Chapter Twenty-Six
If looks couldkill, Conan would’ve been dead two minutes ago, though it was difficult to say whether it was Alannah’s glare or Illadan’s that would’ve done him in. That was how long had passed since he’d told Alannah the truth. It was also how long it had been since anyone spoke.
Across the table, Illadan sat so still that Conan wondered if he’d stopped breathing entirely. Alannah had gone the other direction, shaking like a cloud about to burst with rain.
Conan had considered filling the silence with an explanation, but at the end of the day, he’d lied to her. If she wanted to know why, he’d explain. If not, she deserved the honor of the full truth. To Conan’s surprise, Illadan cracked first.
“Outside.” Illadan ground out finally. “All of you.Now.”
The men stood, including Teague. Conan wanted nothing more than to give his older brother a good walloping, but he couldn’t risk anyone inside the hall seeing a commoner punch a prince in the face without punishment.
“You as well, I’m afraid,” Illadan said to Alannah, more gently but no less stern.
She looked ready to argue, but Conan knew that wouldn’t go over well with Illadan right now.
“Please,” Conan pleaded. “There is more you must know.”
As they trudged in silence out the back door of the hall, a leaden weight settled in Conan’s chest. He’d never wanted to lie to Alannah, but what choice had he had? It wasn’t as though hecould betray his oath to Brian, betray his closest friends. Yet it tore at him all the same.
The moment Illadan shut the door, Conan jumped at Teague, shoving him hard. “I can’t believe you! We give youonejob, one, simple way to prove yourself and you—”
“I know! I know,” Teague held his hands out. He didn’t even shove Conan back. “The fault lies entirely with me.”
“Speaking of lies.” Alannah stepped between them, finger pointed at his chest, eyes on fire. “Iknewyou weren’t bards!”
Finn stepped forward. “I am actually a bard by training, though I wasn’t accepted as an apprentice.”
“Who are you?” Alannah speared them as one, breathing hard. “I’m apparently too trusting, but I’m no fool. You’ve all been lying. Who are you?”
“I’m Teague’s younger brother,” Conan answered her honestly.
“Is Conan your true name?”
“Aye,” he assured her. More than anything he wanted to pull her into his arms and comfort her, but he knew it would only make matters worse. “We gave your our true names, but not our titles.”
She took a wobbly step back. “Titles?”
“Illadan is the nephew of Brian Boru, son of his brother Mahon, and therefore a prince of Mumhain. Dallan used to be the heir apparent to the throne of Laigin. Ardál is the son of Brian’s huntsman. And Finn is as he says, a highly accomplished bard who should’ve trained with the masters, though he is also one of the best swordsmen I’ve met.”
Conan watched Alannah’s face change as she digested it all. He could hardly hear anyone breathe, let alone move. “Why are there two princes hiding in my inn?”
“We are oathsworn to Brian, King of Mumhain,” Conan began.
Illadan stepped forward, but Conan held a hand out to stop him.
“Brian came to visit Cahill in peace. He brought us in case things got out of hand, but we were to keep attention away from ourselves.”
“By performing in front of the entire town?”
Dallan took up in his defense. “The best place to hide is where folks least expect it. In this case, in plain sight.”
“How could you?” Her voice cracked, breaking like his resolve had only minutes earlier. “How could you lie to me? Why didn’t you trust me?” The words sounded so small that they hurt him all the more.
“I didn’t want my father to know I was here.” It was the truth, but only just. Damn it all, why did he have to climb through this twisted web? He was not the sort of man who answered lies with lies. “Remember how I told you I didn’t speak with him?” He swallowed hard, his throat tightening. “That was the truth. I don’t want to see him. Ever.”
“I trusted you.” Her narrow nose flared, her lips rolling in on themselves. “I never should have trusted you.”
Conan’s heart sped as panic settled in his chest. “Alannah, please. I didn’t want to lie to you, but I swore an oath. I must keep my word.”
