"Ansel," Baldric read. "Drink from the vial. I ken you will not trust Elspeth's word, though she says she has someone in the castle who may be able to convince you. If they can’t, then trust me. You spared my life, and now I'm saving yours."
"Neala," Ansel gasped.
"I'm sorry it came to this. I've tried to tell them, tried to explain. I wish you'd come with me—I wish we could have done this together. Ken that Cailean was against this plan. He wanted to face you in battle rather than let you die by poison. In the end, though, they decided that they needed to do whatever it took to stop the monster."Baldric paused in his reading, an indescribable expression on his face. "Ansel, I ken they're wrong. It's not too late to prove it. But first, you must live."
Baldric lowered the letter. He reached over slowly and removed the stopper from the vial. "Well? he asked. "What's it gonnae be?"
Ansel lifted the vial to his mouth and downed the contents in one gulp. Then his eyes fluttered shut. The last thing he saw was Baldric's face.
10
Nessa clung to Darren's back as they rode through the gates of McNair Castle, too overwhelmed by the sight before her to even feel embarrassed by what she was doing. The castle was beautiful, clearly undergoing renovations under the control of the rebels, and the capercaillie banner hung from the walls. Nessa had been raised to fear and disdain that symbol, and to cheer whenever it was crushed underfoot. Now she knew the truth. The McNairs had returned, not through a pretender but for real, and they were waging war against everything she ever knew. And now she was their prisoner.
"Nae that I'm complainin' about the embrace, but ye're clingin' on a wee bit tight," Darren told her in a low whisper.
She blushed and loosened her grip, hoping he couldn't hear the way her heart was hammering erratically through her chest with the anticipation of what was about to happen. The horses stopped, and Darren slid off then raised a hand to help Nessa down. She took it and allowed him to help her, mostly because she didn't know what else to do. A stablehand approached to lead the horses away, and the rest of the men disappeared into the castle, leaving Darren, Nessa, and Eoin waiting outside.
Darren nudged Nessa lightly with his shoulder. "Dinnae look so grim. This isnae an execution."
Nessa wasn't so sure. She was about to say as much, but the words died on her lips as the doors opened and three figures walked out. In the center, there he was: Cailean McNair. The last time Nessa had seen him, he had been sparing her father's life. Not that it had made a difference in the end. Part of her longed to ask him why he hadn't just ended it there and then, but she could not bring herself to speak. She didn't think she could even breathe.
The other two were her sisters, of course. Maeve was holding tightly to Cailean's hand, but Breana rushed forward, hurtling into Eoin's open arms. Nessa watched, frozen, as the couple kissed in happy reunion, then Breana whispered something in Eoin's ear.
Eoin's response was to embrace Breana again, more tightly this time, then lift her up and spin her in a circle. He was grinning and laughing by the time he put her down, and he kissed her once more.
"We'll talk soon," he promised her. "But I think ye've somethin' else ye should be doin'."
"Go on," Darren encouraged Nessa in a low voice. "Ye'll be safe here. I willnae let anyone hurt ye, but ye must take the first steps yerself. They've been waitin' an awfully long time."
Hesitantly, Nessa took a few steps forward toward Breana. Eoin retreated, and Maeve, seeming almost as reluctant as Nessa, dropped Cailean's hand and moved toward them.
At last, the three sisters met in the middle.
Maeve looked every bit a queen, as beautiful as ever, standing tall and proud. She wore a fine but practical dress, and her chestnut hair had grown considerably since the last time Nessa had seen it. She wore it loose, tumbling over her shoulders. Nessa wondered if Maeve had ever known how much heryoungest sister had coveted her beauty while they were growing up. Almost unconsciously, Nessa touched her own dark hair, twirling a strand nervously around her finger.
Breana, meanwhile, hadn't changed. She was still soft, her light-brown hair and large thoughtful eyes giving her the look of innocence despite being the oldest of all of them. Her hair was tied back in a plait that went down her back, and she wore a simple loose blue dress that made her look more comfortable and at home than Nessa had ever seen her. Nessa had grown up envying her as well, not necessarily for her beauty but for her poise and grace.
They were not the O'Sullivan sisters, not anymore. Both of Nessa's older sisters had been married not once, but twice, and both had chosen the second husband, their new clans, by themselves. They had their family now, and Nessa, in choosing her father, had made sure that she was not a part of that new family, no matter what Darren thought. Too much time had passed. Too much pain.
She stared at them and they stared back. She wondered how she looked in their eyes, and she did not imagine it was a positive image.
"Breana?" Nessa whispered, the word heavy on her lips.
Her oldest sister's composure broke, and tears filled her eyes before she ran forward and wrapped her arms around Nessa with as much enthusiasm as she had around Eoin. Breana held Nessa close, stroking her hair. The last time they'd hugged had been many years before, so long ago that Nessa could barely count. Breana had tried to be a comfort to her—but Nessa had turned her away, over and over again. Now, though, she leaned into the hug just for a moment.
Breana pulled back but kept her hands on Nessa's arms, running her eyes critically up and down her full frame, obviouslyinspecting her for damage or changes or something else that Nessa did not understand.
"Ye're thinner," Breana said after a moment. "Och, has that horrible man nae been feedin' ye? Cailean, will ye tell the cooks tae make her a meal?"
"I'm nae hungry," Nessa said. "Really, I'm fine, I…"
She trailed off as her eyes landed on Maeve, who was still standing back, watching her warily as though she wasn't sure what she was going to do. At last, Maeve spoke, not coming any closer.
"The last time I saw ye, ye covered me escape," Maeve said slowly, "But then ye went tae watch Cailean's execution without so much as a moment's hesitation. I dinnae understand. What side are ye on?"
Nessa felt her whole body tremble, but she straightened up, sticking out her chin and holding her back stiff as her mother had taught her. "The last time I sawye, ye told me tae escape with ye—and then, when ye fled, ye left me behind," Nessa told her quietly. "And now ye've dragged me here. Whose side areyeon?"
Breana shook her head. "Nay, Nessa, it wasnae like that. Maeve told me what happened, and I was there in the castle that day. I?—"
