“I must go, but I will be back to check on ye,” Alina promised.
As her sister walked out of her chamber, Ceana couldn’t help but feel guilty, and even though she had told her sister some bits of it, the feelings of guilt didn’t fade.
She would keep her promise and wouldn’t go out ever by herself. However, if Torcall showed up, she would go with him. It wasn’t something she had doubts. Torcall was massive and, as she had heard, extremely skilled with the sword. She didn’t doubt that he could protect her from any killers. She doubted that a killer would dare approach him.
She smiled, thinking of his strong arms and full muscles. She wondered what he would look like without the shirts he always wore. Would his chests be as muscled? What would it be like to touch them? She sighed blissfully, and then, it faded. Of what use was it? What did it matter if she loved him? He didn’t love her, and she would be smart to stop thinking of him. Yet, she found that she couldn’t. Each time that the thought of him slipped to her mind, she smiled.
He was a huge man and a skilled one too. It was easy to feel safe in his presence. However, it also meant that people also assumed that he was invincible. While he had spoken of his parents and the clan during their meeting, she had seen a side of him that she hadn’t known existed. It was the part of him that was full of pain and sadness. She had ached to take in him her hands and soothe him of all the pain he had experienced, but it wasn’t enough. He had said that he needed to leave the clan, and while he had spoken, Ceana had seen that he meant every word.
“And yet ye love him still, ye silly girl,” she said to herself. Ceana sighed deeply. What was she to do? It wasn’t a feeling she could turn off, and even still, she didn’t want to. More than hers, she craved his happiness.
She wouldn’t force it, she said to herself with a small smile. She couldn’t even if she wanted to. What mattered was his happiness, and even if she didn’t have him and it broke her heart, she would find consolation in knowing that he was happy. That would be enough for her- it had to be.
Chapter Twelve
Torcall walked into his uncle’s manor, hoping not to be seen by anyone. However, Rannoch spotted him the moment he stepped in.
“Quite early, even for ye.”
“Ye lie,” Torcall said. “If there was training today, I would have been out by now.”
“But there is nae.”
“Aye. Still ‘tis nae early.”
“I ken that ye have been out. I searched yer chamber for ye.”
Torcall sighed. It was no use denying it. Rannoch was not a deceitful one.
“I needed to clear me head.”
“‘Tis okay. Does me uncle ken of my outing?” He doubted that Rannoch would relay tales to his uncle. However, his uncle could have been in need of his company.
“Nay. He is nae here.”
“Where is he?”
“At the keep. He’s been summoned.”
Torcall arched his brow. “Is aught amiss?”
“There has been another murder.”
Torcall fixed a concerned look on his face.
“‘Twas why I sought ye out,” Rannoch went on.
“Who was she?” he asked carefully. He didn’t know if Rannoch knew of his interest in her all those years ago.
Rannoch inhaled a breath.“Celestine,” he said.
Since nothing followed, Torcall shook his head sadly. “I knew her.”
“Me as well. Da has been summoned. The Laird MacGregor called an emergency meeting. They seek to get to the bottom of the deaths. The young women are nae safe anymore. They do nae like that.”
“‘Tis a necessary step,” Torcall replied.
Rannoch nodded with a sigh.
