"Ye've ken her a lot longer than ye've ken Leah," Alan contested. "I've brought Abigale on many occasions here to the castle. She's been yer playmate since ye were a young lad."
"Now ye’re lyin' and we both ken it," Killian hissed through clenched teeth. "Me faither wouldnae allow such things."
"Which is why he never kenned when she came to the castle. It was always in secret. I'm nae makin' excuses for yer faither, but I'm simply sayin' ye ken more about me daughter than ye do the outsider."
Killian straightened as he flexed his jaw. "Leah is more than a healer and she'll do a fine job as the Lady MacMillan. She is the lass I've chosen and I'll nae be changin' me mind."
Speaking with such authority, Killian made sure there was no room for question or doubt. He watched as Alan's eye twitched from irritation. It was clear to Killian that Alan was far from pleased with his choice to have Leah as his wife.
"Is there somethin' else on the matter ye'd like to discuss?" Killian asked.
"Ye ken I have been nothin' but yer friend all these years. I have practically raised ye to be the man ye are without yer faither's influence on ye. I just daenae understand why ye think that healer will serve ye better than someone who has ken ye since ye were a lad; someone who has grown with ye."
"I daenae ken Abigale any more than I ken Sophia or Rachel. But I do ken Leah. Or have ye forgotten that Sean brought her to me so that she could tend to me brother?"
"I've seen her care for Mason, and I also ken yer brother has a soft spot in his heart for the lass. But that doesnae mean that she can help ye run this clan," Alan protested.
"I've said all I'm goin' to say about the matter. The council requested that I find a wife. Ye never mentioned rules that the lady had to be within the clan. Leah may nae have grown up here, but she belongs here," Killian said with such conviction in his heart that he found himself longing to be by her side. "I'll nae have ye comin' against her. She's already proved herself to Fraser, I'll nae have her go through some test with ye as well."
Alan's frown shifted as his bushy eyebrow arched. "What suspicions does Fraser have with the healer?"
"None. He has sorted through those and I suggest ye do the same. I've made me choice. And as lovely as yer daughter is, me heart belongs to Leah." As Killian let the lie drip from his lips like honey, he found the vow to stick to him as sap on a feather.
The words were truer than anything he had ever proclaimed before. Yet, at the forefront of his mind, Killian was hyper-aware of the situation he found himself in. Leah was now his betrothed. She was the lass he wanted, so how was he going to bid her farewell when all he wanted was for her to stay?
"But think of the alliances ye could make, the families ye could unite. Right now ye have the chance to strengthen yer line, nae squander it?—"
"On a lass who tends to the sick? Ye’re missin' the point. Leah has a heart that heals more than just wounds and injuries. It goes beyond bodily harm. She brings hope to the clan. Every man that has gone down to see her has nothin' but kind words for her."
Alan tilted his head as he let out a hearty chuckle. "Do ye nae hear yerself? Yer tellin' me that the clan has gone to see yer bride to be, and how she services them? What do they do down there in the infirmary?"
Killian's eyes narrowed as he curled his fingers around the hilt of his dirk. "I'd be careful what ye say next. I have ken ye a long time and I wouldnae want ye to soil our relationship with somethin' ye really daenae mean."
"Me laird," Alan said as Killian watched as Alan Adam's apple bobbed in Alan's throat. "I mean nay disrespect. Have I nae always been on yer side? I'm just tryin' to steer ye away from a bad mistake, that is all."
"Aye, I'm sure ye are. But ye'll nae talk about Leah like that, do ye understand?" Killian asked as he noticed Abigale flinching the moment Killian threatened her father.
"Of course," Alan conceded as Killian spotted Fraser at the edge of the dance floor. Fraser's somber expression caught Killian's eye. Relaxing his grip, Killian side-stepped Alan and, without another word, made a beeline right for Fraser.
There was no need for small talk. Killian could read Fraser like an open book. The moment Killian reached Fraser, they started for the side door of the castle. In silence, they walked until their boots echoed and bounced off the hollowed halls of the dungeons.
The air of the dungeons clung to Killian's skin like a shroud as he descended the steps. The echo of his boots reverberated in the darkness, and the flickering torchlight cast eerie shadows on the walls, illuminating the damp stone walls.
The smell of mold and iron hung heavy in the air, mingling with the faint metallic tang of blood. Each step felt heavier than the last, an unsettling weight settling deep in Killian's bones.
"Laird MacMillan," Fraser said, his voice icy as he opened the door to the cells. "We've questioned the assassin and I thought ye might want to hear for yerself what the man has to say."
Intrigued, Killian glanced at Fraser, hunting for some sign of disbelief. Fraser's stony face gave nothing away. Pulling in a deep breath, Killian turned his attention to the man tied to thechair in the center of the cell. The assassin's eyes were wild and bloodshot as they flickered up to meet his gaze. There was a faint hint of fear cutting through the haze of the assassin's bravado.
"Who does he work for?" Killian asked Fraser as he studied his prisoner.
"We've nae got that out of him," Fraser answered. "We thought ye might want to try."
The tension in Killian's shoulders tightened. It was his father's voice he heard every time he had to face the monster within him. How many men had Killian broken already? How many more would he have to go through before he could find peace?
"I see," Killian answered as he stretched his hand expectedly. He didn't have to glance at Fraser before the keys to the cell dropped into Killian's open palm. "Then I shall rectify that."
"Ye daenae scare me, highlander. Jingle those keys. They're nothin' but a melody to me ears."
