It was Dermid’s presence here that forced his need for caution. If it were to come to war with his elder brother, Torquil, he would not have Dermid involved. He would not put his younger brother’s safety in jeopardy.
“Best you go before he makes his way to yer table and yer forced to come up with some excuse for leaving.”
“Aye. It’s as you . . .”
Whatever he’d intended to say, the very thought itself diffused into the air around him. His feet refused to move, the wisdom of his brother’s words lost in the vision stepping through the door and into the great hall.
Danielle.Visionwas hardly a strong enough word. Her hair cascaded around her shoulders like a golden waterfall of curls, framing her face. She lifted her chin, and he could almost swear he felt her determination as her gaze swept the room, stopping when her eyes met his.
For an instant it was as if his heart beat against his chest in a wild attempt to escape his body before the connection was broken and they both looked away.
One deep, shaky breath brought the self-control he had briefly lost and, with it, the ability to rationalize his response to his guest.
More likely the discomfort he felt could be directly attributed to the Faerie at Dani’s side. He wouldn’t put it past Elesyria to try casting some sort of Faerie Magic over him. But he wouldn’t so easily fall prey to any such attack from her.
“Colm?”
Patrick’s hand on his shoulder brought him fully back.
“I go now to see to Eric and hear what word the MacKilyn has sent. You make sure Dermid disna follow me, aye? And keep watch over what passes between our brother and my . . . intended.”
He shared a grin with Patrick over their subterfuge and made his way quickly from the hall.
It took longer going the back way, but there was no help to be had for it. The direct path would have led him past Dermid and into the questions he wished to avoid.
A few twists and turns through the dark hallways into the kitchens and then he was out, into the night. Once there, with no need to keep up appearances, his measured steps broke into a run, carrying him swiftly to the stables.
One of the guardsmen who’d accompanied Eric sat on the ground at the doorway, head down, looking as if he napped to any but a trained eye.
Malcolm knew better. Eric had set a guard to make sure there were no interruptions when he delivered his report. He would have expected no less from his trusted friend.
Stepping through the door, Malcolm wasted no time getting to the heart of his business.
“You bring word from the MacKilyn?”
“Aye, Malcolm. The MacKilyn stands ready to send men to aid in our cause at yer request.”
Hearing the words was a gift, loosening the grip of anxiety that had fettered him for so long. It was as he’d hoped. MacKilyn would send the men he needed to enable him to confront Torquil and demand his sister’s release.
“You’ve done well, Eric.”
“Thank you, my laird. The MacKilyn did ask that I convey to you his intent to seek a boon from you as repayment for his allegiance.”
Malcolm nodded his understanding. He expected no less.
“Go now. Make sure yer men are tended to. And yerself as well. You’ve earned a good night’s rest in a soft bed.”
“A soft bed and a full tankard, aye? What more could a warrior ask for?” Eric passed him with a grin, headed toward the castle and likely to find the tankard he’d mentioned.
Malcolm waited, not wanting to set tongues wagging by entering with Eric. When he did step out into the night a few minutes later, the beginnings of his campaign to free Christiana were already taking shape in his mind.
HOW HAD HEdisappeared so quickly?
Dani swiveled her head, scanning the room, certain she must be missing him somewhere.
But no. Malcolm was gone.
She followed Elesyria to the head table, refusing to accept the disappointment welling at the back of her throat. So what if he’d chosen to leave after seeing her arrive? It didn’t matter. After all, she was only an actress, allowing his younger brother to believe that she might be important to Malcolm. It was her only useful job here. Pretending to be something she wasn’t.
