Either way, she knew one thing for absolute sure. Callum’s parents were dead, slaughtered by the soldiers of the men that were looking forher.They were close, closer than she had ever imagined she would be – and now this boy was an orphan, and it was her fault.
“By coming here, I’ve put me whole family in danger,” she whispered sorrowfully.
“It isnae yer fault,” Ivor replied. “It just means we’ve got to get to the keep and warn yer uncle. I—”
“I think me parents are dead,” Callum interrupted, then burst into fresh tears.
Eithne held up a hand. Callum was quietly sobbing, and she wanted to speak with him a little. “Callum? Do ye want to ken why me and Ivor are traveling?”
The boy looked at her in surprise. “Er…all right, aye,” he said. “Why?”
“I just lost me parents as well,” Eithne told him. Tears came to her own eyes, tears both for herself and for young Callum. “And I’m trying to get somewhere safe. Ivor is helping me. I ken how scared and lost ye feel, and I promise that all we want to do is help ye.”
Callum’s lip wobbled. “It isnae fair. I just want me mammy,” he said. “Can we nae bring her back?”
Eithne had to look away, her own weeping threatening to overwhelm her. To her surprise, though, Ivor filled in the gap.
“Nay, lad,” he said with genuine regret. “I lost me parents when I wasnae that much older than ye. Nae only that, but me sister, as well. It felt like the world was falling apart, but I wouldnae have been here now if I didnae learn how to tell good people who wanted to help me from bad people who wanted to hurt me.”
“How can ye tell?” Callum asked. “I…I…”
“Ye need to learn to trust yer gut,” Ivor told him. “Now, me and Eithne are gonnae walk over here a bit. Ye and Jock are gonnae have a chat and decide what ye want to do. If ye want to come with us, come and let us know.”
Eithne didn’t like the sound of this, but when Ivor pulled at her hand, she went with him. She followed him a little bit away, still in sight of Callum but nearer to their horse as well. “Why are we doing this?” she asked.
“The lad has naebody in his life now,” Ivor said steadily. Eithne noticed a rawness in his voice that hadn’t been there before, a pain that felt like the agony she was carrying in her own heart. “It’s nae gonnae be easy for him. He needs to learn how to make decisions.”
“But he’s so young,” Eithne fretted.
“Aye,” Ivor replied sorrowfully. “Many are.”
She was prevented from asking more as they looked up to see Callum approaching, his doll hanging from one hand as he approached. He smiled at Eithne but went straight to Ivor, looking up to his face despite the many feet of difference in their heights.
“Excuse me, Mr. Ivor?” Callum asked shyly. “Could…will ye take me home?”
“Home?” Ivor repeated, raising an eyebrow. Clearly, this hadn’t been what he expected. “Lad, I thought that ye already kent that yer parents are not there anymore.”
Tears filled his eyes, and Eithne impulsively drew the child in for an embrace. “I…I ken,” he mumbled against her dress. “But me pup…I dinnae want to leave me puppy all alone. He’ll starve.”
“Yer pup? Ye have a pet dog?” Eithne asked. She’d had a cat once, though the creature had long since fled. She remembered being wee like Callum was now and loving it with all of her heart.
The boy nodded miserably. “His name is Mossie. He’s only a pup. Me parents gave him to me for me birthday not so long ago. I’m worried because I had to leave him.” He pulled away from Eithne, and horror crossed his face. “He isnae…ye dinnae think that those soldiers would have hurt him as well, do ye?”
“Nay, nay,” Eithne said quickly.
Ivor hesitated. “I’d love to help ye find yer pup, lad, but first I need to get Eithne back to the keep. Her uncle is the Laird of this clan. We can take ye there too; get ye a bath and see what he can do for ye.”
Callum folded his arms. His lip wobbled, and his eyes shone, but he spoke stubbornly, even going so far as to stamp his foot. It was quite shocking to see the change in him, from terrified child to determined young man. “I’m nae going toanyLaird until I ken that Mossie is all right.”
“So ye want us just toleaveye?” Ivor demanded incredulously. “Dinnae be so silly, lad. Come on.”
“Nay!” he shrieked, actually stamping his foot. “Nae until ye promise to take me back to me pup!”
Ivor looked ready to argue, but Eithne put a hand on his arm. “It’s all right, Ivor. It’ll only put us out a couple of hours,” she said. Then she turned to Callum and said, “We’ll go find Mossie. I ken how important it is to gather the rest of yer family.”
“Ye mean it, Miss?” the boy asked eagerly. She nodded, and he threw himself back into her arms and another embrace.
Eithne caught Ivor looking at her strangely. “What?” she asked defensively. “He can ride, and we can feed him. We’ll only lose half a day if we travel fast, and with any luck, the dog will still be there.”
