“No.” He studied her a moment and said, “My land will not be part of Ossoria, for I will have no man as my king.” Within his eyes, she saw the frustration of a man who had been powerless all his life. But he was asking for too much.
All she could say was the truth. “Then I will have to get help from someone else.”
In his bearing, she saw years of resentment and frustration. For a moment, she wondered how she would feel if she were a serving girl, forced to obey the commands of others. She understood why he wanted another life...but she held so little power in Ossoria. Her father and mother commanded the people—not her.
Killian crossed his arms, and she caught a glimpse of the stone-hearted man he was. All his life he had lived with invisible chains—she understood that. But she could not divide her kingdom for his sake.
“My father is the only one who can grant that wish,” she admitted. “If he is pardoned, then I have no doubt he will give you the reward you deserve.”
The expression on Killian’s face suggested that he didn’t believe that at all. “He can never return. You know that as well as I. Rory will not forgive a man who tried to seize his throne.”
She suspected as much, but she didn’t know what to say anymore. It felt as if all the pieces of her life were shattering around her. “You are Rory’s son. Could you intervene on my father’s behalf?”
“I do not know,” he said. Turning back, he added, “I may be able to free your father in secret. But I doubt if the Ard-Righ even cares if I breathe.”
She stared at him, the wind icing through her cheeks and hair. Killian went to stand at the edge of the battlements while the rain battered his face. As she watched him, she saw a man who had been isolated all his life—a man who had never relied upon anyone but himself.
I care if you breathe, she wanted to say but didn’t. The thought frightened her, for she was indeed getting too close to this man. She took a step toward him but forced herself to stop.
“I am sorry to hear it.”
He stared out into the darkness, seemingly unaware of the harsh weather. Taryn held her hood over her face to shield her from the freezing rain, choosing her words carefully. “Would you rather not go?” she asked. “I could still speak to the High King myself and plead for mercy.”
At that, Killian faced her. There was a dark expression on his face, as if he didn’t at all like that idea. “He will not listen to a woman’s desires.”
He drew closer, and she grew nervous beneath his gaze. The water and ice clung to his face, but the cold did not appear to bother him. “And he might threaten you in other ways.”
It was disconcerting to be the focus of this man’s attention. He was so handsome, almost as if he were not real. She found herself watching his mouth, remembering the aching pleasure of his kiss.
“No man would threaten me at Tara,” she said. “I know what I look like and how I seem to outsiders.”
But he caught her chin and tilted it up, forcing her to face him. With his hands, he framed her scarred face, staring into her eyes. She watched as a droplet of water rolled down his cheek, and the instinct to touch it came over her.
“Believe me when I say that men do not care about a woman’s face. Some will take what they desire, whether a woman wills it or not. You would not be safe from the High King’s men.”
She supposed that could be true of some soldiers. Thankfully she had never been in such danger. But even so, most men shunned her presence.
“They say I am cursed,” she said softly.
His fingers passed over her marred skin, and the touch was so light, she felt it spiral down her body. For a moment, she wondered what it would be like to have smooth skin. Or to have a man like Killian look upon her with interest. The sudden flare in his eyes made her go motionless. He did not take his hand from her face, and his thumb edged her lips.
“Perhaps you are,” he answered. But in his eyes, she saw an intensity that frightened her. He was watching her in a different way, one that made her cheeks grow warm.
He does not want a woman like you, she reminded herself.All he wants is land of his own.
And there was no means of granting that to him.
“You won’t go to Tara alone,” he swore. Her skin rose up with gooseflesh beneath his stare. For a moment, she imagined what it would be like if this man were her protector. The thought only heightened an unspoken yearning.
“I know the MacEgan soldiers have agreed to be my escorts,” she said. “But will you come with me as well?”
He didn’t answer at first. Then he slid one hand against her waist. For a moment, he kept it there, watching to see what she would do. His touch burned through her gown, making her wonder why she was so fascinated by this man. Was it because he saw past her scars? Or was there something more?
He is using you, her mind warned. And that could indeed be true. But at this moment, she hardly cared. This handsome warrior was watching her with the eyes of a man who wasinterested in her. And her wayward heart wanted so badly to believe it.
“I suppose I should confront the man who sired me,” he said at last. His thumb edged a circle over the base of her spine, and the gesture melted away her reservations. Killian added, “If he allows it, I will ask for mercy on your father’s behalf. If not, then I will attempt to free Devlin in secret.”
“If you succeed, I will find a way to get you the land you want,” she promised. “I will do anything necessary.”
