I am King,he silently reminded himself. But his body didn’t seem to care who he was, it only wanted to lie with the woman before him. He forced himself to leave the room before he completely lost control.
Namet was in the main hall, the metal of a knife flashing in the firelight before him as he carved a piece of wood. The man was touched by the gods, carving the most beautiful designs with just a simple blade.
He looked up when Bridei appeared.
“How did it go? Learn anything?”
Bridei sat down, leaning his elbows on his knees and drawing his fingers through his hair with a tired sigh. He had told Namet about the potion, and at the time he had been confident it would work. But it hadn’t given him any truth, only more questions.
“No, nothing of importance. I think maybe I gave her too much. After a while she started speaking a different language.” He sat up suddenly, slapping his hands down on his knees. “Now that I think about it, it might just be the same tongue she and the old man were using at the well when we first found them. I couldn’t understand what she was saying, but the words reminded me of Saxon.”
“Hmmph.” Namet continued carving, but Bridei knew he was thinking about what he’d just told him. He waited, and finally Namet spoke.
“It’s her first language, then. The one she was born to.”
That was what Bridei had thought, as well. “Then she’s not really from Fife.”
“You never believed she was.”
“No. I never did.” Bridei leaned forward again, resting his elbows on his knees once more, and scrubbing his hands over his face. “I can’t think of any other reason the lass would lie about where she’s from, unless she was sent by an enemy.”
Namet shrugged. “And the uncle?”
“Crazy. Or very talented at pretending to be so. No one has learned anything of consequence from him.”
“Could she be lying to protect him?”
“It doesn’t make sense. I just have a feeling that I’m missing something that’s right in front of me. Something important. Crucial even. It makes me uneasy.”
“Hmmph.” Namet held his carving up to the firelight to inspect it.
“I need to speak with my men before they retire for the night. The lass should be brought to my chamber and tied as before. I can’t risk her escape, or having someone reach her. Would you see to it?”
Namet put aside his tools and dusted the wood chips from his lap. “Aye, of course.”
Bridei opened the door to his chamber and stepped inside. In front of him, the moon hung perfectly framed in the window, a bright ball of light that illuminated the room with a soft glow. In the center of the room, tied to the post as before, was Nessa. Namet must have taken pity and moved a sheep skin close, and she had taken full advantage even in her sleep. She was curled up on it as far as the ropes would allow. He wondered if she was cold. Aye, she probably was. There was a night wind from the sea blowing through the window. He went to the bed and took a thick woolen blanket from the foot of it, draping it over her. For a moment he imagined untying her and bringing her into his bed, even though he had just relieved himself by his own hand. Twice. It hadn’t seemed to make a difference; his cock had been hard more often than not since he had first laid eyes on the maddening woman.
Ru trotted through the open door, and he smiled and ruffled the fur between the dog’s ears. “Ready to sleep, old boy? We’ll not be sleeping here tonight, though. It will be the round-house again for us.” The dog had slept at the foot of his bed since he was a pup, but tonight Ru gave him a censorious look and plopped down on the sheep skin next to Nessa, curling his big body around hers.
Bridei narrowed his eyes. “Traitor. Though I can’t say I blame you.”
Ohgod. My head hurts.
Nessa woke with a start, the pounding in her temples immediately apparent. There was something warm and furry pressed against her, and a moment later it licked her face. She cracked her eyes open, but quickly squeezed them shut again at the bright morning sun streaming in the window. She was back in the broch again, and Ru had apparently taken a liking to her, or at least to her body heat. She struggled to remember what had happened the night before, but it was all a blur. She’d been locked up most of the day in the round-house. She’d gotten cold and started a fire with the flint and steel she’d found near the hearth. Bridei had brought her food and wine…the wine!
She’d felt dizzy, almost drunk, after only one small cup. Then, apparently, she’d blacked out. What had happened? Had she told him everything? Her heart began to pound, which only made her head hurt worse. There was only one explanation: the bastard haddruggedher!
The door to the room opened and the King himself was there. Her mouth fell open in shocked indignation.
“Youpoisonedme!”
Speaking made her head hurt more and she groaned as her vision swam. She dropped her forehead to her knees until the room finally stopped moving.
“If I hadpoisonedyou, you would be dead. I only wanted to hear you speak the truth. I’ll have someone bring you some willow tea.”
“I won’t be able to drink it. You tied me up again.” She tugged at the ropes binding her hands in demonstration.
“I didn’t tie you up.”
