The admission hurt more than it should have. But at least it was honest.
“Then we’ll do what we agreed on,” Leona said, forcing her voice to stay steady. “We’ll act the part. We’ll convince the council and hopefully Ragnall. And after… after, we’ll figure out what comes next.”
“Aye.” Murdock looked up at her again. “We will.”
Before either of them could say anything more, Skye came racing back into the hall, her face flushed with triumph.
“It’s all arranged!” she announced. “Cook says she’ll have everythin' ready within the hour. Blankets, food, everythin' ye need for a proper picnic!”
She rushed over to Rufus, who had returned and was standing near the doorway looking uncertain. “Come on, Rufus! We need to help carry things!”
“Wait, Skye, I daenae think…” Rufus started, but Skye was already reaching for Nyx.
Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath.
Everyone knew by now that Nyx was particular about those who touched her. She’d warmed up to some people of the castle over their time here, mostly kitchen maids that offered her food, but even they had to be careful about sudden movements. And Skye, for all her charm, could be exuberant to the point of startling.
Her small hands wrapped gently around the cat’s body, lifting her from Rufus’s shoulders with surprising care. Nyx’s ears twitched back slightly, and Leona tensed, ready to intervene if the cat decided to use her claws.
But Nyx just looked at Skye for a long moment, her yellow eyes unblinking. Then, slowly, she relaxed into the girl’s arms. Her purr was loud enough to hear across the room.
Skye’s face transformed. Her smile was radiant, pure joy lighting her features from within. She cradled Nyx against her chest, stroking the cat’s head with gentle fingers.
“She still really likes me. Shewantsme to hold her,” she breathed, wonderstruck.
“She does,” Rufus agreed, sounding almost as amazed as she looked.
Leona glanced at Murdock and found him watching his daughter with an expression of such fierce love and pride that it made her chest ache.
This man, this careful, controlled man who thought he couldn’t give her what she needed, looked at his child like she hung the moon.
Maybe there was hope for them, after all.
Maybe, despite everything, despite the fear and their impossible situation and the walls he’d built around his heart, there was a chance they could find something real.
“See?” Skye said, turning that radiant smile on all of them. “Everythin's going to work out. Nyx kens it. And cats always ken best.”
Rufus laughed, the sound bright and genuine. “I daenae think that’s how it works, lass.”
“It is.” Skye lifted her chin, looking remarkably like her father when he was being stubborn. “Nyx is very wise. She wouldnae like me if things were going to go badly. Animals ken these things.”
“She has a point,” Leona heard herself say. “Nyx is an excellent judge of character.”
Skye beamed at her, then carefully returned Nyx to Rufus’s waiting arms. The cat settled back onto his shoulders with a satisfied purr, as if granting her seal of approval to the entire arrangement.
“So ye’ll go, then?” Skye looked between Leona and Murdock with hopeful eyes. “To the picnic? Please? The meadow beyond the east ridge is so pretty. All the wildflowers are bloomin'.”
Murdock cleared his throat, clearly about to make an excuse about clan duties or responsibilities that couldn’t wait.
“Da promised we could go if Nyx liked me,” Skye added quickly, her expression turning pleading. “And she does! Ye saw her purrin' and everythin'.”
“I didnae promise,” Murdock protested.
“Ye did! Well, sort of. Ye said if things worked out, and things are workin' out because Nyx likes me now, and that means everythin' will be fine and…” She stopped, her enthusiasm suddenly deflating. Her voice dropped to something smaller, more vulnerable. “I just want everyone to stop lookin' so sad all the time.”
The simple honesty of it made Leona’s chest ache.
This child, who’d lost her mother, who lived in a castle full of tension and danger, just wanted the people around her to be happy.
