“Tell me what has happened to you,” she urged. “I suppose the King was glad to see you, if your new clothes were a gift.”
There was a trace of unrest upon Killian’s face, but he nodded. “Rory did not know what had become of me. My mother fled when she was with child and remained in hiding for the rest of her life.”
Taryn sensed that there was more he wasn’t telling her. His expression was unsettled, and he was clearly keeping information from her. Though the King might be glad to see his bastard son again, she rather doubted that he would treat Killian so well. Certainly, he would not clothe him in finery or treat him as a lost son. Unless...
Understanding dawned within her, and Taryn straightened. “You are his legitimate son, aren’t you?”
He made no denial. “It seems my mother wed Rory when he was King of Connacht. It was an arrangement to ally their lands, but she did not want the marriage. Instead, she turned her back on her family and sought help from Brodie Faoilin.”
It should have been welcome news to learn that Killian had a true birthright now. But instead of being happy for him, she felt a sense of loss. The High King’s son would not be allowed to choose a bride for himself. He would have to make a political marriage, one that furthered the alliances.
He certainly could never wed a traitor’s daughter.
She tried to push back the hurt, but it rose up inside her. Somehow, within the past few days, she had seriously begun to consider marrying Killian. Though she’d known their lives were not meant to be joined together, she had been happy with him. He had made her feel beautiful, and her heart had fallen hard.
Now it seemed he had been raised up to an unreachable place—whereas she had fallen low because of her father’s misdeeds.
“As the High King’s son, you now have what you always wanted. The land and the chance to be a leader of men. I am happy for you.” She tried to brave a smile, but he seemed to guess her uncertainty.
“Not everything I want,” he admitted. His hands moved into her hair, and she felt a pang of longing. When he kissed her, she opened to him, feeling as if their last moments were slipping away.
“Rory blames me for Carice’s disappearance,” she confessed, breaking the kiss. “I am being kept prisoner because I would not reveal where she was.”
“So I heard. I was there when you were brought to him.” Killian drew her close for a moment. It reminded her of the nights they’d spent together and the way he had brought her to pleasure, again and again, and she wound her arms around his neck.
“I will intervene on your behalf,” he promised.
She knew not if he was speaking of her fate or her father’s, but she was grateful for it. And yet, the moment he walked away, he would become more deeply entwined in the High King’s affairs.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
His eyes were silver, and though there was very little light within the chamber, she saw the look of longing on his face. She wanted so badly to have a last stolen moment with him.
“You will stay here until I have arranged for your release,” he told her. “It will be safer.” He stepped back, but before he could walk toward the door, she moved before him.
“Don’t go yet,” she whispered. She took his hands in hers and brought them to her waist. “Please.”
His eyes darkened, and he leaned against her lips. “What are you wanting,a mhuírnín?”
She didn’t know what to say without sounding desperate. “I don’t wish to be a prisoner here. And I know that once you leave me, everything will be different between us.”
It already is, she thought to herself. He belonged at Tara. He had a father who was grateful to find him alive and a place of his own. Whereas she was seen as only a traitor’s daughter.
“You won’t be a prisoner,” he promised. “But it’s not safe for you outside this chamber.”
She knew that. And yet, it troubled her to be left behind. “After this day, I don’t suppose we can be together anymore,” she admitted.
His hands moved up her back, and he rested his forehead upon hers. “Is that what you’ve decided?”
“You won’t want someone like me anymore. Not if you are the High King’s son.”
“As the High King’s son, I can have any woman I desire. And you are the only one I want.”
“Why?” she whispered.
“Because you never saw afuidir. Only a man.”
I love you.She held the thought inside herself as she threaded her hands through his hair and kissed him with the force of her emotion. Though she wanted to believe that he wanted her as well, she knew too well how complicated political alliances could be. It was rare that a man could wed the woman he wanted.
