How dare she?he thought, rage clouding his vision.I explained me reasons, far more than she was entitled to hear, and yet she still picks fault? I have done what I had to do, and there’s nay reason for her to turn against me. She’s meant to be me betrothed! She’s meant to be on me side, not butterin’ up me sister against me!
This was more than enough. Knowing full well that it was a bad idea, Ryder kicked open the door.
The door flew back against the wall with a bang. Alaina jumped, squeaking in alarm. Megan didn’t even flinch, and he did spare a moment of admiration for that.
“Lassies,” he greeted, offering a tight smile. “I’m glad to see that ye are gettin’ on so well. Megan, could I trouble ye for a brief word outside?”
He didn’t wait for her to respond and instead turned on his heel, striding away.
If she’s smart, she’ll follow me.
It seemed that she was smart. He heard her footsteps tip-tapping after him. On the landing, he began to climb upward, to the last inhabited room in the tower, and heard her start to follow him.
The steps here were steeper, and the rooms began to narrow. The rooms above the next one were mainly used for storage, as they were markedly colder than the rest of the Keep.
He reached the next landing and took a key out of his pocket, turning it in the lock. It was a bad lock, and he was obliged to nudge the door with his shoulder before it would open. It did open, of course, as it always did, and then they were inside.
Megan followed, eyes wide, glancing around the room. He watched her gaze flit over the spartan decorations, free of rugs and tapestries.
“Whose room is this?” she asked cautiously.
“Mine,” he responded briefly.
The bed was a four-poster, but he’d dispensed with the curtains that were meant to hang around it. They only collected dust and the occasional mouse. He’d found a bat there once. The floor was plain stone, and the hearth was empty and cold. The only decoration was a large fur rug spread out in front of it, a single chair, and a stool perched on the edge. It had once been a bear, and now it just collected dust.
He turned his back to the empty fireplace and turned to face her, knotting his hands behind his back.
“Ye are a clever lass, Megan,” he murmured, eyes fixed on hers. “So I imagine that ye can tell why I’m a wee bit upset at what ye said to Alaina about me.”
She clenched her jaw. “I am a wee bit upset that ye eavesdropped.”
“It’s just as well I did. Yer duties here are to protect me sister, nae turn her against me.”
Megan narrowed her eyes. “I am nae turnin’ her against ye. Ye have done that nicely yerself.”
“Mind yer tongue.”
She ignored him and took a step forward. “I am tryin’ to win her trust. I am nae lyin’ to her, and I am nae here to makeyelook better. I can only protect her if she trusts me, and she can sniff out a liar at a hundred paces, or so it seems.”
“Well, since she seems to believe that we are truly betrothed, I would deny that.”
Color rushed into Megan’s face. He wondered briefly if her skin heated up when she flushed. He wondered how far down that blush went.
That wasnota proper thought, and he gave his head a tiny shake to send it away. This was business.
“Perhaps I was nae exactly proper,” Megan said at last, having visibly calmed herself down, “but I stand by what I said.”
He rolled his eyes. “Nae proper?Ye think?”
“I have never been proper in me life, and I daenae intend to start now,” she shot back. “If ye wanted yer fake betrothed to beproper, ye have made the wrong choice.”
She turned as if to go, and it struck Ryder quite powerfully that he did not want her to leave. That was annoying. He hadn’t finished talking, though, so that gave him an excuse to fly across the room, reaching the door before she did. He slammed it shut, his hand on the doorframe just above her head.
Megan did not flinch. She turned to face him, scowling.
“Tell me what ye want to say to me,” she said slowly, enunciating carefully, “but then ye had better let me go.”
He smirked. “Such a fire! Ye are very prickly and self-righteous, considerin’ that ye just calledmea monster.”
