Chapter 13 #2
“He dinnae dae it, and I dinnae think ye believe it yerself. Ye ken Gavin better than most people, maybe even better than I dae. Ye hae spent more time with him over the past ten years, after all.”
“Aye, nae that it’s worth much.”
Kirsty laughed dryly and shook her head. “I thought we were friends, Isla. I thought we understood each other. I love yer brother, and ye love mine.”
Isla felt an uncomfortable heat rising to her cheeks. “Aye, perhaps I did, but our love came intae being in Inverdane Hall. The Hall burned, and sae did our love. What’s happened since then hae changed everything. Why cannae ye see that?”
“Because it dinnae need tae be that way. I cannae understand why ye are sae intent on blaming Gavin.”
“Perhaps because Iain’s blood was on Gavin’s hands.
Because he hae nae told me he dinnae dae it.
Because he said he would dae anything tae take me away from that place and now look at me.
Here I am. What dae ye think Kai would hae done?
He’s already killed his brothers. Can ye tell me that Gavin would nae kill the man I was tae marry? ”
Kirsty’s gaze flickered and she crossed her arms.
“Ye are looking at this all wrong. Gavin was only trying tae save ye.”
“And I told him I dinnae require saving. Now my father hae free reign tae take over a clan and rally them tae war. Ye say I am nae a prisoner, but that’s nae what everyone will believe. I am tired of sae much killing, and I certainly dinnae need any killing done in my name.”
“Aye, well, tell yerself what ye must. All I ken is that while grief is cruel, it’s crueler to blame the wrong man. Gavin dinnae deserve this, nae after all he’s done for ye.”
“He made me a widow,” Isla said, bringing the bow up to her cheek. “He should hae left.”
“I agree,” Kirsty said, which surprised Isla.
“I told him as much myself, but he was intent on helping ye. He said he’d made a promise that he could nae break and that he owed ye for all the help ye gave him in the Keep.
I ken he’s strong, but he would nae hae killed without reason, and he would nae hae killed anyone who dinnae deserve it.
Ye cannae escape what ye share with him, Isla.
It happened. It’s real. And life is far too short tae throw it all away just because ye dinnae ken what tae dae with yer anger. ”
“I think it’s best that ye should gae,” Isla said, and then fired an arrow.
It did not hit the center of the target, but it made a satisfying sound as it hit the edge. Isla focused her gaze on the arrow and did not allow it to return to Kirsty.
Kirsty lingered for a few moments more but then walked away.
Isla dipped her head and felt a sense of shame wash over her because the truth was that she did think of Kirsty as a friend, but right now Kirsty was Gavin’s sister more than she was Isla’s friend.
The more people tried to get her to give Gavin a chance, the more entrenched Isla became in her position.
She placed another arrow against her bow and let it fly. She watched it streak towards the target and found herself wishing that she was an arrow. She would have loved to be fired into the air, hurtling far away where she might be able to escape all her anguish.
Isla’s gaze kept drifting towards Gavin, despite her best efforts. Eventually Coll and Kai set their spears down and returned to the Keep, along with Rowena and Kirsty.
However, Gavin walked towards her.
Isla gripped the bow more tightly. She pressed her heels against the ground, then winced as she noticed that she was biting the inside of her mouth again. She fired another arrow, but he was in the corner of her eye and she could not escape him.
The arrow veered to the right and missed the target entirely.
“Ye are turning too much. The wind is different here. Hae ye accounted for that?” Gavin asked. His voice was a low rumble and she had to close her eyes as the words wrapped around her head.
“I dinnae need ye tae tell me about the wind,” she snapped.
Gavin grew quiet, but he did not move. Isla placed another arrow against the bowstring, but she knew there was no point firing it while he was standing there.
“Why are ye still here? I hae naething tae say tae ye,” she continued, although the words felt harsh against her mouth.
“I hae something tae say tae ye, though. Goodbye,” he said.
Isla stopped, stunned. The bow dropped at an angle, although she still managed to keep hold of it. The tip of the arrow pointed at the ground.
“Goodbye?” she asked.
“Aye. I’m leaving for Dunrath. It’s about time I returned home. I think Aidan could use my help in rebuilding, especially with Kirsty staying here for the time being. I want tae be somewhere where I can dae good.”
He began to turn away. He got a step before Isla spoke again.
“Is that tae make up for what ye did tae Iain?” she called out.
Gavin stopped for a moment. Isla seized the opportunity.
“Tell me, Gavin. Did ye kill him?”
Gavin angled his head down.
“It dinnae matter what I say, Isla. The fact that ye are even asking the question shows that ye dinnae believe in me. I hae lost ye already, and I just hae tae come tae terms with that.”
He continued on his path and Isla wasn’t sure what to say. Instead, she turned and quickly fired the arrow. This time it hit the target right in the middle, a perfect shot.
But Isla wasn’t looking at the target. Her gaze was locked on Gavin’s broad back and she wished that they could go back to when they escaped Inverdane Hall.
If only they could try again, perhaps things would work out better the second time.