The Bloody Quarrel (The Complete Edition) (44 page)

In turn he reached up and touched her face, as if to reassure himself it was really her. “What happened to you, Mam?” he asked hoarsely.

She paused. Where to even begin to answer that question?

“Look at your skin, it’s a different color; and you’re all skinny as well,” he said, running his hand down her face.

Ah, that was easier. “The sun in Kotterman is much brighter than here. And we did not take enough food on the ship,” she said. “And what about you? You’ve grown – you look like you could wrestle a wolf now!”

“I had to be ready to save you next time,” he told her seriously.

Bridgit patted his face one more time, thinking they would need to talk some more about that later, and then finally looked up, to see Fallon standing there, his eyes shining.

“There are times I thought I would never see you again,” he said thickly.

“I never doubted I would see you all again,” she said, then took a quick step towards him and flung her arms around him.

“I am sorry,” he said softly, his voice breaking. “If only I had listened—”

“No, I am sorry. If only I had—” she said, then could not stand to say any more and just kissed him instead. There was so much she wanted to say but this was not the time. It was a time to luxuriate in his arms around her and the feel of him in her own arms.

*

Fallon had been content just to watch her with Kerrin, letting his eyes get used to seeing her again. Her skin was burned darker and she looked like she had lost weight but, even more, there was something different about the way she stood and the way she looked, all fierce and bright, even though tears were pouring out of her eyes as she embraced Kerrin.

There was so much he wanted to say but the words would not come out and, anyway, they would be wrong if they did. Nothing could say what he felt.

Then she was in his arms and he could feel her and smell her, kiss her and taste her and he never wanted to let go. She was thin, yes, but her breasts were full, pressed into his chest, and her lips were like silk on his. His body reacted so swiftly, almost painfully, to her being there so close to him that he almost wished it were just the two of them, with nothing and nobody to disturb them – although in another way it did seem like everyone had melted away and it was just them. And it was not just everyone else that was gone. Everything else, all the worries, all the plans, that was also gone. With her in his arms all he cared about was leaving this place and going home, just the three of them. Maybe Cavan’s secret island was the place for them after all. “I will never let you go again,” he whispered.

*

Bridgit had to reluctantly break their kiss, because she was struggling for air. She stroked his face and his back and looked into his eyes with a smile – she could feel how he was reacting to holding her.

“Some things never change,” she whispered.

He grinned at her and she took a deep breath. There was so much she needed to tell him about what she had been through. Most importantly of all she had to tell him that she was pregnant again. But that had to wait. There was an even bigger problem about to sail into their lives.

“Fallon, listen to me,” she said, pulling his face away from hers. “There’s a reason we raced into the harbor. Prince Kemal is right behind us.”

“I expected that,” he said, pushing his face down to kiss her again.

“No, we don’t have time for that,” she said, pulling away.

“You are back. I don’t care about anything else,” he said thickly.

“Will you just listen to me for a moment?” she said sharply. “We have to act quickly!”

“There is plenty of time for that,” he said dismissively.

She stopped his next kiss with her hand, angry now. “You are wrong. We are running out of time.”

He looked at her with a hurt expression on his face and she shook her head. All his brains had obviously sunk down to his trews. Next moment her worst fears were confirmed.

“Captain Fallon!” a voice roared in accented Gaelish. “Time to live up to your word!”

She cursed as Fallon looked up and she turned to see Kemal’s ship swoop in like a bird of prey, scraping along the other side of her ship, a solid line of grim-faced bowmen facing them.

She slapped him on the chest, trying to get him to think again, to focus on what had to be done.

“Prince Kemal’s family? Are they safe?” she asked urgently.

“Yes, they are over there. But how did you know about them—?” His face flushed and she knew that Prince Kemal’s words were true – her Fallon, kind, honorable Fallon, had tortured the man and threatened the child. Again she pushed that thought away for later.

“Never mind that. You must not give them back,” she said quickly.

His attention was interrupted by shouts of delight from further back on the dock and Bridgit saw a woman and two young boys rush forwards. She recognized them as the ones she had seen in Kemal’s house but, even if she had not already seen them, as the only Kottermanis on the dock they would still have stood out.

“They cannot be given back,” she repeated, then turned back to her ship.

“Get everyone off! Now! Move it!” she roared at them.

Although the deck was still a mob of reuniting families and friends, the women and children at least were used to obeying her instantly and hurried towards the gangplanks. Their menfolk were a little bewildered by the call to action but were tugged along by children and wives, so that the ship emptied rapidly.

“Archers, crossbowmen – what have you got? We need them ready now,” Bridgit snapped, hitting Fallon on the arm.

“What? Why?”

“Where is Prince Cavan, or King Aidan? Who is in charge?”

Fallon’s face tightened up and she grabbed his tunic.

“Where are they?”

“Dead. Both of them,” he said, reluctantly.

She felt the ground tilt beneath her feet and she was pretty sure that was not just due to being back on solid land for the first time in half a moon. “How?” she croaked.

Again his face darkened and his eyes closed. “I killed them both.”

Bridgit felt her mouth drop open and closed it only with an effort of will. A crunching sound behind her revealed that Kemal’s ship had come to a stop alongside hers and time was slipping away.

“What in Aroaril’s name has been going on here? I go away for a few moons and look what happens!” she gasped, then shook her head at the expression on his face. “That can wait for later. We are going to have to have a long talk tonight. But first, take me to Kemal’s family, and for Aroaril’s sake get some of these soldiers ready to fight!”

*

Fallon let Bridgit pull him along for a few steps, his mind a whirl. This was a very different Bridgit from the one he had last seen. Apart from the physical changes, she was shouting orders and people were leaping to obey her.

Worse, she was obviously horrified by what he had done while she was away. Kemal must have told her how he had threatened Orhan.

As for the rest of it, he could not understand what she was going on about. Kemal had returned with the families, as he had promised, and now they needed to hand back Feray and the boys. Yet Bridgit was acting as though it was a life and death situation. He got his feet under him and stopped her.

“What is going on?” he demanded.

Her face twisted into an expression of frustration, one he did remember well.

“Listen. Whatever deal you had, or think you had with Prince Kemal, it doesn’t exist,” she said, spitting the words out. “We escaped by ourselves and stole a ship. Kemal just met up with us in the last few days, by pure chance, and was going to bring us in on a rope. We gave him the slip to get in here first. If you give back his family, he will kill us all. I know him. He made me leader of these people. He hates you with a passion and will do anything for revenge. He has a fleet out there somewhere. The only thing keeping him at bay is the knowledge you have his family. We cannot give them back.”

He felt awareness slowly return as her words hit home. He looked over at Feray and the boys, seeing the tears coming down their faces, and it was like a blow to the stomach. He did not want add breaking his word to torturing Kemal and Orhan. What might that mean for Kerrin’s life? A promise to Aroaril could not be easily thrown away. Aidan’s words about his choices dooming Gaelland came back to him and he groaned. He wanted to spend time with Bridgit, not make this decision! “Have you seen the fleet?” he demanded.

“No,” she admitted. “But he would not have sailed with just one. I have looked into his eyes and he is not a man used to being crossed.”

“I too have looked into his eyes,” Fallon said softly, remembering that night when he had beaten and tortured the man.

“Captain Fallon! Come and speak to me!” Kemal bellowed.

“Do not give him anything,” Bridgit said warningly.

Fallon waved to Bran.

“Shieldwall along the docks. Get all the families behind it and crossbows to the sides. Keep Feray and her sons close,” he ordered.

Bran saluted and Fallon left him to it.

“I’ll go and talk to the man,” Fallon said.

“Then I am coming too,” Bridgit said instantly.

He looked at her, seeing new determination in her face. Losing weight had made her jaw stand out stronger or maybe something else had done that. The doubt and hesitation he had seen so often on her face were gone.

But he was not going to lose her again.

“You are not going into any danger,” he said. “If he hates me as badly as you say, then I cannot risk it.”

“I have been risking my life for the past moon or more!” she said indignantly. “I am with you, now and forever. And I know this man better than you do.”

He shook his head. “I saw him break. I was the one who broke him. I have all the power between us. But, if he wants revenge, the best way to hurt me will be to harm you. I cannot allow that. And I failed to protect you once. I will not make that mistake again.”

“You don’t understand!” she protested but he waved at Brendan, who put down Nola and rushed over.

“I go to talk with Prince Kemal. Keep Bridgit safe, no matter what happens. Swear on your daughters,” he ordered.

“Fallon, don’t be a bloody fool!” she snapped but he and Brendan ignored her.

“Come on, Bridge. We’ll watch in safety,” Brendan rumbled.

She shouted in protest but he pointed to Kerrin. “Think of him. He cannot lose you again. Stay with him, please,” he begged. “Kerrin, keep your mam safe.”

Kerrin snapped to attention and immediately grabbed her arm. That, more than anything, took the fight out of her, but she still yelled at him.

“Do not give Kemal’s family back! Keep them, whatever you do: they are the only thing stopping a Kottermani invasion!”

Fallon nodded, then turned away to run lightly up the gangplank and onto Bridgit’s ship.

Prince Kemal was standing alone in the middle of the deck, although the rail of his ship was packed with grim-looking bowmen. But he was smiling gently.

“Welcome, Captain,” he said. “I was wondering just what you were doing down there. Of course you would be enjoying a reunion with your wife, but I was sure you would not remember your promise and our deal together.”

“I have not forgotten,” Fallon said. There was none of the anger or hatred he had expected, and of which Bridgit had warned. If anything, Kemal seemed warm and pleasant.

“Good. Because I have lived up to my end of the bargain. I helped your families escape, while making it look like a simple slave revolt, then I followed them at a distance and, when they were starving to death and sailing in the wrong direction, fed them and led them here. They were overcome with eagerness to see you and raced ahead, but they would not be here without me. So now I need my family back, as agreed.”

Fallon looked at him critically. Bridgit’s words were still ringing in his ears. “What will you do when your family is returned? Do I have your word that you will leave me and my family alone?”

He looked carefully at Kemal as he spoke but the Prince’s face merely tightened a little in anger.

“Does that mean you are thinking of keeping my family from me? When you gave your word? When I upheld my end of the bargain?” he snarled. “What will your King Aidan say about this when I inform him? For whether you return my family or not, my next visit will be to the King’s court, for the business I began but could not finish because you attacked, kidnapped and tortured me.”

Fallon crossed his arms. “You won’t be speaking to King Aidan because he no longer rules here. I do.”

Kemal smiled and shook his head. “Very amusing. But I think we need to be serious now. I will be seeing your King—”

“He is dead. He was worshipping Zorva and tried to sacrifice your wife and children to the Dark God. I saved them and overthrew him, then publicly executed him,” Fallon said harshly. “Your wife will tell you if you don’t believe me.”

Kemal said nothing for a long moment, merely studying Fallon carefully. “I would like to hear that,” he said finally.

Fallon stepped backwards. “Gallagher! Bring Feray up here. But she is not to step on board this ship, and keep the boys with Kerrin!” he shouted.

“If this is true, you have taken much upon yourself for a simple village sergeant,” Kemal said.

“I am no longer a simple anything,” Fallon retorted.

They waited, neither of them saying anything, then Gallagher appeared at the head of one of the gangplanks, Feray at his side, and half a dozen of Fallon’s biggest recruits with them, all holding shields. The fisherman held Feray’s arm, not cruelly, but enough so it was clear she was not going anywhere.

“I see you, my husband,” she said calmly.

“I see you, my wife,” Kemal replied, his voice catching a little. “Are you well?”

“I am well,” she confirmed. “We have been treated with care, even kindness.”

“And is what Fallon said true? That King Aidan is dead and Fallon rules Gaelland?”

Fallon heard the quickening in Kemal’s voice with the last question but did not even bother turning around. He suspected the first few questions had been some sort of code, so Kemal could know whether Feray was being made to say anything.