Chapter 18
Tavis caught sight of Faelan and Bree whispering and watching him from across the room. How long had they been standing there, he wondered, hoping they hadn’t seen him watching Anna. From the looks of pity on their faces, he figured they had. They crossed the room, Faelan looking a bit nervous, and Bree’s green Isabel eyes so full of sympathy. “Is there a demon sitting on my head?”
“What?” Bree asked.
“You’re both looking at me strange.”
“Sorry,” Faelan said. “We found the letters you mentioned, the ones you and Ian left.”
“Aye. We wanted to make sure you knew what happened.”
“There was another letter.”
“He wrote more? That sounds like Ian,” Tavis said.
“It’s addressed to both of us,” Faelan said. “I thought we would read it together.”
“Aye.” He needed something to get his mind off Anna. And Lachlan, who was watching her like he wanted to pull her off into a dark corner. “Is there something between Anna and Lachlan?”
Faelan looked over where Lachlan was leaning in to tell Anna something. “I don’t think so. Bree?”
“He likes her, I think,” Bree said. “She’s never said anything about him. She doesn’t really go out....” She stopped and looked down at the floor as if she’d said something rude.
“Go out?”
“That means court,” Faelan said. “Anna’s not one for... for what they call dating. Seeing men.” Faelan looked away too. He knew Tavis’s secret. Tavis hoped the sympathy on his new sister’s face wasn’t because her husband had told her.
“Did you tell her?” he asked, when they walked off to a quiet corner to read the letter, after Bree said she had something to do.
“Tell her what?” Faelan avoided Tavis’s eyes.
“Shite. You told her what happened?”
“I couldn’t help it. I thought she already knew. I thought Anna had told her.”
“Damn it, Faelan.”
“I’m sorry. She won’t tell anyone. You can trust her.”
“She’ll think I’m a bloody rapist.”
“No, she won’t. And stop thinking you raped Anna. It was her choice too. Bree understands. And she might be able to help Anna if she needs to talk about it.” Faelan looked uncomfortable. “Do you really think she was mated with this hybrid?”
“Why else would they have taken her to him? But she wouldn’t talk about it then, and now she’s avoiding me like I have the pox.”
“If we knew for sure, Bree might be able to help her with that too. Women like to talk about things that trouble them.”
Faelan wasn’t telling him something. Tavis didn’t know why he wanted to know about the hybrid, but it wasn’t just curiosity. That dug at his mind as they sat down and looked at the letter. It had been mailed to Isabel Belville.
Faelan and Tavis,
By now, I hope that you are both awake and well, and that you have stopped Druan. Many times I have regretted that it wasn’t I who came to help Faelan. But Tavis, you insisted that it must be you, and you can be bloody stubborn. I am terrified when I think what you both might wake to. Will the world even exist? I don’t know if you are alive or injured. No one but Mother knows the truth about you both. Frederick and Isabel know about Faelan, but not Tavis. I didn’t want to share more information than necessary, in the event they were compromised. I knew that if they saw to it that the graveyard remained in their family, the chapel would be safe as well.
I told the clan that Tavis was buried at sea. I was going to tell them that Faelan had also died, until I could determine if there were still traitors in our midst. However, the Seeker arrived before I did and told them about Faelan and the time vault. The clan was so horror-struck, and everyone wanted to know more. I was afraid if there was a traitor, the time vault would be discovered, and perhaps destroyed. I regret that I had to silence the Seeker to make sure he didn’t tell where Faelan was hidden. Unfortunately, his death was in vain, for he had already given the location to the Council. I regret his death every day, and I will until I face my own. I am still trying to find out where the threat comes from. I have not told the clan of my suspicions. I do not want to alert any traitors, if any still exist. I hope the threat died with Quinn, but there are troubling things.
Tavis, I have something personal I must tell you. I would put it in another letter, but I am out of paper, and I know how close you and Faelan are. He would find out anyway. Marna had a child. A son. Your son.