“Aye?” Iain said, grinning as he recovered. “Because it looks suspiciously like ye’re trying tae take me head off.”
Their blades met again, ringing loudly in the morning air. Sunlight spilled through the high windows of the training hall, catching on sweat-slick steel and dust motes stirred by their movement. Duncan attacked harder than usual. He was fast, relentless, pushing Iain to block rather than counter. Iain felt it at once.
“Ye’re angry,” Iain said between strikes.
Duncan drove him back again with his jaw tight. “Focus.”
“Iamfocused,” Iain replied, twisting away from a cut that came far too close for comfort. “That’s why I’m noticing ye’re fencing like ye’ve got something tae prove.”
Steel rang again. Duncan broke away, circling.
“Ye barely take a breath between attacks,” Iain went on. “This,” he blocked another aggressive strike, “is personal.”
Duncan did not answer. He lunged instead, and Iain barely caught the blow in time.
“That settles it,” Iain said, laughing breathlessly. “Whatever is gnawing at ye, it’s either a woman or a war.”
Duncan answered with a sharp thrust that forced Iain to retreat. “She screamed last night.”
Iain blocked, and they both heard steel ringing. “Who?”
“Elaina.” Duncan pressed harder, driving him back again. “I woke thinking…” He broke off, jaw tightening as their blades locked. “Fer a moment, I thought it was Catriona.”
Iain shoved him off and circled. “How bad was it?”
“Bad,” Duncan said, attacking again without pause. “Bad enough that I went through her door ready tae kill someone.”
Iain parried, eyes narrowing now. “And?”
“And she was shaking,” Duncan continued, each word timed with a strike. “She couldnae breathe, crying like she was still trapped in it.”
They clashed again, sparks flashing as metal scraped metal.
“Night terrors,” Iain said grimly, deflecting a blow that came faster than the rest. “The kind that dinnae end when ye wake.”
“Aye,” Duncan said. “She was still half there when I reached her.”
They broke apart, both breathing harder now.
“That,” Iain said, raising his blade again, “would explain why ye’re fencing like ye’re trying tae beat the past out of the floor.”
Duncan lunged. “I’d rather face ten armed men than watch someone like that and dae naething.”
Iain met the strike squarely. “Whatever she fled from, it left scars ye cannae see.”
“Aye,” Duncan replied, grip tightening as they locked blades once more. “And I intend tae find out what put them there.”
He twisted his wrist and broke the lock, blades scraping as they separated. “She slept uneasily the first night as well,” he went on, circling. “Even at the inn. She jumped at every sound. That’s why I put her in the chamber closest tae mine.”
Iain parried, then laughed under his breath. “Ikentthere was something more tae her.”
“More trouble, perhaps,” Duncan said dryly, striking again.
Iain blocked, but his eyes were bright with interest. “Trouble rarely keeps ye awake at night.”
Duncan pressed harder, forcing Iain back toward the edge of the floor. “It keeps the clan safer when I ken where it is.”
Iain barely caught the next strike and shook his head. “Dae ye care fer her, Duncan?”
