“If Emer or one of your brothers had done something horrible, would you give them another chance?”
“Like what?” she asked. His tone intrigued her, like even though he spoke of her family, it applied to him in some way.
He blew out a heavy breath. “Betrayal, among other things.”
Alannah froze, choosing her words carefully. “I suppose it depends on the betrayal.”
She breathed in, long and slow and deep, filling her lungs and trying not to panic over the turn in conversation. When he still didn’t speak, she filled the yawning silence.
“Is there something you want to tell me?”
“My brother,” he began, his throat working. “My brother is not a good man, but everyone seems inclined to give him another chance.”
Understanding dawned, followed by rippling relief. He wasn’t speaking of himself. He was talking about his brother. “Except you.”
He nodded. “Except me.”
Now that she understood the context, she knew her answer without question. Alannah would always believe in her brothers, in Emer. They’d all let each other down at one point or another, sometimes more seriously than others. But they always showed up again, always made amends. Because, at the end of the day, they were all each other had.
“Do you believe that people can change?”
He looked down his nose at her, as though her answer surprised him. “With proper motivation, perhaps. I would like to, anyway.”
“Then you have your answer. Maybe you didn’t like who he was, but maybe you can learn to love who he is.”
“Love is a stretch,” he smiled. “But maybe I can give him a chance. A small one,” he qualified as they continued walking.
“You should. You deserve a brother, regardless of whether he deserves a second chance. Who knows? Maybe he’ll surprise you.”
“Everything he does surprises me,” Conan grumbled.
“You never talk of your family.” Alannah didn’t want to throw away what might be the only opportunity to learn more about the man currently holding her heart.
“I’m very close with two of my brothers and my sister. It’s just my eldest brother and my parents who cause problems.”
That was more than he’d said when last she asked. A dozen questions popped up in her mind like a bouquet springing to life. The eldest brother must be the one he’d asked about earlier.
“Where are your two brothers and sister?”
“My sister lives in Mumhain most of the time. Though she travels some, I know she prefers to be at home. My two brotherstravel with me often, but they couldn’t this time, unfortunately.” He smiled sadly. “You would like them.”
Alannah sensed a shift in his mood. Something about his siblings brought an uncommon melancholy to the sharp angles of his face, a strain to the set of his jaw. Rubbing his arm and scooting closer, she did her best to cheer him. “If they’re anything like you, I’m certain I would.”
Some of the shadows cleared from his face, but the silence stretched between them once more.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The following day,Alannah ran and sparred with them, but Emer needed help with the inn all afternoon. Conan didn’t know what he’d expected—it wasn’t as though he had the afternoon free to spend with her—but his heart sank nonetheless.
He gathered more tinder with the Fianna, grabbed a quick meal, then he and Ardál headed to the bridge for their first watch. The sun hung low, but didn’t quite touch the horizon.
The stars poked through the mass of clouds, a mat of thin wisps propelled by a wicked northerly wind.
“A storm’s rolling in,” Ardál announced, eyeing the western sky. “A big one.”
“I’d wager no one will try burning the bridge tonight, then,” Conan grinned. Guards aside, they’d really gotten lucky when they stumbled into the watch rotation for the bridge.
They could use their watches to stuff the tinder beneath the bridge. They could even try to scrape some of the coating off the top. And when everything was in place, they would wait until one of their watch nights, set it aflame, and get out of town.
