"I dinnae ken. Soon, maybe. After we deal with Graham." Alpin straightened. "But first, we need tae finalize these plans. Fraser's committed twenty warriors, who else can we count on?"
They spent the next hour discussing strategy, but Alpin's mind kept drifting to Mhairi. To the way she'd looked at him in that armory. To the possibility of a future together.
And for the first time in weeks, that future felt not just possible, but inevitable.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
"More porridge, me lady?"
Mhairi shook her head at the servant, her stomach too knotted to accept food.
Across the table, Alpin was deep in conversation with Peadar about patrol schedules, while Kenina examined a map with the focused intensity of someone planning a campaign.
They'd been at this for days now, planning, strategizing, sending messages to potential allies. And through it all, Mhairi had been waiting for news about Isobel. Waiting for someone to tell her whether her sister was safe or suffering or worse.
The breakfast hall door opened, and Callum entered carrying a folded parchment. His expression was carefully neutral, which immediately set Mhairi's nerves on edge.
"Me laird," Callum said, approaching the table. "I wanted tae give ye an update. About the task ye set me."
Alpin's attention sharpened immediately. "The task regardin’ the lass?"
"Aye." Callum's eyes flicked to Mhairi briefly. "Perhaps we should speak privately?"
"Nay." Alpin's voice was firm. "Whatever ye have tae say concerns everyone here. Speak freely."
Callum hesitated, then nodded. He unfolded the parchment and began reading aloud.
"We unfortunately still have nay trace of the lass. Our men have been lookin’ all over but have found nay trace."
Mhairi's hands clenched together in her lap so tightly her knuckles went white.
She forced herself to remain still, to keep breathing, to not let the panic clawing at her chest show on her face.
"So, she perhaps she has already been sold," Kenina said quietly.
"Unlikely, we probably would have heard something, but we dinnae ken where she is." Callum folded the parchment. "I'm sorry, me lady. I wish I had better news."
"Thank ye," Mhairi managed, her voice surprisingly steady.
The table fell silent. Mhairi could feel everyone's eyes on her, pitying, concerned, sympathetic. It made her skin crawl.
"If there's naethin’ else," Kenina said after a moment, "Peadar and I should review those supply lists fer the Fraser warriors."
"Aye." Peadar stood, gathering papers. "We'll be in the solar if ye need us."
They left quickly, taking Callum with them. Mhairi suspected they were giving her and Alpin privacy, and she was grateful despite the emptiness their departure left behind.
Alpin rose from his seat and moved to stand beside her chair. His hand settled on her shoulder, warm and solid.
"We'll find her," he said quietly. "This daesnae change that. We just need tae get the records from Graham's holdin’."
"And how dae we dae that? Storm his castle? Start a war?" Mhairi's voice cracked slightly. "She could be anywhere by now, Alpin. Anywhere. We cannae be sure she wasnae sold tae someone in England or the Lowlands or even the Highlands."
"Hey." He knelt beside her chair, bringing himself to eye level. "Look at me."
She did, blinking hard against the tears threatening to fall.
"We will find her," he repeated, his voice fierce with certainty. "I dinnae care how long it takes or what we have tae dae. We'll get those records, we'll track her down wherever she is, and we'll bring her home. I promise ye that."
