She could never tell her father of the feelings she held in her heart.If she told him the truth, Patrick would only make Balor leave, or worse.She could only pray that he would survive this night with the help of her father’s men.
As she helped her aunt gather healing herbs and supplies, a plan began to shape within her mind of how to get what she wanted.
And that meant travelling back to Balor to save his life.
* * *
Balor awakened in darkness.His mouth was dry and cracked, and his head had a dull ache.When he reached up, he felt a bandage.
He didn’t know where he was or who had brought him here.But when he tried to sit up, someone caught him by the shoulders and laid him back.‘Not yet.’The man spoke in the Norman tongue, but the voice seemed slightly familiar.It was too dark to see him.
‘What happened?’Balor’s voice came out in a rasp, and the Norman lifted a cup of water to his lips.Balor drank it, grateful to quench his thirst.Whoever this was, he didn’t seem to want him dead, or he’d already be gone.
‘You were surrounded and about to die.We took you here when King John’s men arrived.’
So there had been more than one rescuer.
‘How long have I been here?’
‘A full day and a half,’ he answered.
‘Who are you?’Balor asked.‘It’s too dark to see your face.’
‘Gerald of Mowbray,’ the man answered.‘We met at Laochre, along with my commander, Sir Edward of Baldwin.’The man lit a brazier, and soon enough, the dim light of the peat fire illuminated the tent.
A tightness caught within him.‘Why did you follow me here?Were your men the ones who took Liam?’
‘No.We came here for you,’ Gerald said.He left without explanation, and a moment later, Sir Edward entered.
Balor didn’t truly believe him.But there was a reason why these men had saved his life—and a dark uneasiness clenched within him at the thought.
Sir Edward sat beside him, his demeanour cool.‘Do you know why we came to Éireann, Balor Ó Phelan?’
Balor struggled to sit up, still trying to hide his dizziness.He suspected they were connected to King John or Liam’s disappearance, though he couldn’t say that.‘I suppose you’re going to tell me.’
‘If you ask nicely,’ Gerald responded drily.
‘You came for Mairead’s hand in marriage,’ Balor said, even knowing it was false.He wanted to see how they would respond.
‘That’s not—’ Sir Edward started to say.But he fell silent, holding back his words.Which made Balor even more suspicious.
‘What do you know about the Liam MacEgan?’he interrupted.‘Is he—’
‘He lives,’ the man answered.‘The other soldiers took him to King John at Blarnan.’
‘Why?’He’d thought Fergus had simply sold Liam into captivity.Now it seemed like part of something much larger.
‘The men Fergus paid were the king’s men.I imagine they saw an opportunity to make him a valuable hostage.’
And likely the English king would take advantage, Balor guessed.Probably by manipulating Patrick into doing his will, even though the King of Laochre had already travelled to see King John and had sworn his loyalty.Since the king’s men had taken Liam MacEgan, it suggested that John didn’t trust the MacEgans at all.
But there was a hidden opportunity, Balor realized.If he somehow broke Liam free of the king’s custody and brought him back to Laochre in secret, he could ensure that Liam was crowned as the next Irish king and gain Patrick’s favour.Since Fergus had been responsible for the capture, he would pay the price for his treason.Kenneth could become the next chieftain of the Ó Phelan clan.
Or you could.
The inner thought startled him.Mairead had asked him before why he didn’t want it.He’d told her that the people would never want someone like him.But the truth was he’d never imagined taking command of his clan.He’d always believed that his people hated him.It still might be true.
And yet, becoming chieftain might give him a chance at wedding Mairead.It wasn’t nearly as influential as being an earl, but it was something.
