Chapter Twenty-One #3
Because Devlin was calming, Nessa calmed, too.
“He came back after ye had left,” she said, sniffling.
“He begged for Shain’s forgiveness. He wept and called him brother.
Shain believed him and feasted with him but that night, after everyone had gone to sleep, Sir Frederick murdered the gate guards and opened up the gates.
The O’Byrne came in and killed everyone they could, including my mother.
I escaped with Sir Shain and we fled. Shain sent me to find ye because most of yer soldiers are dead or have scattered. ”
More than rage, Devlin felt utter and complete devastation at the thought of Neart. “And my falcon?”
Nessa sniffled sadly. “They took him first when they came into the keep,” she said. “A man cut his head off and they roasted him.”
Tears popped to Devlin’s eyes for his falcon, his friend and companion, who had suffered at the hands of his hated enemy. Devlin would make them pay; with God as his host and witness, he would make those bloody bastards pay.
There was a spark of revenge burning in his chest, growing by leaps and bounds.
The fire filled his veins, causing his hands to shake and his heart to pound.
It was revenge against the O’Byrnes, to be sure, but more than that it was revenge directed against Frederick.
He’d always defended the man against others, refusing to think ill of him even when his maliciousness was obvious.
But this was where every last scrap of good will towards Frederick ended and now, he became Devlin’s most deadly enemy.
He would find Frederick and the man would pay with blood and anguish a thousand times over. Now, Devlin’s vengeance was unleashed. Somehow, his anger helped him think clearer. He knew what he had to do.
“Emllyn,” he turned to her as she held Nessa’s hand. “Go inside and bring Victor to me. Bring him here, please, love.”
Emllyn nodded obediently and left them behind the wagon as she went into the hall. Meanwhile, Devlin turned to Nessa.
“Where is Shain and the remnants of my people?” he asked, his voice oddly calm now that his initial shock and fury had faded. Devlin was, if nothing else, able to maintain a level control in the face of madness. It was one of Black Sword’s greatest attributes.
“At Dungans Castle,” Nessa said.
Devlin’s gaze glimmered with recognition, and also with some concern. “Did he take the tunnel?”
Nessa nodded firmly. “That was his intention,” she said. “I heard Sir Shain order men to collapse it so that the O’Byrne couldn’t follow them.”
There had been a tunnel linking Black Castle and Dungans Castle since the two castles had been built and shared by the same clann.
That had been decades ago, however, and both castles had changed hands many time since then.
Now, Dungans belonged to a sect of Hospitallers, men who were hermits and most fearful.
In fact, Devlin had never had any dealings with them, mostly because it was common knowledge to stay away from them.
Rumors abound through the Wicklow countryside that the Hospitallers were really worshippers of Satan and that they drank human blood.
Devlin wasn’t sure if he believed that, but he had stayed clear of them nonetheless.
“The castle must have been greatly compromised if Shain chose to take the survivors through the tunnel to Dungans,” he muttered. “That is a feared place.”
Nessa nodded. “I am glad I did not go with them,” she admitted. “Sir Shain lowered me over the wall as the castle was overtaken. I just started running and never looked back.”
“Then you do not know if they actually made the trip to Dungans?”
“Nay, my lord.”
Devlin sighed heavily as he pondered the information.
“It’s very possible they never made it,” he muttered.
“Those tunnels are very old. They could have been blocked any number of ways. It’s very possible that they are still at Black Castle, all of them, and if that is the case, then I must go directly to Black Castle. ”
Now that her information was delivered and the highs and lows of her emotion were even for the moment, Nessa was showing signs of real exhaustion. She slumped back against the wagon wheel, sitting in partial mud and not even realizing it.
“There weren’t many, my lord,” she said. “I heard Sir Shain say there were no more than a few dozen men left.”
With that, she fell silent. Devlin sat next to her, his mind whirling with the revelations that had come this night.
He knew he had to return and reclaim his castle; there was no doubt in his mind.
But he needed men in order to accomplish that.
He didn’t have any men at his disposal; but de Noble did.
De Noble did.
As he sat there and pondered that possibility, Emllyn returned with Victor. When Victor saw Devlin and a distraught serving woman hiding behind the wagon, he peered at Devlin with great curiosity.
“My lord?” he asked with concern. “You have need of me?”
Devlin did. He had need of an Englishman. In fact, he had need of many Englishmen. With a heavy sigh, he rose to his feet.
“Aye,” he said, his voice low and quiet. “I have just received word that Black Castle has been overrun by the O’Byrne clan.”
Victor’s eyes widened with surprise. “O’Byrne?
” he repeated. “By God, if those aren’t the most warring men we’ve ever come across.
They’ve overrun most of northern Wicklow and have destroyed several Kildare estates.
Once we reclaimed Black Castle, Kildare intended to use Black Castle as a base to recover lands held by O’Byrne. ”
Devlin smiled weakly as the man revealed some of Kildare’s most secretive plans. “They are a scourge,” he agreed. “They have ever been our enemies just as they have been yours.”
“They are everyone’s enemies, English or Irish,” Victor said with conviction. “I know de Cleveley has had problems with them as well.”
“Anyone in Wicklow has. What they have just done to me, they can do to Kildare and de Cleveley alike.”
“What will you do?”
Devlin sighed sharply, his mind working quickly. As he looked at Victor, he could only think of one thing.
My enemy’s enemy is my friend.
“You and I are soon to be related,” he said softly. “You said yourself that I am therefore your son. As your kin, I am to assume I have your support in all things.”
Victor’s gaze lingered on the man for a moment before shaking his head in resignation. “Black Sword,” he hissed. “She had to marry Black Sword, didn’t she? Why not a good, clean English knight who lives piously and is kind to his mother?”
“I am kind to my mother.”
“You are?”
“I would be if she was still alive.”
Victor tried to look disgusted by the comment but ended up laughing. His gaze moved to Emllyn, standing next to Devlin and gazing back at Victor with so much hope in her eyes. It was the hope of the young and foolishly in love. But Victor could not deny her.
“Aye,” he finally said. “I will support you above all others, including Kildare should it come to it. But you and he had better make peace very soon or you will put me in a very bad position.”
“Agreed,” Devlin said. “But for now, I need you to stand with me. Will you do it?”
“I will.”
“Then come with me. I have something to say to de Noble.”
Victor suspected what it was. Dreading that particular conversation, he followed Devlin and Emllyn back into the warm and glowing great hall.