Legacy of the Mist Clans Box Set (88 page)

Lia rolled her eyes to the heavens. “Aye, God’s mercy on you both, for I will not have any,” she whispered and focused on them again. Her stern expression melted into a gentle smile.

“Aidan?” Kenna’s voice sounded as a timid whisper.

“Ronan, hold,” Aidan said, stopping on the stairs. “I fear my little sparrow doesna understand what it means tae have faith in family.”

“Let’s get tae the solar,” Ronan said then paused long enough to give Kenna a winsome smile. “My brother be my brother, that willna change lassie, no matter how vexed I become with him. We can speak in the solar, and Gordy will make sure our conversation remains private.”

Kenna’s eyes filled with tears. “Are ye certain?”

“I am,” Aidan said gently. “There was only one time when I didna ken my brother, and that was when we feared for Lia’s life. He grabbed me by the scruff and became a different man.” Aidan paused and swallowed hard, looking at Ronan. “For a brief moment, ye were truly the Demon Laird.”

Ronan lowered his gaze. “I ne’er apologized tae ye for that, but the very idea of losing Lia goaded me into something so black . . . I never wish tae revisit it.”

“Nay, dinna apologize,” Aidan said firmly. “For I experienced the same when I thought Kenna’s life in danger.” He straightened his shoulders and locked Ronan in his gaze. “If I were tae lose Kenna, only madness would ensue.”

Ronan hesitated, his eyes wide. “Then we truly understand each other.”

“Now we do.”

“I dinna understand,” Kenna whispered. “Ye were ready tae tear each other apart.”

“’Tis a game we play well,” Aidan murmured as he lowered his head and nuzzled Kenna’s ear. He was delighted to feel the shiver that passed through her.

“Enough, Aidan,” Ronan growled again, tugging him up the stairs. “Ye can have yer fun tonight, but all of us need tae sort the quandary before us.”

If he could have done so easily, Aidan would have pulled away and told his brother to wait. There was something of far more import on his mind... a fire burned within him, and he needed to quell it.

Aidan forced down his desire as Ronan continued to help him up the stairs. He would have plenty of time with Kenna later, but trying to think through the desire pounding within him would be a different story entirely.

By the time he achieved the solar, Aidan realized his desire for Kenna was a moot point. He could barely see straight due to the pain.

Lia had left the top of the stairs long before Aidan had achieved them. He grimaced, noting she worked over her medicants again.

“Pray, lassie,” Aidan said. “What do ye have planned for me now?”

“I give you quarter,” she said and placed a cup as Ronan helped him sit at the table. “This medicant is not foul and will ease your pain.”

Aidan wasn’t sure if he believed her, but he realized he had little choice. He downed the cup, preparing for the shiver of revulsion, but none came.

He inclined his head. “Thank ye, lassie, that was much better.”

Lia closed the door and Aidan waited as they gathered at the table. He caught Kenna’s hand and pulled it to his lips. “Long have I enjoyed pleasant meals with my brother, then with him and his wife, in this room. I look forward tae ye joining us, Kenna.”

Her eyes still wide and liquid, she looked from him to Ronan and then to Lia. “Ye . . . ye arena angry with each other?”

“Kenna,” Lia said, “that is the norm with these two. You have yet to see them give each other blackened eyes then give chase over the wall walks, climbing in places a squirrel would not dare to tread.”

“Aye, lassie,” Ronan said. “There be times I am so angry with my brother I’m ready tae rip his head from his shoulders. But no man but me has that right.”

“Likewise, brother,” Aidan said and lifted his cup.

Ronan grinned brightly and touched his cup to Aidan’s while Lia chuckled.

Then Lia looked to Kenna and her smile faded. She reached across the table and gripped her hand. “Kenna, what you witnessed was a ploy.”

Kenna looked at all of them as if she didn’t believe them. Then huge tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

“Kenna, it’s all right,” Aidan said, pulling her close.

“With what she suffered under her father’s hand,” Ronan said, “she believes anger means punishment.” Ronan inclined his head as he looked at Kenna. “Lassie, listen tae me.”

Kenna, struggling to control her tears, lifted her gaze.

“Ye need tae ken the truth,” Ronan said softly. “Were it not for Aidan, I wouldna be here this day. Or if I was, I wouldna be of sound mind.”

“But ye were so angry with each other,” Kenna whispered.

Ronan looked at Aidan and winked. “Aye, and we get into arguments, even fisticuffs more often than not, but that doesna change the facts. Aidan has always stood behind me; he has always supported his brother and clan. I will do the same for him until they separate my heart from my chest.”

“And woe tae any man who tries,” Aidan said firmly. “For I will be there with my blade. Kenna . . . the teamwork we employed while battling Hurstal’s group, not many warriors would be adaptive tae that. But I was because I learned that from my brother.”

“Aye, lassie,” Ronan said with a chuckle. “From the time I was a lad and our da instructed me in the use of the claymore, Aidan stood back and watched. He spotted my mistakes and told me what he saw. At first I bristled like a hog in a hedge, but I heeded his words and improved. When it came time for my brother tae fight, I did the same thing, informing him of the gaps I saw in his defense.”

“Kenna,” Aidan said. “We were ne’er adversaries, and ne’er will be. With monarchs and politics, I have little faith, but in my brother, that faith willna waver.”

Aidan sheltered her under his arm between the two chairs. He watched her scrub the tears from her eyes then look up. “So if what I witnessed was a ploy, then tae what benefit? What did ye mean tae accomplish?”

“Tae make Sinclair believe we are at odds,” Ronan said. “Thinking he stopped a potential fight between my brother and I will give him a false sense of empowerment. He thinks he has the advantage, when in sooth, he dinna have even a measure of it.”

“Although,” Aidan said, “I am concerned of yer promise of men and horses, especially when ye offered tae lead them yerself.”

“I wasn’t happy with that either,” Lia said, glaring at her husband.

“Peace,” Ronan said, holding up his hands. “I believe what we learned about Longshanks. When he dies, this war will change drastically, if it continues at all. I will be safe in my offer. But Sinclair is worse than a stray dog humping Aidan’s leg. All I did was throw the dog a bone he could actually gnaw on.”

Perhaps Lia’s medicant had made him giddy, but a chuckle bubbled within Aidan and turned into a full-blown laugh. It pulled at his injured side, but it still didn’t stop his mirth. His laugh renewed when he heard Kenna giggle.

Even Lia could not hide her smile. Ronan chuckled and took Lia’s hand in his, looking at her intently. Aidan’s laughter faded as he took note of the two. Ronan nodded at her then faced Aidan. “Brother, Lia and I have something—”

A harsh knock sounded. “MacGrigor, ’tis urgent,” Gordy said from the other side of the door.

“Enter,” Ronan barked.

Gordy opened the door, his expression flat. “The guardsmen who accompanied Sinclair . . . we kept an eye on them like ye asked.”

Ronan slowly rose, his fists clenched, his expression deadly. “And?”

“Sinclair kept tae his room,” Gordy continued, “but four guardsmen we found in various places in the castle where they had no business being, and the other six we are still trying tae locate.”

Aidan swallowed hard. “Connell?”

“I canna find him or Mairi and her bairn.”

Ronan cursed soundly.

“Ye think Sinclair’s directing the guards, or did they receive direction from the Bruce without Sinclair’s knowledge?” Aidan asked.

“I dinna ken, but I’ll find out.” Ronan turned to Gordy. “Summon Sinclair tae the great hall. Keep searching for the others. If they give ye any trouble, well, I shall ask ye tae do yer best not tae kill them, but . . . .”

“Of course, MacGrigor,” Gordy said and quickly left.

“Careful, Ronan,” Aidan warned. “Ye dinna want yer temper tae provoke yer illness.”

Ronan visibly tried to master his anger. “I am more worried about what may happen if one of them finds Connell before we do.”

“He’s been growing more possessive over Mairi as of late. Like him, she lost everyone who was dear tae her and is alone in this world.” Aidan shook his head, dragging his hand through his hair. “That’s why I would ne’er make a good laird, Ronan, I worried at what this might do tae him, the painful memories it might awaken.”

Ronan’s expression gentled. “Aidan, sometimes being a good laird means making decisions that are difficult tae make and moving forward despite yer doubt. Ye werena wrong in that regard.”

Aidan blinked at him.

“I’ll send Robert tae look for him. No doubt he kens his best friend, and Connell will trust him.”

Aidan rubbed his jaw, an idea where Connell might be niggling at his brain. “I wonder . . . ” he whispered.

“Pray pardon?”

He dismissed the thought. Robert would locate him. “Nothing,” Aidan said and waved him off.

Ronan held out his hand and helped his brother to his feet. “Let’s get below stairs and learn what turn of events this has wrought.”

“Aye,” Aidan said. Kenna and Lia followed them down the stairs.

Ronan helped Aidan to his chair in the great hall and took his own. The great hall was in something of an uproar.

“What’s going on?” Kenna asked as she sat next to him.

Aidan took her hand. “I fear the Bruce’s men realized my brother backed them into a corner. They took matters into their own hands and started searching the keep tae find Mairi and her bairn.”

Kenna looked at him, her eyes wide and her face pale. “If they do find Connell, he will fight.”

Aidan nodded and leaned closer, kissing her cheek. “Dinna vex yerself.” But he had to admit, worry also settled in the pit of his gut. Connell would slay those who threatened Mairi without hesitation.

And as he watched Ronan, Aidan’s concern grew. He and his brother both had a measure of their da’s powerful temper. Aidan worried what would happen if his brother fell to an attack before Sinclair and the Bruce’s men. It was one thing to hear the tales of the Demon Laird, entirely another to see the facts plain before one’s face. At least he had the comfort of knowing Lia’s medicants worked well. Ronan had suffered only one attack since their wedding.

But judging by the way Ronan sat coiled in his chair, his knuckles white as he clutched his wine cup, Aidan knew he was fighting to maintain control. He didn’t blame his brother, for this foolishness provoked his own temper.

Gordy had stepped in to fill the role Aidan normally performed but could not because of his injury. He stood in the middle of the great hall and directed castle guardsmen to find every single one of the Bruce’s men and bring them forthwith. But only the four Gordy had originally told them about had been located. The search was on for the other six, and Gordy had just learned Sinclair also could not be found.

Aidan valiantly wished he could move; he would have been loitering in the shadows long before this. It was important his brother knew the truth. Sinclair was the king’s official representative. It was important they learn if he was directing the Bruce’s men or if they were acting on their own. That truth would affect his influence to negotiate and even Ronan’s authority to tolerate the Bruce’s men in his keep. The laird possessed more power than many understood.

Ronan recognized that power and how to wield it. But he needed information, he needed facts, not supposition. That’s why their da, upon seeing his second son’s talent, had set in place the foundation for them to work so closely together. Now was the time for the effort to come to fruition, but Aidan could not help because of his injury. He could barely stand on his own let alone move silently through the shadows.

Now more than ever, Ronan needed the birds at Aidan’s command.

Aidan’s gaze slowly drew back to Kenna. He blinked, then his lips lifted as he leaned closer and kissed her cheek. “Sparrowhawk,” he whispered.

HHH

Kenna’s heart raced as she flitted from shadow to shadow through MacGrigor keep. She was once again dressed as a lad with her biodags strapped to her thighs. She had been surprised when Aidan whispered his thoughts, what he needed her to do, and the information she would attempt to learn. But her soul took wing when she realized the faith he had placed in her, that he trusted her to act when he could not.

She chided herself as she entered a dark corridor leading to what she thought were storerooms. She needed to get her head out of the clouds and concentrate. Kenna had searched most of the ground floor of the keep. She would explore the storerooms and then progress into the bailey.

Kenna knew the castle guardsmen had investigated almost every inch of the keep, but she traveled their path a second time. The Bruce’s men would have likely stayed hidden, only relaxing after the guardsmen left the area to search elsewhere.

She entered a dark storeroom, but it wasn’t so black she couldn’t see more than a pace ahead of her. Next to her was a heavy oak door with metal bands. It was closed with a huge lock over the latch. Although it appeared secure, something prompted her to test it. She gave it a gentle push and it swung open silently. She arched an eyebrow, studying the lock a bit closer. It had fresh scratches around the keyhole. Someone had picked it and reset it so it appeared to be locked.

The door opened a little more and she peered inside. Wooden stairs descended below her, and the air was chill and damp. A faint golden light glowed in the corner, but it was very weak. In the shadows it created, she thought she saw metal bars. The dungeons?

As Raven had taught her, she carefully placed her foot on one of the stairs, closer to the edge where the step was strengthened by the side supports rather than the middle where it might bow under her weight and creak.