Chapter Seven
All hell broke loose the moment the woman left the common room—a collective breath of shocked silence followed by a deluge of unbridled outrage. People Broccan had never seen in his life were shouting at him. Shouting.
At his own table, the Fianna glared at him. Conan looked ready to murder him. Ardál slammed his hands on the table, rising like a snake ready to strike. It was the only time Broccan had ever seen Ardál show an outward sign of anger.
Diamid simply shook his head. “You’ve gone too far this time, Broccan.”
“How did you manage to anger the nicest person I’ve ever met?” Finn bit out.
Illadan speared him with a dangerous look. “Outside. Now.”
Broccan stood, ignoring the angry clamors from the rest of the patrons as he stormed out the front door and into the cobblestone courtyard.
Illadan and Cormac followed him, as did Conan, who had little business in whatever they were about to discuss.
Broccan bristled at the unexpected voyeur of his scolding, for he had no doubt whatsoever he was in for it now. “He doesn’t need to be here,” he grumbled.
“He does,” Conan growled right back. “I’m betrothed to Alannah, which means you just insulted my sister. It’s as much my business as anyone’s.”
Broccan’s gut dropped. “You’re marrying her? But you didn’t say anything to Brian.”
“Broccan, we discussed this,” Cormac said, ignoring the diversion of Conan’s nuptials. “You have to let that anger go.”
Deep down, in a place so dark and so buried he hardly recalled it, Broccan knew Cormac’s words held truth. But his anger was the only thing keeping his family with him, and he wasn’t ready to let them go just yet.
He’d tried to keep his mouth shut the entire meal, not trusting himself to speak. But that pie had done it, ruining all of his good intentions and what little good behavior he could manage.
“It’s time to rejoin the world,” Cormac continued. “Whether you’re ready or not.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Broccan demanded. He didn’t like the sound of it at all.
Illadan took a menacing step toward him. “It means you’re going to fix this, or you will no longer be welcome among us.”
The blood left Broccan’s head in a rush. “Fine,” he allowed. “I’ll go speak with her.”
“That’s not good enough.” Illadan took another step, making it clear that he intended to exercise his full authority as leader. “Emer doesn’t deserve your anger. You’ve wronged her, twice over, and you owe her the fine for slander.”
“Slander?” Broccan repeated, dumbfounded. “I—”
“You said her pie was ‘mediocre.’” The grin that slid over Illadan’s face was anything but happy. “And that is both slanderous and untrue.”
Broccan’s head fell back. Unbelievable. They were grasping for ways to humiliate him now. He geared up to argue with that generous stretch of the law, but Illadan kept pushing.
“I think there’s an opportunity here,” he mused.
“For both recompense and a lesson. Your punishment is that you’re out,” Illadan said flatly.
“You’re out of the mission, and out of the Fianna until you can prove that you have some semblance of control over your anger, that you won’t lash out like a kicked dog every time someone looks at you wrong. ”
Broccan’s hands squeezed into cold fists at his sides.
For a brief moment, he felt pain, anguish.
Despair at the turn his life had just taken.
But then his anger resurfaced, swallowing all the pain and leaving only wave after wave of fury.
How could they think this was the only way forward?
How was he meant to do anything when he wasn’t doing his job?
When he wasn’t with his friends? He’d hardly been apart from Illadan or Cormac since they were young boys.
“You will repay Emer in manual labor,” Illadan continued. “Alannah will come with us to search for her brothers, as she’s requested, and you will take her place here at the hostelry.”
“This is absolute nonsense,” Broccan protested. “Yes, the woman annoys me. Yes, I could be more polite. But I see no reason to force me into getting along with her.”
“She’ll soon be a member of my family,” Conan shot back. “And she’ll be spending no small amount of time visiting Cenn Cora. I won’t have you upsetting my wife by making her sister feel unwelcome.”
Cormac caught his gaze. “It’s not just about Emer. It’s about you. Emer simply showed us that you carry too many stones to journey with us.”
“Alright, fine,” Broccan conceded. “I’ll go in, I’ll apologize again, and I’ll not say another word to her. There’s no need for extreme measures.”
“No,” Cormac argued, “I think there most certainly is cause for extreme measures. While we’re in Ath Luain, you are officially assigned to serve as Emer’s assistant at the Hart’s Rest until further notice. You will do whatever she asks, or you won’t be returning to Cenn Cora with us.”
His temples throbbed, making it difficult to focus. “Please tell me you jest.” Lord, he hoped he didn’t sound as desperate as he felt.
Conan’s hand landed heavily on his shoulder. “Maybe she’ll even teach you to cook.”
Broccan’s jaw clenched so tight he could’ve broken a branch. He didn’t dare argue with his commander. Illadan, Cormac, and Brian were the only people in the kingdom who could issue him orders. But he shook with outrage, fighting to keep it from bursting free.
This could not be happening.
*
Emer stood in the small patch of grass and wildflowers just outside the Hart’s Rest. It still lay within the palisade, but it afforded her a place to have some quiet. She let the tears fall, sniffling and trying not to make too much noise. The last thing she wanted was to upset anyone else.
Why did he have to be such a brute? She’d done everything to make amends, to make him welcome, and still he lashed out at her.
Night had settled over the land. The damp of a rain that had come and gone lingered in the air.
Dinner was nearly finished, and soon the common room would be empty of all but those sleeping in the smaller compartments.
She took several deep breaths, staring up at the starry sky.
Her parents loved the stars. She remembered countless nights when all six of them—Emer, Alannah, Ossian, Osgar, and their parents—would bring blankets and warm bread and just lay on the earth, staring up at the sky.
“Emer?” A male voice called.
She took one more breath, filling her lungs with the cool night, before turning to face her overreaction. It was beyond foolish to get teary-eyed over a pie. And she’d run out on her customers on top of it. Pulling herself together, Emer walked back toward the doors that led into the common room.
“Illadan,” she smiled, spying the tall warrior. He’d been staying with them for so long that his handsome face and long, fair hair were a comfort. “I’m sorry to have rushed out. I’m coming back now.”
“Take all the time you need. Alannah and Conan are managing things just fine.”
Of course they were. Her sister and her soon-to-be brother were the best sort of family one could have.
“I need to speak with you for a moment, if you don’t mind.” He gestured that they should walk.
Emer happily obliged. “Of course.” There was nothing she disliked so much as standing still.
“I’m sorry for Broccan’s behavior toward you. He stepped too far, and we are going to make it up to you.”
“There’s nothing to make up for,” Emer said. “I was just as rude to him earlier. I’m afraid we got off to a bad start.”
“And I’m afraid you’re not the first person Broccan’s had a bad start with. He struggles with his anger. It festers in him and he’s losing the battle against it. I had hoped he might learn to control it, but of late it only worsens.”
How awful. Emer couldn’t imagine what that would be like, for Broccan to experience or his friends to watch. She felt helpless just thinking about such a struggle.
“He will repay his debt to you in service,” Illadan continued. “I’ve already spoken with Alannah, and as your guardian she has approved it, should you agree.”
Emer’s senses pricked, as though they knew something was coming that she hadn’t yet seen. “Agree to what, exactly?”
“Alannah wants to accompany us in search of your brothers, as you know. Her main reason for staying here was to help you manage both guesting houses.”
A chill crept up Emer’s back. She did not like the direction this was going.
“Alannah will come with us. Broccan will stay with you. He has been ordered to do whatever you ask, anything from fetching water to serving dinners to singing you a song to cheer you. If he does not adequately fulfill his duties, he will no longer be one of the Fianna.”
Emer’s mouth dropped. “Over a pie?” she gasped. “You’ll banish him over a pie?”
“Yes, I will.”
Emer paced, worrying her bottom lip. She was to be left alone with the beastly man. “How can I trust that I will be safe with a man so given to anger?”
“Broccan barks far too loud,” Illadan answered gently, “but he does not bite. I’ve known him my entire life. You are safe with him. I wouldn’t have proposed the exchange otherwise.”
“I still don’t like it,” Emer continued her pacing.
“He’s thoughtless and rude and he’s going to bring down the mood of the entire guesting house with that frowning face.
” She halted, looking over her shoulder at Illadan.
“I apologize. I don’t usually speak so frankly, but it seems important to be clear in this instance. ”
He looked more amused than affronted. “Broccan is everything you accuse him of and more, which is why this is the perfect solution. It will be good for him to spend time with someone like you.”
“Someone like me?”
“Someone who is in full control of themselves and knows how to manage when things go wrong. God knows we’ve tried, but perhaps this will finally help him.”
“So I’m to be the sacrificial lamb?” Emer pursed her lips. “Train your dog then send him home?”
Illadan chuckled, his hazel eyes twinkling in the pale light of the moon.
“I really wish he’d heard that.” He walked across the grass to join her.
“I know you’re not the sort of person who thinks of seeking vengeance, but that is precisely the opportunity we are handing you.
I encourage you to push him. Make him uncomfortable.
Test him. Put him in his place. With your good humor, it should prove entertaining as well as useful. ”
Emer stood still in shock. “I’m good at managing the hostelry,” she told Illadan. “I have no trouble issuing orders. But I couldn’t possibly be that overbearing, even with Broccan.”
Illadan’s lips curved into a grin. “Then perhaps this will be a good test for you, too.”