He couldn’t imagine living his life as Brynja had. She’d watched her mother and aunt die, been kidnapped, escaped to a nunnery, and lived there.
Alone except for Hildi.
Oh, she’d made friends. Sheona and Simone and Magni and Beatris, but no family but Hildi.
Only one cousin.
Hagen sat by the hearth thinking on that one thought.
Jowell came in and took a seat next to him. “What are you thinking on? I can see the steam coming out of your ears.”
“Cousins. How many cousins do you think we have?”
Jowell’s eyes widened as he chuckled. “More than I can count?”
“I’m going to try. You, Alaric, Paden, Eli, Alick, Eli, Alasdair, Merelda…”
“Maryell, Broc, Chrissa, and then there are the Ramsays who we consider to be cousins, Ysenda, Errol, Thea, and then Brin… I could go on and on. What’s your point?”
“Brynja only has one—Hildi. Her mother’s dead, her aunt is dead, and that’s it. She lives in a nunnery. What the hell would it be like to only have one in your family?”
Jowell tipped his head in thought, steeping his fingers in front of him. “Ask your mother what it’s like. Didn’t she only have Claray when she met your father?”
Hagen scowled. “You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that. Both her parents were killed. Shite. What an awful life to live.”
Jowell stared at him. “You’re going to be careful with her, are you not?”
“What do you mean?”
His voice dropped, taking on an edge. “She’s not some prize to be won, Hagen. She’s not a challenge or a diversion. She’s a woman who’s been broken and put herself back together with spit and rage. And she deserves someone who sees that. Who understands what it cost her to trust anyone again. Don’t play with her feelings.”
Hagen forced himself to breathe. To think before responding. Because Jowell wasn’t wrong to be protective. If anything, Hagen respected him more for it.
“You’re right,” Hagen said quietly. “I’m beginning to understand why Grandda was known for protecting women.”
“Absolutely true. Now that we’re clear on that, I’m going to bed. Paden is already there.” The three shared a chamber with three beds in it since there were so many living or visiting at Duart at present.
“I’m going to check on Brynja, then I’ll be up.”
Hagen headed to the healing chamber, opening the door slowly in case anything that required privacy was happening, though he’d seen Brenna take her leave earlier. “Brynja?”
She sat next to Hildi, the saddest expression he’d ever seen on anyone’s face—a look of loneliness and defeat. “Brynja, may I come in?”
“Aye, please.”
“How is she?” he asked, entering and closing the door behind him.
“No change. She’s sleeping.”
“She’ll probably sleep all night, do you not think so?”
Brynja’s gaze went to her friend, and she reached over to brush a few wild strands of hair back from her face. “I suppose she will.”
“Would you go for a quick stroll with me? I’d like to show you something.”
She sighed and stood. “I do need to stretch my legs.”
He held the door for her, and they stepped into the great hall.
