* * *
When next Torcall heard the door open, he didn’t look up. He had realized that he was in here because he was considered a criminal. No one would want to help a criminal.
“Torcall,” Francis called, wanting him to look up.
With blank eyes, Torcall looked up at the man.
“I hope you have had some time to think about what we talked about.”
Wearily, Torcall said the only thing he was interested in saying. “I killed nay one.”
Francis nodded. He had expected that.
“What if I told you that I have, in fact, spoken to the families of all the women that were murdered?”
Torcall went quiet. He had feared this.
“And what if they all admit that their daughters refused your proposals.”
“That is nae true.”
“So they didnae reject ye?”
“Nae all of them.”
“But ye had romantic relationships with them?”
“I had nay romantic relationships with anyone!”
“Because they didn’t let ye?”
“That is nae—”
“And naturally, ye grew angry, did ye nae?”
“‘Tis nae true,” he said, but he was weary of speaking without being heard.
“I understand what that is like, and that is why I want to offer you a deal.”
Torcall’s eyes showed no excitement, contrary to what he hoped to see on his face. However, he went on. “If ye come clean and admit yer guilt, I will spare ye, and ye will be placed behind bars for the rest of yer life, but ye will nae be publicly executed.”
Torcall stared at the man with a blank face. Slowly, a smile formed on his face. It wasn’t a usual smile. It was the smile of the devil.
“I will nae admit to a crime I didnae commit. Best be ready for bloodshed and for my ghost that will ne’er let ye rest after me demise.”
Fury formed on Francis's face, and he struck Torcall across the face, but he was not deterred.
“I do nae feel the blow of a man who strikes me unarmed. Battle me one on one. Ye may have yer sword, and l will kill ye with me bare hands.”
Francis stepped back. “Just as ye murdered those women, nay? Bloody murderer!” he spat. “If ye are nae so eager to speak now, perhaps lack of food and drink in yer belly will draw the truth from ye!”
And with that, Francis was gone.
Torcall roared and threw his fists at the wall in frustration. He was doomed, he realized as tears of rage formed in his eyes. He blinked them back and closed his eyes. They would kill him, he knew, but they would not see him break. He would die ten times before he let that happen.
Chapter Twenty-One
The clan village was empty. Ceana stepped out of her home, looking for any sign of life, but there was none. Despite the grass on the ground, her footsteps echoed as though the whole of the clan grounds were just one void chamber.
