He nodded to his men. ‘Secure the prisoner.’
They hurried to obey as Turgeis bleated on and on about how he could be of assistance and should not be killed.
Rand picked up the fallen sword and held it aloft. ‘Your leader has surrendered. Surrender now and you will be spared.’
He looked up at his ringfort. A shaft of light broke the dark clouds, bathing Svanna in its golden glow. Despite what looked to be bruising to her cheek and the circles under her eyes, Rand thought she’d never appeared more beautiful. She was alive and safe. All the things he wanted to say to her could now be said, but not in front of other people. Svanna was too private a person for that.
‘Svanna, I have returned! I have brought you a gift.’ He shoved Turgeis forward and hoped that would do to begin with. ‘Yours to decide what to do with.’
‘Indeed you have! I…that is…we were watching and cheering you on!’ Svanna called from the ramparts. ‘Truly marvellous.’
Rand saluted her with his sword. ‘Pleased to have put on a good show for you.’
‘I have a gift for you as well.’
He tilted his head to one side. ‘A gift? What sort of gift?’
‘A hostage. Another son of Drengr. I fear for thetaflboard though.’ She tilted her head to one side.
Rand went cold. If Svanna had captured him using thetaflboard, he must have entered through the tunnel in the round tower. Rhiannon’s betrayal was total. ‘Is my daughter safe?’
‘She plays in the hall with the rest of children.’ Svanna looped a strand of hair about her ear. ‘Luckily, I considered the problem before the situation turned sour. Thanks to her nurse, I was in the tower when your gift attempted to break in.’
Rand did not bother to blink back tears. Svanna’s precautions had worked. It could have all ended differently but for his beautifully practical wife. He wanted to tell her how much she meant to him and how he wanted to start their marriage again as a proper one, but when they were alone without prying ears. He had to give her a choice, something few had given her in the past.
‘I suspect King Máel Sechnaill will appreciate both gifts,’ Svanna called down. ‘Alive for him to do with as he wills.’
The knot in his back eased. Svanna, ever pragmatic, had not gone for revenge, but for a result that would benefit all living in this country. It was the correct thing to do, but he knew he would have made a different choice.
‘My brother has been taken?’ Turgeis squeaked, turning pale and interrupting the conversation. ‘How is this possible?’
‘A heavytaflboard to the head,’ Svanna called down. ‘Amazing what it can do.’
Rand gave his prisoner a contemptuous look and pretended to count on his fingers. ‘Three brothers. All met with mishap. Careless.’
‘Why don’t you get it over with and kill us?’
‘Because my wife has spoken. It was her decision, not mine. You can thank her that she has chosen mercy.’ Rand motioned to his helmsman. ‘Take him and his brother away. I intend to enjoy my family.’
He walked through the open gates and enfolded Svanna in his arms, burying his nose in her hair and making a memory. He’d left her without telling her how much he cared for her and how much he wanted them to be a family. ‘I’m back. Did anything happen while I was away?’
A shadow of a dimple played in her right cheek. ‘One or two small things, not worth mentioning really.’
He laughed. ‘But I want to hear about them.’
Her brow puckered. ‘Did you find your cousin?’
‘Alive. Although I suspect he may live to regret his choice of wife. Rhiannon is a little more managing than he is used to.’ He shrugged. ‘They and the corpse of the third brother Drengrson travel more slowly.’ He stared up at the sky, knowing that he needed to get his words right. There had to be a way that he could make a fresh start with her. ‘I owe you an apology, Svanna. Many apologies. You guessed correctly about who was responsible.’
‘Oh, my papa! My papa!’ Birdie barrelled out from the hall and threw her arms tight about him before Svanna replied. ‘I missed you, but Mor Svanna let me stay in the hall. One day, I’m going to be big and brave like she is.’
‘That would be a good thing, little one.’ He lifted his daughter up but knew his chance of putting things right with Svanna was slipping away. ‘Do you think I could speak to Mor Svanna alone?’
Birdie gave a long sigh. ‘If you must…’
‘There are things to be done, Rand,’ Svanna said with a frown. ‘The aftermath must be sorted properly. Indulgence must come later.’
He caught her hand. It trembled within his. The words refused to come. He had already made too many mistakes. An indulgence? He knew his late wife would have seen it differently, but Svanna was not her. He knew then that he loved her for caring about others. ‘Later. We can have privacy then. There are things you need to understand about my cousin and Agthir to help you decide.’
