His words were barbed, unnecessarily so. He shouldn’t be antagonizing the very man who could destroy him with a single word to Laird Macgillivray, but Dunn couldn’t help it. He wasn’t going to have him call Elayne a fool.
“I ken her better than ye dae,” Blaine said.
“Is that so?” asked Dunn, eyes narrowing. “How well?”
It was then that Blaine faltered for a moment, but it was long enough for Dunn to notice. There was something about him, a hesitation that Dunn couldn’t understand.
Are they closer than I thought?
Are they too close?
“I ken what Isobel has told me,” Blaine said, and the soft pink tint that spread over his face was perhaps the biggest surprise of the night for Dunn. It was as though the mere name was enough to embarrass him, having him look like an overgrown boy talking about his first love.
“Ach, I see,” said Dunn, his previous concerns disappearing. It wasn’t Elayne Blaine wanted—it was Isobel. “It makes sense now.”
“What does?” Blaine all but growled.
“How ye look at her.”
In the dim light, Blaine’s cheeks burned, but Dunn took mercy on him. Instead of teasing him, he asked, “How come ye havenae told her?”
Blaine hesitated. For a moment, Dunn thought he wouldn’t answer the question. Perhaps Blaine felt that he didn’t owe him any explanation—which was true enough. But Dunn was curious, and besides, it was a good bonding experience.
It was a way to get Blaine on his side.
“I dinnae wish tae risk our friendship,” Blaine said. “If she’s nae interested.”
“Perhaps ye should take more risks,” said Dunn.
They both knew he wasn’t only talking about Isobel. If Blaine was truly against this war, if he wanted what was best for the clan, then it was time for him to take a risk to do the right thing. Dunn didn’t know the man well enough to outright ask for his help, but if it was willingly given, then he would take it.
“An’ ye an’ Elayne?” Blaine asked, changing the subject in a way Dunn couldn’t have predicted. It almost felt like an attack, though that was perhaps more due to his own desire to keep his growing feelings for Elayne a secret rather than Blaine’sintentions. “I can tell somethin’ has changed between the two o’ ye since ye first came here.”
Dunn hadn’t really noticed, but he supposed it was true enough. They had grown fond of each other and their conversations were often deep, even sweet. Living in the same castle—in the same room, even—forced them to spend plenty of time together, and Dunn felt as though he knew her better than he knew most people.
Though he was excellent at making friends and charming women, he couldn’t remember the last time he had formed such a connection with someone. His relationships were often shallow, superficial. This, though, was different.
“I dinnae think Elayne would be very pleased if she kent,” he said with a soft laugh, trying not to sound disappointed. “It is what it is.”
Blaine watched him in silence, looking right through the façade Dunn had tried to build. He supposed the two of them were in the same position, after all. It was easy to understand each other.
When Blaine spoke, it surprised Dunn. “I will help ye. I dinnae wish fer a war. The troops have been decimated. We are tryin’ tae rebuild, but it will take time. Time we dinnae have, if what ye say is true.”
“It is true,” Dunn assured him. “It’s all right here, in the papers. Ye can see fer yerself.”
“I will,” Blaine said firmly. It was a promise as much as it was a threat, Dunn knew. If Blaine found that he was lying about any of this, he would make sure to have his head.
But Dunn had no intention to lie. He had already told Blaine more than he had told anyone else, and he was confident the man would help him. He didn’t seem like the kind of man to follow his leader blindly, without any hesitation, any suspicion, nor did he seem like the same kind of man as Laird Macgillivray: thirsty for power and riches, willing to do anything to obtain them, regardless of the consequences.
With that, Blaine joined Dunn by the desk and the two of them went through the papers together, writing down everything they could. Dunn couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. He had Blaine’s help now and he would make sure to get the most out of it.
CHAPTER NINE
The bed was empty when Elayne opened her eyes. She had expected to find Dunn next to her as she always did when she woke up in the middle of the night, his presence a comfort like no other, but this time, he wasn’t there. The room was almost entirely dark, but she was certain she was alone, feeling no other presence there.
Confused, Elayne pulled herself out of bed and opened the door, looking around as if she could find Dunn there, in the hallway. Naturally, though, he was nowhere to be seen and so Elayne grabbed her shoes and her coat before heading out of the room.
It was cold at that time of the night, the sky outside like ink. Elayne gripped the lapels of her coat tightly, holding it around her shoulders as she walked through the empty corridors of the castle, her feet loud in the general silence of the building. She rarely ever left her rooms at night and she wasn’t used to this kind of quiet, the castle hallways appearing deserted, as though no one was there and no one would ever be.
