Page 36

“It was tense, they all seemed suspicious of you.”

“They were, but I would be suspicious if I were in their shoes.”

I gulped.

He continued, “I needed the food, I tried tae keep m’wits about me tae stay on top of the discussion, but I had trouble hearin’ some of it, my ears are nae good, and I couldna keep track of the conversation. And then when they pressed for my oath of fealty, I couldna work out what tae say.”

“You put them off — you could have just done it.”

“Nae, I canna.”

My brow drew down. I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t.

He said, “I felt sure if we continued on I would let it slip about yer royal bloodline.”

“And they were in no mood. They were very suspicious.”

“Aye, they hae been at war for a long time and I am a stranger. My presence here and the circumstances surrounding it are dubious.”

I scoffed. “They ought to trust you⁠—”

“But I hae just mysteriously captured a castle and I winna swear an oath tae take their side.”

“You could…”

“Nae…” He shook his head.

I said, “But I thought you handled it well. But man, this is complicated… we’re going to be okay, right?”

“Aye, we will be good once we are packed up and on our way. Tis dangerous tae dine with a king and not be able tae prove yer loyalty…”

“But he doesn’t need to be suspicious… you don’t want the throne. Even if I were related to this Mag Mòr— and I’m not, I have no idea who that is, I wouldn’t want the throne. And he doesn’t know who Normond is, so we are free of all of that.”

He was thoughtful, his eyes cast down. “We daena exist for centuries yet, there is nae way they can find out ye are royal… Besides the obvious.”

“And that is?”

“Ye ken, ye act like one.” He weakly smiled. “But I think I covered for it well enough and reminded him that it is nae important. Unless ye were directly related tae Mag Mòr it daena matter at all.”

There was a soft knock on the door. Torin said, “Aye?”

A quiet voice said, “Tis Niall Campbell, may I speak with ye?”

Torin ran his hand through his hair, muttered, “Och nae,” and crossed the room to the door.

Niall entered, “My apologies. I ken ye need rest, but I am convinced I must warn ye.”

Torin’s brow drew down. “Warn me?”

“Aye, there is talk of forcin’ ye tae take the oath⁠—”

“Warnin’ me is near treason.”

Niall stared at the window, nodding his head in agreement. “Aye, he would be angered by my comin’. But I had tae come, Lady Alexandria, for I believe ye are of the same family as the young man I spoke of.”

Torin said, “And I told ye it inna true.”

“I ken,” he chuckled, “but I daena believe ye… Yer wife has an emanating light around ye, as did my young friend. Ye must be related, I feel sure of it.”