Molly touched his arm gently. “You okay?”
Conall hesitated before nodding slowly and turning away again. The warehouse was retreating in the distance now, but Conall found he could hardly take his eyes off it. It wasn’t a warehouse at all, it was a weapons store, but weapons destined for what? The Order suspected that some of the nobles had been backing Leif Snarlsson, supplying him with weapons. And they’d been right. That noble was his own father.
Anger swelled up inside him, white hot and fierce. He thought of all the pain and suffering that had been caused by these weapons, of all the lives that had been taken due to his father’s unscrupulous dealings, and he clenched his jaw to keep from howling out his frustration. Not any more. He would stop this, whatever it took.
“What are you going to do?” Molly asked softly.
Conall met her gaze steadily. “What I must. I’m going to alert the Order of the Osprey and have them send their forces here. We will take the Pinnacle by force if we have to.”
Molly studied him warily. “Do you think that’s a good idea? I mean, we don’t even know who your father is supplying these weapons to.”
“Dinna we?” he snapped. “What more evidence do ye need? Ye heard what he said about Lanwick—that he would be happy if it was wiped from the face of the Earth! It was tantamount to a confession!Hewas responsible for those raiders who attacked Lanwick!Hewas responsible for those men who attacked us while we were aboard theMermaid! I was sent here to discover which noble was supporting Leif Snarlsson and I’ve found it—my own bloody father!”
He realized he was shouting and snapped his jaw shut. He was so angry he was shaking, his fists clenched, his heart racing. Shame swirled in his gut like acid. His own family. How could they? How could they be traitors to Scotland? To everything that Conall had vowed to protect?
Molly reached out a hand as if to touch him but then thought better of it and let her hand drop. “Conall, this is serious. You have to be sure before you go making accusations. You need to be careful. Your father won’t take kindly to you interfering in his affairs.”
Conall gave her a grim smile. “I’m aware of that. When we get back to the Pinnacle, say naught of what we’ve seen here today. It would be unwise to alert my father that we’re onto him. We’ll stay only long enough so I can send messages to the Order then we’ll return to Lanwick and wait for the Order there.”
Molly nodded, her expression serious. “Okay. What can I do to help?”
Conall turned to her, grateful for her support. “We’ll need to make preparations for the journey back to Lanwick. Pack up everything we need and be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.”
Conall turned the boat in the direction of the Pinnacle, his mind already working out the details of his plan. He would send coded messages to the Order and the king telling them what he’d discovered, but he would also need to gather allies if they were to stand a chance against his father’s forces. He would need to reach out to the other Scottish lords who were loyal to the king and to the cause of Scotland’s freedom. Together they would overthrow Leif Snarlsson and his traitorous supporters.
Including Conall’s own father.
Chapter 18
Molly was lost in thoughtas they made their way back towards the Pinnacle. She wasn’t sure what to make of the morning’s events. She was beginning to wish she hadn’t insisted on coming with Conall. In fact, she fervently wished they’d never come to the Pinnacle at all. Ever since they’d laid eyes on the castle on the loch, things had changed. Conall had changed. He’d grown surly and impatient, driven by a deep-seated anger at his father, anger that he now felt was entirely justified.
Why didn’t I just stay in Lanwick?she thought to herself as the boat cut through the water, the little sail billowing as the wind drove it upstream towards the loch. I could have been sitting safe and sound in the Trading House right now with Fiona, instead of being right in the middle of this family war.
She glanced at Conall. He stood at the tiller, the wind blowing back his hair and his eyes fixed on the water ahead. A frown pinched the skin between his eyebrows and there was a fierce, determined look in his eyes.
Yes, she most definitely should have stayed in Lanwick. Heck, theybothshould have stayed in Lanwick. But she hadn’t known when they set out that they were heading to Conall’s home, because he hadn’t told her. Just like he hadn’t told her that it was his father that he suspected of aiding his enemies.
