CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO –Sloan–
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
–Sloan–
WHILE I ANTICIPATED King Robert would not allow Willow to ride with either Dugal or me, he surprised me when he requested that she be given her own horse to ride beside him at the front of his retinue.
Fortunately, she remembered what I had taught her about riding, because she kept reassuring me telepathically that she was doing well so far. Reassurances she was able to make, thanks to the Viking sword creating a hairpin that kept us discreetly in touch even on Sutherland territory.
Although frustrated that Robert decided Willow had no choice but to return to the Sutherlands until the gem on her dragon’s heart made up its mind, I understood he had no other choice.
Deep down, despite my fear of losing Willow to a monster like Dugal, I knew he would never put me and Willow before his duty to our country.
Yet in the end, he had not thrown us to the wolves entirely when he ordered several of his favored warriors to keep Willow safe.
If that were not enough, he told the Sutherlands I would be coming back to their castle as a guest until the gem did what it was supposed to do, and better still, he’d decided to join us for a day or so, making sure Elspet and Dugal were on their best behavior.
Smart enough to realize the Sutherlands could likely follow his conversation with Willow, King Robert spoke little, but I knew from what had been said, it was enough to get a feel for the kind of lass Willow was.
I also knew he already liked her a great deal, but then, how could he not?
She set aside her fears for the greater good, and he could only respect that.
Hell, I respected that despite the looming castle ahead.
Elspet had assured us that the willow tree was still there and solid as ever, as if it finally emerged from the Morrow for good, and she was right.
It swayed in an ever-gustier wind beneath the waning moonlight, every bit as stunning now as it was in the Morrow, yet I feared its secrets.
More than that, how much Elspet had gleaned from it.
Had she tapped into its magic? I could only pray not, because its powers were tied to Willow, and that terrified me.
I could tell by the number of warriors on the battlements and those standing in an impressive formation as the portcullises were raised and the gates opened, that Dugal had warned his fellow dragons within the mind that the king was coming.
“Wow,” Willow said into my mind. “This is quite the display of brute strength, yet where are all the other people?”
“My guess is ordered into their cottages or away from the castle for fear of your arrival,” I replied, disgusted. “Whether they saw you save me or not, or were even frightened by what they saw, I dinnae doubt they have been ordered to play the part.”
“Super,” she muttered. “You think the king will buy it?”
“Not for a moment, but ‘tis neither here nor there,” I said. “All that matters is he’s come here and I dinnae doubt ‘tis in hopes of seeing you freed of this pact so we can be together.”
“I’ll admit I pray that happens.” There was a new tentativeness to her internal voice. “Yet I can’t help but think if it’s not me, then that only leaves Ellie.”
She couldn’t go on because everyone arrived in the courtyard, and the king held out his hand to help her down from her horse, but I felt how torn her heart was, and it made me more than a little uneasy.
It made sense, though, because I would feel the same way if a sister of mine were meant to suffer at the hands of someone like Dugal, and would willingly sacrifice myself, and I knew Willow would too.
“As I am sure ye ken, our clan is quite uneasy about recent events, so there arenae many about, King Robert,” Dugal said, moving closer to Willow as everyone dismounted. “So mayhap ye would enjoy dining in front of a warm fire amongst my kin this eve?”
“Aye,” Robert said, his expression impossible to read as it sometimes could be when he was assessing a situation.
“First, however, I would like to be escorted to yer dungeons so I might see firsthand the damage.” His gaze swept over the four of us, and he smoothly reminded Dugal he was married and there were traitors in the midst. “Then I would be most pleased to dine with ye, yer lovely wife, and mayhap Lorna and her father, assuming they are still here?”
“Of course,” Dugal began before one of his men came forward, presumably his second-in-command, informing him that Lorna and her father had returned to their castle to prepare for her upcoming nuptials.
“How convenient,” Willow said with an edge of sarcasm. “What do you want to bet they're either hidden away or fleeing the castle right now?”
“You can count on it,” I returned, even more curious about what they were up to because whatever it was, I suspected it was purely for their own benefit.
“How unfortunate,” Robert said, because he was no fool. “I would have liked to know why my trusted warrior and longtime friend, Lorna’s father, made such arrangements without letting me know beforehand, as ‘twas once his fondest hope for his daughter to marry a MacLeod.”
“I couldnae say other than what he told us,” Elspet replied as she and Dugal escorted us up the stairs toward the front door.
“He felt great distress over Lorna’s intended husband secretly communicating with another woman over the years, and he thought the familiarity they shared was highly inappropriate.
” She shook her head woefully. “I would imagine any loving, God-fearing father would find that difficult.”
“No doubt,” Robert agreed, remaining steadfast in his inability to be fooled by the Sutherlands. “Though it doesnae explain why he didnae tell me first, nor, if I were to be honest, yer not telling me either, as I have long favored ye and yer clan.”
“As I am sure ye realize, there was little time to do such,” Elspet said, more rueful by the moment as she pressed a bony hand to her chest. “Yet now ye know ‘tis a mighty weight off my chest, and I know Dugal feels the same.”
“Aye,” Dugal agreed roughly as though the whole thing bothered him more than it should.
“It only seemed right to welcome them in when they sought us out and save them the indignity of what Lorna had suffered.” He shook his head.
“The poor lass didnae deserve it, and if we Sutherlands are nothing else, we are compassionate to our countrymen in their time of need.”
“No doubt ye are,” Robert said swiftly enough. “Though ‘twould be well received if ye sent word to me if ever the occasion arises again so I might let my people know I am there for them in their time of need as well.”
“But of course,” Dugal said dutifully. “Now that I know ‘twould not be too much time away from yer battles against the Sassenach, I willnae hesitate to reach out to ye with such trivial things.”
Though no sarcasm tainted his words, it undoubtedly hovered just beneath the surface for those like me and Robert who weren't so easily duped and heard it clearly.
King Robert, however, would not keep up the deceptive verbal exchange Dugal was clearly enjoying when he could focus on far more worthy, important things, such as the true Lady of the Castle.
“Ah, ‘tis so good to see ye again, Lady Sutherland,” Robert said warmly when Dugal’s wife, Lilias, greeted us in the great hall.
“Thank ye for yer warm welcome.” He took in the crackling, newly tended fires and fresh rushes, giving Lilias the credit due her because she had, without a doubt, overseen the hasty preparations for his arrival.
“’Tis always so nice to visit yer lovely castle. ”
Lilias lowered her head and curtsied before offering him a genuinely lovely smile. “Many thanks, King Robert. I am humbled by yer visit and look forward to dining with ye. Food will be served soon. Might it be to yer liking.”
“I have no doubt ‘twill be,” he replied, still smiling warmly and treating her with the respect and dignity due her, despite Dugal being so callously eager to make another woman his.
Robert surprised me when he gestured at Willow and kept her from having to go down to the dungeons.
Better yet, he got her away from Elspet and Dugal, and I was never so grateful.
“Might ye help Willow prepare for the evening, as ‘twas a difficult day for her.”
“Aye, my King.” Lilias looked Dugal’s way tentatively, if not a tad fearfully, and swallowed hard, because no matter what she did right now, she would likely suffer his wrath later. “If ‘tis yers and my husband’s wish.”
“’Tis,” Dugal snapped before he caught himself, and his tone gentled. “As our king’s request is above all others, is it not, wife?”
“Aye,” Lilias agreed graciously, her skin paling under Dugal’s unpredictable temperament. She curtsied again and gestured for Willow to follow her upstairs, but not before she wished the king a warm stay once more.
“Dugal really is a prick, isn’t he?” Willow said with disgust as she and Lilias left. “He’s not going to like me much if I end up staying because I’ll shove his balls right up his—”
“Nothing,” I intercepted, determined not to think it would come to that rather than entertain the alternative, “because you willnae be staying.”
She didn’t respond, and I understood why. We had no way of knowing whether she would be staying or not, so the conversation was moot at the moment.
I descended the same stairs I’d recently traveled down to the dank bowels of Sutherland Castle, only to find it better lit and less dismal.
Torchlight filled the shadowy corners, and candles sat upon wooden tables with trays meant to bring down food and drink, making it look like the prisoners were well treated.
If that weren’t convincing enough, firepits were staggered here and there to keep the dank cells warm on cold, windy nights.
Yet all that was by no means the most deceptive part of our journey, and that soon became ridiculously apparent when they led us past cells with clean cots covered in furs, definitely not the same place I was housed, and it only got worse.
After all, I soon realized just how far the Sutherlands would go to deceive our king.