entry to it.

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