A shiver crossed over her, and she heard the faint cry of Alanna, Genevieve’s young infant. Trahern’s face softened when he spied the babe, and he continued his tale, weaving the victory of Nera over the immortals and the reunion with his wife and son.
When the story was over, Trahern stood. He waited until the group had dispersed before lifting his mask away.
“Is it heavy?” she asked, pointing to the gold.
“A little. But the children enjoy it when I wear it.” He held the mask in his palm. “Will you walk with me? There’s . . . something I need to speak with you about.”
No longer was he the smooth, confident storyteller. He appeared uneasy about what he had to say.
She knew he’d spoken with his brothers this morning about Gall Tír. More than likely, they wouldn’t allow her to go with them. But she wasn’t about to be left behind. Not now, not when they were so close.
She joined Trahern, removing her mask and letting it dangle from her fingertips. He took her past the barren fields, toward the channel that divided the mainland from a nearby island. He’d brought a torch with him, and along the way, he asked her to gather brush and wood for a fire. When they’d reached the edge of the cliffs, they worked together to build a small fire, lining it with stones.
“I’m going with you to see theLochlannach,“ she insisted, after they sat down beside the flames. “Whatever happened won’t change that.”
Trahern didn’t answer for a while but stared out at the sea. “My brother refused to send men to help us plead our case.” There was disbelief on his face, but also the sense that he was holding something back.
“We don’t need his men,” Morren insisted. “We can go with the others and demand justice.” She moved to sit beside him and placed her hand on his arm.
“We could. But having the king guarding our backs would make a stronger case.” His hand moved beside hers. “There is . . . a way he could help us.”
She waited, but he seemed to struggle with the words. More than once, he looked upon her face, before at last he blurted it out. “If you married me.”
“What?” The words broke free before she could stop them. Marry him? Simply to gain soldiers and to strengthen their case before theLochlannach. “You don’t mean that.”
“I didn’t expect him to suggest it,” he confessed. “But he’s right. If you were my wife, the MacEgans would become your family. It’s a stronger reason to argue before theLochlannach.”
Her mouth nearly dropped open. Had he really said that? He wasn’t asking her to marry him because he cared about her or wanted to share his life with her. No, this was about vengeance, once again.
Out of nowhere, anger descended over her. “No,” she answered. “I won’t marry you.” Every reason for it was wrong. She took slow, deep breaths, trying to push back the frustration within. Marriage had never entered her mind, but if she’d considered it, the last thing she wanted was an offer because his brother had suggested it.
Trahern stared out at the water again. “I thought you might refuse. But there are other reasons.” His hand closed over hers. “I could protect you. No man would ever hurt you again.”
She pulled her hand away. “Do you think that’s all that matters to me?” Rising to her feet, she strode to the edge of the cliff. Below, the turbulent water swept over the rocks in pooling waves of foam.
“No. I thought—“
“You didn’t think at all.” She whirled and nearly stumbled. He caught her wrists, bringing her away from the edge. “If I needed a guard, I could hire one. I don’t need a husband.”
“You’re afraid of marriage.”
“No, I’m angry. I can’t believe you’d think so little of me. Or yourself. Let’s see . . . my brother thinks I should get married, so that’s reason enough.”
“I don’t dance to my brother’s tune,” he argued. “I make my own decisions. And I think . . . we would make a good match.”
He didn’t understand. Not at all.
“I don’t know that we would.” Morren pushed him away, fury and humiliation making tears spring up in her eyes. But she wouldn’t let herself cry.
His hands moved to rest on her shoulders. “I wouldn’t ask you to share my bed, Morren. You know that.”
From deep inside, all the broken dreams seemed to spill out in jagged shards. “I don’t want a shadow marriage, Trahern. I want a husband who will love me or no husband at all.”
He didn’t pull back, as she’d expected him to. Instead, his thumbs dipped into her shoulders, stroking at the tension there. “And you don’t believe you could care for a man like me.”
Her head fell back against his chest as his hands loosened the knots in her nape. She struggled over the words, afraid of revealing too much. “That isn’t what I said.”
His hands moved to her hair, gently caressing her. Just the simple touch began to coax a response. She leaned into him and murmured, “You mean more to me than any man, Trahern. But I know I’ll never fill the space Ciara left behind.” She took a breath and then stepped away. “I won’t be a substitute for the woman you wanted. It’s not enough for me.”
