Chapter 6
Kira sat on the edge of the bed, bouncing the foot of the leg that dangled from her cross-legged position as she eyed the stern man seated at the little desk, chair turned to face her. Captain Calum had been there for over an hour and hadn’t said a word, other than he was there on Hunter’s orders.
She remembered him from childhood. He was a few years older than Hunter and was his sworn protector as soon as Hunter was walking, the maids used to say. Kira remembered the days that a wooden sword hung from his belt and that wild ginger hair hung down in his eyes.
Before her was a man, his hair still wild but cropped short atop his head so it didn’t block his vision. He must have been around thirty but looked older than his age. No doubt from all the stress that being in the Galbraith clan brought.
His bright-green eyes remained as cold as two pieces of jade as he stared back at her. “Did Hunter let ye keep your tongue when ye were sworn in as Captain, or do ye merely lack any communication skills?” she said at last.
The staring had gone on long enough and Kira didn’t want him to see her squirm. Instigating dialogue between the two of them would be the only way out of it.
“Collecting trophies is a hobby for Hunter, but he’s nae got one from me.”
His voice was gruff and his expression still flat, but at least he replied.
“Comes as a surprise to me,” she said, smoothing the skirt of her dress.
Goodness, she must look ridiculous. She hadn’t been given the option to bathe or change since being there and the best she could do was freshen up at the small basin in the corner and plait her own hair.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Calum snapped.
In the next moment, he finally looked away from her and rubbed his face.
“I am nae here for your accusations and taunts. I am here on Hunter’s orders and nothing more.
If there will be any talking, it will be to get information about yer faither’s forces. ”
How boring and annoying—but the silence was still a touch worse. “Ask yer questions then, maybe I’ll answer,” she said, leaning forward to rest her head in her hands.
Calum finally stirred, on his feet and pacing about while still maintaining his distance. He wasn’t about to waste the opportunity to get even a sliver of information about their formidable enemy.
“Does he have any attacks planned at the moment?” Calum queried.
“How would I ken that? I’ve been at Clan Barclay for nearly a fortnight.”
“Dinnae play daft, Kira,” he warned. “Before ye left. Was there anything in the works?”
She eyed him carefully, noticing the slip in calling her by her given name.
While Kira had never known him well, she knew enough to know that he wasn’t a man of such sensitivity.
It was her and all that she symbolized that invoked such visceral reactions from all at Galbraith Keep.
It was her last scrap of luck, she feared, that Edine had given her that brief moment of friendship.
“Do ye really think he tells me anything?” Kira mused.
“Just because he does nae tell ye does nae mean ye dinnae hear anything.”
She shrugged and tapped her fingertips against her chin. “I heard a lot around the Keep. How am I meant to ken what is of value to ye?”
Calum groaned and proceeded to unfurl question after question.
Kira didn’t have the right to take enjoyment out of his frustration, but she couldn’t help but be a little amused by his adamance.
He had been stonewalling her for a couple of hours and just at the slight chance of getting something useful out of her, he was a dog with a bone.
After one too many evasive answers, Calum was finally losing his patience. He knocked his chair over and placed his hands on his hips, staring at the wall while he tried to rein in his emotions. Then, his cold eyes slid over to her.
“Ye’re going to tell me something, Kira. I’m nae longer playing games with ye.” His eyes narrowed. “Tell me about his prisoners. Do ye ken of anyone in the dungeons? Tell me. Tell me now.”
Kira’s eyes stared at the wooden chair toppled onto the floor.
She hadn’t flinched or yelped externally, but something inside of her was crying.
Just how many rooms had she been in where men had pushed chairs, thrown cups, and slammed doors to show their rage?
And how many times could she be certain it was merely a way of physically letting go of tension instead of a silent promise of violence?
Her longing for companionship was snuffed out like a candle. A familiar chill ran through her as her mind detached and her face fell to a flat expression.
“I will never provide the information ye want out of intimidation or force—”
Calum huffed. “So, ye admit it. Ye’re loyal to yer faither—”
She snapped, rising to her feet as she locked eyes with him. “I am loyal to myself. Nae to any man, let alone the man who raised me. Get out.” she ordered. “And if Hunter wishes to have information, he can ask me himself.”
Calum stared at her, dumbfounded. Then, with another huff, he left the room, letting the door slam behind him.
Kira noticed only then that her hands were shaking, but certainly not from fear.
Laird Fairbairn, her own father, had shown her the ins and outs of terror and pain, and it would take far more than a tossed chair for her to react.
No, her hands were trembling from rage. Rage because Calum tried to intimidate her, rage because she had lost her composure, rage because she was once again in that room alone for however long—and rage because she knew she would never escape the tormented shadow of her father.
She wanted to scream, to smash things, to be the one for once to let out some of that tension that was piling up inside of her. But she couldn’t, not there—not anywhere.
Kira sank back down onto the bed and clutched her pillow, squeezing it to her chest and letting her finger nails dig into the fabric hard enough that it was uncomfortable. She smothered it and bit her lip.
What a foolish, troublesome life I live. Already past my twentieth year of life and still having to take my emotions out on my pillow, she mused internally.
It was only when she tasted a drop of blood that she let go. Relaxing her arms and releasing her lip, there was a little relief; at least, enough to stop her hands from shaking.
Just then, there were boots outside the door and she braced herself for Calum to come back in, assuming he had only stepped away to compose himself. When the door opened, however, she saw Hunter sauntering inside instead of his loyal lapdog.
A quick analysis of his face let her know that he was irritated at best and she had to resist the urge to grab her pillow for another squeeze.
“What do ye want?” Kira mumbled, rising from the bed and pacing toward the window.
“Calum said ye’d be willing to forfeit information if the request came from me directly. This is my request,” he stated plainly.
She didn’t look over at him, her eyes stayed on the endless sky before her. It was overcast and wasn’t much to look at, but she would rather go blind from staring at the bright clouds than look at the hate in his eyes right then.
“Aye, I’ll give the information,” she said, her voice void of emotion. “Nae for free, though.”
“Ye expect me to pay ye?” he spat.
“Nae monetarily. With freedoms—permissions.”
Kira was speaking from the gut, not having planned to turn it into a negotiation at all.
But she had some sense to her after all.
She couldn’t handle the isolation. Even though that room was better than the dungeon, she was going to really start to lose her grip on herself if she stayed in that room much longer without anything to look forward to other than her unfortunate destiny.
“Ye’re not in a bargaining position, Kira,” he warned.
“Am I nae?” she taunted, still staring at the clouds. “Funny that. I thought anyone who possessed something another wanted could bargain.”
“I am already being more than generous by nae forcing ye to remain in the belly of the Keep.”
“Thank ye for that. I suppose I hadn’t before,” she said.
“But I’m nay good to ye dead. Ye made it clear nay kindnesses are for my benefit, but for the sake of yer revenge.
So my comfort, or lack thereof, is nae exactly something I need to gamble with.
Instead, I want time out of this room. Time outdoors—guarded, or whatever makes it possible.
And depending on how much ye ask for, access to the stables as well. ”
“Ye have some nerve to make such audacious requests and nae even look me in the eye while ye do so,” he said, a gruffness to his voice.
At last, she turned to look at him with glazed eyes. “I am an evil, audacious woman, Hunter. I thought ye’d ken that by now.”
His thick brows drew together and he stepped closer, really looking her over. Kira was too numb at that point to try to make sense of what he was searching for in her. He stood just a couple of paces away and sighed.
“If the information ye provide is useful, I will arrange time outdoors.”
Kira nodded. “Very well, what do ye want to ken?”
“Where are his closest allies to this Keep?” Hunter asked without hesitation.
“I would nae be surprised if he has some within these very walls,” she snorted.
His eyes narrowed at her. “What does that mean? Do ye ken there is someone here or nae?”
“I’m saying I dinnae ken for certain, but past instances make it hard for me to believe that he has pulled off his actions without help. And those sorts of blood oaths dinnae dissipate. They only grow stronger or deadly.”
Hunter was towering over her again, his gaze intense as he studied her.
She could see then the gleam of distrust in his hazel eyes.
“Why would ye be willing to give me information on yer faither? How am I to ken this is nae a trap? Ye’re trying to make me suspicious of my own men to weaken my resolve. ”