If she dared take the risk, Balor had to be gone where no one could harm him.
When she reached to embrace him one last time, she discreetly slid a small blade beneath his tunic at his waist.It was the only weapon she could give him.Beneath her breath, she murmured, ‘You need to leave tonight.Take my brother with you, if you can.And then disappear to a place where no one will ever find you.’
His eyes gleamed with raw emotion as she pulled back.‘Don’t marry him, Mairead.Swear it.’
He was asking her to refuse the commands of the most powerful men in England and Éireann—to find the courage to reach for whatshewanted instead of what they demanded of her.She wanted to, more than anything.But fear held her back.She needed more time to think, time to consider.
She reached out to touch his cheek once more.‘I love you.’
Mairead couldn’t stop the tears from falling as she walked back to her father.It might be the last time she saw Balor, and she didn’t know what to do.The guards took him away, and it felt as ifshewere the one in chains.
Patrick reached out to touch her hair, but she pulled away.‘Don’t.’
She strode towards the keep, not wanting to watch the soldiers as they led Balor back to the prison.But a shortdistance away, she saw Alanna standing alone.Her cousin seemed to sense how badly Mairead needed to leave.Within moments, her cousin crossed the inner bailey.
She took Mairead’s hand in silent support, pretending as if she didn’t see the tears.‘You must be weary.’Alanna glanced at Patrick and asked, ‘May I escort my cousin to my chamber where she can rest and refresh herself before the wedding in the morning?’
Mairead suspected it was simply an excuse to let her leave, and she was grateful for it.
Her father gave a nod of assent, and Alanna led her inside the fortress and up a narrow staircase.
‘Are you all right?’Alanna asked in a low voice.
Mairead followed her up the stairs and into a tiny bedchamber.‘No.I am not.’She told her cousin about Balor’s plan to help Liam escape and her fears that he would die.
She wanted to curl into a ball on the bed and sob out her heartache.Just like before, she felt helpless to do anything.And worse, Balor believed she was turning her back on him, that she was giving up.
Alanna put her arm around her, sitting beside her.‘Is there anything I can do for you?’
Mairead started to shake her head.She had to find a way to solve this problem herself.But no matter how she thought of ways to help Balor and Liam escape, she couldn’t stop the sense of looming failure.
She understood Balor’s intentions—if he escaped with her brother, then the king held no leverage over her, nothing that would force the marriage.But it was only a temporary solution.King John wanted a marriage alliance and would not stop until he achieved that goal.
Abruptly, she stared at her cousin through her tears andstraightened.Alanna had travelled for days, seemingly for no reason.Butwasthere a way her cousin could help?
She tried not to get her hopes up, but she asked, ‘Why did you really come to Blarnan, Alanna?’
Her cousin’s expression softened.‘Maybe because I wanted to help you.When you were at Rionallís, I saw you with Balor.He was the man you saw through your May crown, wasn’t he?’
Mairead didn’t really understand why Alanna had brought it up.Did she believe that Fate or the gods had decreed that Balor was the man she was meant to be with?
‘I believe he was,’ she answered.He had been there that morn, watching over her.‘But that doesn’t mean anything.’
And yet…she wondered if there was another reason for the question?She turned to Alanna, sensing something else.Her gaze sharpened.‘I saw you talking with the earl while I was at Rionallís.’
And there it was—the faint blush on her cousin’s cheeks.‘What of your own future, Alanna?’Mairead ventured.‘Is there something you would wish for?Orsomeone?’
Her cousin raised her eyes, and Mairead saw the truth within them.And suddenly, the path ahead seemed clearer.She knew what she wanted for her own future—a different life.And maybe her cousin wanted the same thing—a change.
She’d let fear cloud her thinking in the past.She couldn’t live her life based on that.Balor had accused her of having no faith in him.Maybe she needed to consider every path, not just the one that meant surrender.
Her mind started piecing together the choices ahead.And although she’d felt utterly trapped, forced into a marriage she didn’t want, another idea took shape within her mind.
God help her, she seized upon it.It was reckless and dangerous.But maybe it would work.
‘What are you thinking?’Alanna asked, her expression wary.
‘I’m thinking about other ways to save my brother and Balor.And I no longer care what the English king wants.This ismylife.Myfuture.’
