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He lifted his head at the sound of my voice. His one not-swollen eye found mine. He gave a small shake of his head, and mumbled, “Nae, Princess… daena.”

The guards stopped him beside me, a few paces away. Not close enough.

21

ALEXANDRIA

1308 - THE STAKES ARE HIGH, WHICH SUCKS BECAUSE I AM VERY HUNGRY

Ilooked from Torin’s roughed up face, his weakened body, to the faces of the men I was negotiating with. “This is outrageous. How dare you?”

Douglas said, “Laird Torin, yer wife winna tell us who she is. Command her tae answer us?”

“Daena tell them anything.”

One of the guards drove a fist hard into Torin’s stomach and Torin groaned.

I shrieked.

His knees buckled and the second guard had to haul him back upright by the bound arms. For a moment he hung there, head bowed, shoulders heaving as he fought to drag air back into his lungs. A low, pained sound escaped him before he forced his head up again, jaw clenched, eyes locked forward.

Then he glanced at me and shook his head.

Douglas said, “Lady Alexandria, we can continue on this way, more certain with every passing hour that ye are hiding something⁠—”

Niall interrupted. “Lady Alexandria, ye can save the life of yer husband by disclosin’ the truth.”

Torin repeated, “Daena, mo leannan.”

“Will you forgive me if I do? I can’t… I can’t watch this.”

He took a deep staggering breath but kept his eyes straight ahead, his jaw set.

I said to the king, “If I tell you who I truthfully am… I just need you to know that… I am not an enemy. We can work this out. I need you to stop torturing him.”

The king nodded slightly.

Douglas said, “Ye must answer the king, tis not on ye tae make demands.”

I took a deep breath. “I am Princess Alexandria of the kingdom of Riaghalbane.”

I heard my husband moan. “Och nae.”

I glanced at Niall. He gave me a quick nod, then said to Torin, “Tis for the best, I promise ye, ye hae my word as a Campbell.”

It was like being in a court of law, with Douglas glaring, the king judging, Niall advising.

Douglas said, “Now we hae an admission. Laird Torin is dangerous, tis proven.”

The king asked, “Torin, where is this kingdom?”

“Verra verra far away.”

The king looked sternly at Torin for a moment then he fished a paper map from under a tablet and pushed it toward me. “Lady Alexandria, this map was in yer belongings, shew us where yer kingdom is.”

My hands shook as I unfolded the paper, not a full map but a piece, folded for a pocket. I looked it over, but it wasn’t anything but a map of this location.

I pointed. “This is Dunstaffnage. Here is the mark for the Extraction Point… our meeting place, after the battle, the river is here.”