* * *
“Were ye near the tunnels today?”Colum leaned in close, lowered his voice, and glanced around. “Near the passage that opens to the sea?”
Gray didn’t answer as he pulled a scarred longbow free of the rack. “Thetaifeidis worn on this one.” He held the weapon sideways in front of Colum and plucked the bowstring. “See that it is replaced, ye ken?”
“Aye.” Colum took the weapon. “Did ye hear what I asked?”
“I heard.” Gray selected a shorter bow and examined it closely. “I am not deaf. ’Tis the heart of yer question that troubles me—especially now that Trulie has settled on a date.” The location of the escape tunnels leading from inside the keep to an elaborate network of hidden caves was known to very few within the clan. Keeping such knowledge to only the most trusted ensured the safety of the stronghold.
“The outer wall was ajar.” Colum handed Gray another bow and took the short one from him. “Mere inches, but wide enough to allow a smaller body to squeeze through.”
“Yer thoughts?” Gray turned and faced Colum. Colum never came to him asking questions without good reason. Knowing his trusted man-at-arms, Gray waited to hear whom Colum thought had trespassed through their tunnels.
“Fearghal,” Colum said. “I ken in my gut that bastard hides in the darkness beneath our land.”
Fearghal. Gray scrubbed his fingers through the stubble on his jaw. Admittedly, no one had seen the sniveling wimp since nearly a fortnight before his mother left. But how could the bumbling fool survive such an existence? The clumsy oaf had never mastered any basic survival skills. Fearghal could not hunt, was afraid to fish, and had a hard time sitting a horse long enough to ride across the paddock. The only thing Fearghal had ever perfected was draining tankards in one long swallow. The fool didn’t even do that well. The ale usually ran down either side of his face and streamed into his oversized ears.
“Ye truly suspect Fearghal hides in the caves?” Gray struggled to believe it. “Besides the fact he probably fears the dark, how did he come upon them? Their location was never shared with the man.”
Colum frowned and glared back at Gray. “Well, then who do ye think it is?”
Gray winked and clapped a hand hard atop Colum’s shoulder. “I have no idea, but I trust my man-at-arms willna rest until the mystery is solved.”
CHAPTER17
Karma growled a low deep warning and blocked Trulie’s path to the table. He lifted his head, ears perked to alert position, and his broad-chested body tensed and ready to spring.
“Karma. What is wrong with you? I just want to get a drink of water.” She moved to one side to get around the dog.
He moved with her, growling louder this time. He butted his broad head so hard against her knees that she nearly lost her balance.
“Karma!” She squatted down to the dog’s eye level and cradled his head in her hands. “There is no one here but Granny. We are perfectly safe. What’s troubling you?”
The dog whined, twisted out of her hands, and looked up at the table.
Granny rose from the bench by the hearth and hurried across the room. “You best listen to him, Trulie. He is your guardian.”
Trulie slowly stood, wondering what had set him off. She concentrated on the room, easing around in a clockwise circle as she scanned for anything unusual. Nothing seemed amiss. “He has been edgy all day. I wonder if he doesn’t feel good or something.”
She rubbed his head as she leaned over and looped her fingers through the cool handle of the smooth clay pitcher on the table.
Karma lunged with his teeth gnashing. A startling growl rumbled from deep in his throat as he sprang upward and knocked to the side. The crock of water spun out of her grasp, wobbled over the edge of the table, and shattered when it hit the floor. The dog straddled the splattered mess, placing himself between Trulie and the spreading puddle. He lowered his head and bared his teeth, making it perfectly clear that no one was getting near that spilled water.
“Who brought that water to this room?” Granny asked as she moved carefully toward the enraged dog.
“I don’t know.” Trulie picked herself up from the floor and brushed her skirts back into place. A sense of guilt filled her as she read the reprimand on Karma’s face. “I am sorry, Karma.” She held out her hand. “I didn’t understand that you were warning me about the water.”
Karma immediately relaxed, lowered his head, and ran to Trulie with an I-was-just-trying-to-protect-you whine.
“I know,” she crooned as she hugged him to her chest. Thank goodness she had been gifted with a guardian—especially one like Karma. Not all time runners were so blessed. Only the eldest daughters received animal spirit guides. Thank goodness for birth order.The irony of the situation wasn’t wasted. Always before, she had hated being the oldest.As she stared at the broken crockery, a plan unfolded in her mind. “You know…” She waggled a brow at Granny. “This could be a good thing.”
Granny pursed her lips, then glanced from the mess back to Trulie. “We are the only ones who know you didn’t taste that water.”
“Exactly.”
“Whoever brought the water here will be watching for results.” Granny barely tapped her chin as she circled the puddle.
“Yep.”
