There on the floor, his brother and wife lay, brutally murdered. He stepped out of the chamber, head spinning. This was when he noticed the trail of blood that led outside their home. Accompanied by his men, he traced the blood trail till the entrance of the woods.
“There was no way we would be able to trace him. The clan is surrounded fully by thick woods. The next day, the clan chief and all his top officers had a meeting. We only realized just how dangerous it was to be surrounded by so many exits and entrances. Our men had been trained to master battle in the woods but never had we realized just how much of an advantage it gave the enemy. The following months, boundaries were built all around the clan leaving only one entrance which is heavily guarded.”
Finally, Ceana understood. It was almost impossible to break out of the prison.
“Tell him,” Dirks last words were, “that they can only win if they kill his will.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Regina had been just as patient as she could be, and she had no iota of it left in her. No, she was at fault, she told herself, for letting things get this bad before acting. Days ago, her family had been happy, and despite the deaths, they had each other. That had always been enough for them. However, now, if no longer was. Her daughter was infatuated with the boy, and she had to do something about it. She knew exactly what to do.
* * *
When the sun had started to ease off to usher in the evening, Ceana walked down the stairs. Her father would be home in mere moments, and she needed to talk to him before her sister and mother interrupted them.
“Da!” she rushed into his arms and gave him a hug.
“The shadow in yer eyes has departed. Are ye comin’ to terms with what has happened?” he asked hopefully. At that moment, Ceana realized that her father’s guilt was most pronounced because he saw how much it hurt her.
Ceana nodded. “I realize that all ye have done was for my safety as well as ma’s and Alina’s. I have come to terms with it, and so has he,” she said to him. “He is grateful that ye took whatever step would keep ma, Alina, and I safe. He made the decision to save her.”
Her father nodded. “He is a good man.”
“Da, he will be put to death. Will ye let me see him more?”
Her father nodded. “But ye must ken how dangerous it is. If ye are found out, ye will be charged with treason.”
Ceana nodded. “I understand this, Faither. I thank ye.”
“He is a good man,” her father repeated. “‘Tis a pity that he is to be punished for a crime he didnae commit.”
“I cannae believe that ye would encourage her in this, Connor!” Ceana’s mother stepped into the room.
Both Faither and daughter went silent. Just how much had she heard?
“I understand that she is yer daughter, but telling her that ‘Tis a pity that he is to be punished for a crime he didnae commit is simply encouraging her.”
Thankful that she hadn’t heard more, Ceana slipped out of the room, giving her dad room to defend himself.
“The girl feels alone, Regina. She needs an ally.”
“I ken this,” Regina said. “But nae like this.”
Eager to end the discussion, Connor nodded. “I am sorry, love.”
Regina sighed. “This has gone on long enough. I have a plan, and I expect yer support.”
* * *
Ceana awoke the next day before anyone else did. She rushed down giddily to the kitchens, where she filled a small sack with even more food than she had the previous time.
She would see Torcall again! Everything else seemed to matter less at that moment. All she cared about was him. She ran up to her room and, this time, dressed in better clothes. It was not that she didn’t love being as close to naked as she could be around him. She realized that by the time she made her way home, more people would be on the roads.
She would be making her way into the prisons without her father, as they had agreed the night before. It was less conspicuous, and if she was found, she would claim to have been going for an early morning walk. Ceana knew that her father hated letting her go, but she knew even more than that that he wouldn’t stop her. He was making up for not saying anything, and, for that reason, she had confidence in the arrangement.
Finally, she slipped out of the window just as she had done the first time she and Torcall had sneaked out. The process brought a smile to her face, but it was quickly replaced by a reminder that they would never be able to do that again.
The walk to the prison was hurried, and, in little time, she arrived at the entrance. It was as easy as it had been the previous time. She walked the route that she had memorized and was pleased to find the warden fast asleep. She slipped in the key to the lock, and as quietly as she could, she let herself in.
