"Oh, the lady of the house has claws does she? She's just as mad as the laird, tis nay wonder they found each other," the guard chuckled as he started for the door. "Two mad loons."
"Time will determine what and who I am, until then, God will avenge me," Leah said with such conviction that it rattled the guards. She watched them sulk up the steps and out the door. As it slammed behind them, sealing her into the dark pit, Leah crawled into the corner and pulled her knees to her chest.
"God will avenge me, daenae think I've heard that one before."
Leah didn't move as the familiar voice pricked her ears. "Leave me alone."
"Now, is that any way to treat an old lover?" Mason asked before he broke out into a coughing fit. Leah could hear the rattle in Mason's chest from where she was sitting. It was in his deep, wet cough that echoed off the dungeon walls.
"We were never lovers," Leah hissed as her thoughts drifted to Killian.
"That's nae nice to say, especially when ye've seen me naked," Mason teased. His raspy voice unnerved Leah. Despite all that Mason had done to her, she couldn't help but feel pity for his situation. He shouldn't be in the dungeons anymore than she should be. But at least for her cause, she was innocent.
"I've nae seen ye naked," Leah answered. "Ye always had a towel on. If anyone caught a glimpse it would have been Elsie. She cared for ye a lot longer than I did."
"Ye’re lyin'. It was ye," Mason said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Or maybe… I daenae ken. Sometimes I try to think about what I did, and it doesnae make sense to me. It's like me head was foggy and I could see myself doin' things, but I had nay control over them."
Leah sat up and peered through the dark and shadow to find Mason. Huddled in the corner, she spotted him digging the tip of his worn nail into the stone wall.
"Do ye remember ever gettin' dizzy?" Leah asked as she noticed his odd behavior.
"Aye, and confused. Alan would tell me that it was because I wasnae gettin' fresh air. But I'm thinkin' maybe it was somethin' to do with him."
Arching her eyebrow, Leah found herself torn. Mason had, after all, tried to kidnap her and confessed to setting up the assassination attempts. But could he have been just another puppet?
A fresh surge of worry crashed through Leah as she watched Mason lean his head against the cold stone wall. His body rocked as he coughed and twitched. She wished she could do something for him, but there was nothing she could do. Someone had killedKillian… the thought of Killian dead ripped through her like a volcano tearing apart an island.
Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she looked up at the slanted window. A single star showed through the pitch-black sky, and it was to that single star Leah whispered her prayer.
Please, daenae let him be dead. I forfeit my life for his, just please, Lord, daenae take him from me. Please, I beg ye.
31
"Execute him."
Killian's heart pounded in his ears as he gripped the hilt of his dirk. The blade felt strained in his inexperienced, trembling hand. Killian glanced over at his father. The man loomed like a dark cloud, blotting all light and warmth.
"Do it."
"Nay," Killian screamed at the top of his lungs as he lunged forward. The blade now wielded like the weapon it was. He slashed through the shadow and mist.
"Killian, ye must come back to me."
"Leah?" he stopped. His heart throbbed in his ears as he hunted for her. Leah. She was the calm to his storm. "Where are ye, lass? Why can I nae see ye?"
"Kill him, now," his father's voice boomed, interrupting the tranquility of Leah's presence. Just as swiftly as she came, she was gone, and Killian's feverish nightmare droned on. In and out of consciousness, he fell until his memories and his nightmares blended into one.
"Killian, ye need to wake up. Ye cannae stay asleep all day."
"But I want to," Killian pleaded as he glanced over to find Leah in the garden with only the glass of the Study window separating them.
"I ken, but ye cannae, ye have to get up," she whispered, her voice painted with a mixture of adoration and fear. It was the fear that pricked Killian's ear.
"Leah?" He called for her only to be greeted by silence. The image of her faded into dark ink.
"I think he's comin' to," a familiar voice said, encroaching on the darkness that engulfed Killian. Slowly, he blinked the world into view. Panic ensnared his senses. Instinctively, he reached for his dirk only to find it missing.
"Where am I? What have ye done with me things?" Killian demanded.
