At last, in a hoarse voice, Maeve asked, "Is he dead?"
The so-called drunkard turned to her, though the intensity in his expression made it clear she'd been right earlier; this man was not drunk in the slightest. When he spoke, there was no trace of the slur in his voice anymore. "Would ye mind if he was?" he countered.
Maeve thought about it for a long time, then decided to answer honestly. "I dinnae ken," she admitted, hating herself for it. It was a weak answer, not kind enough to wish him spared, but neither tough enough to revel in his death.
Her savior grunted, then approached and held out a hand. Maeve took it, and he helped her to her feet, then wrapped his cloak around her shoulders.
"Ye're shiverin'," he told her. "This will keep ye warm." He turned to look at Bill's unconscious body and said, "And he's not dead. Scum that he is, it wasnae worth murder on me conscience. Ye should go home tae yer mam, pet, and never come back here."
Maeve felt cold, and she bit her lip to stop herself from crying out in the sudden tumult of emotion that filled her. Here she was again, forced to run, forced to leave a life behind her, becausea man had decided she was an easy plaything. Because she was weak.
"I havenae anywhere tae go," she whispered.
He surveyed her for a moment, then sighed. "What's yer name?" he asked her after a moment.
"Mae—Mary," she replied, catching herself before she accidentally revealed her true self. "And ye?"
"Senan," he told her. His brow furrowed. "What's yer story, Mary?"
Maeve glanced at the unconscious tavern owner and her head spun. She felt dizzy, and pulled Senan's cloak tighter around her shoulders, grateful at least for the comforting warmth it offered. "I'm a pawn," she told him bitterly. "It's all I've been me whole life; a weak pawn, made tae suit the whims of men."
Senan didn't react dramatically. He simply seemed to ponder her words. "I see," he said. "And ye're happy with this?"
"No. I want me freedom," she told him. "Ineedme freedom. But I dinnae ken what tae do now. Where tae go, how tae live. I dinnae ken how tae exist as anythin' but what these men want me tae be."
That intense coal-black gaze focused harder on her now. "And what would ye give up tae have that freedom?" he asked her. "What would ye be willin' tae do in order tae discover yerself, Mary? Tae be truly free, and naebody's pawn anymore? Would ye fight? Die? Kill, if ye had tae?"
Maeve thought of Ann, who had offered her the way of the Sparrows. She regretted now rejecting that chance when it was offered; she knew that not many people got a second chance. She did not know who this Senan was, but she knew that he'd saved her, and she knew that he stood against the False King that the Darachs loved so much.
It wasn't enough to trust someone, but he was offering her freedom. And she would not shrink away again.
She met his gaze unflinchingly, determination coursing through her now. "Anythin'," she said. "Anythin'." And she meant it.
5
CHAPTER FIVE
They set out right away, stopping only to gather a few of Maeve's things and take some money from Bill's stash. It was tempting to steal the lot — he certainly deserved it — but Maeve didn't take a penny more than she was owed for the two months of work she'd done so far. Her mare from when she arrived two months ago was still kept in the stables, and Maeve felt no shame in 'stealing' her back. After all, Ann had given the horse to Maeve, not to Bill. Senan had a horse of his own, and the two of them were mounted and riding out before half an hour had passed since the incident.
As the inn disappeared into the night behind them, Maeve glanced over her shoulder and sighed.
"Havin' regrets?" Senan asked her. "It's not too late if ye want tae stop. I can help ye find somewhere else in the village tae live and work, or another village if ye prefer."
Maeve shook her head. "It isnae that. I'm wonderin' about Bill. Ye say he'll live, but… what of the next servin' girl? What if…?"
Senan's expression was impossible to see in the darkness, but when he spoke, he sounded pleased by what she'd said. "Lesson one, lass. A true warrior kills without hesitatin' when it's necessary, but we dinnae take lives when we dinnae have tae. That tavern keeper is scum, it's true, but it might be he learns a lesson from the beatin' I gave him this night. Certainly, he willnae be botherin' any lassies while his broken bones heal."
Maeve thought about this for a moment. Bill was disgusting, but this was the first time he'd tried to touch her. After the retribution he'd received, it was easy to believe it would be the last time he attempted such a thing again, because, thanks to Senan, he'd always be paranoid about who was watching.
She didn't want to think about this anymore. "Is that what I'm tae be, then? A warrior?" she asked. She rather liked the sound of it, if she was honest. The ability to stand up for herself, to protect her own life and even those of others… it felt intoxicating to consider. But was this something she was really capable of?
"First what ye're tae be is rested," Senan told her. "I can hear the exhaustion in yer voice, lass, and ye'll feel it again too once the adrenaline wears off. We'll ride an hour then set up camp, and there I'll answer any questions ye might have. Then, if ye decide ye dinnae want tae continue with this old man, I'll help ye find somewhere tae start afresh."
They did indeed set up camp an hour later, but Maeve didn't ask questions. Instead, she fell into a deep sleep. When she woke again, the sun was high in the sky above her, and Senan was nowhere to be seen. For a second, she panicked, wondering whatwould become of her now, but he soon appeared again, carrying with him a loaf of bread and some cheese.
Maeve accepted the offered food gratefully, and the two of them sat to eat. Senan didn't say anything, and Maeve realized that he was giving her room to ask or tell as much or as little as she liked. It was a strange feeling, realizing how much he was offering her respect, and even though it was a small thing, it made her almost cry with gratitude. Except for Eoin, no man had ever made her feel like he was interested in how she felt before.
But her heart felt frozen. She was still shaken from the attack the night before, and all the trauma that had happened to her throughout her life was bubbling just under the surface. Though there was much she wanted to know and indeed needed to know if she were to continue traveling with Senan, she didn't know where to start. A small part of her worried that if she asked the wrong question or gave the wrong answer, it would all be over.
