“But what?”
She looked over, found him indeed watching her, his gaze intense, as if her answer mattered.
“But when he found me crying, he would hold me. And when I had finally calmed, he would kneel beside me, andwe would pray.”
“I am glad the priest was there for you, that in times of hardship you turned to Him.” Eyes dark with sincerity studied her, as if coming to a decision. “What I tell you isnato be shared.”
The gravity of his voice had her pausing.“I swear it.”
“As to your question, I never wanted to be a monk. The reason for my deep faith is that I became a Knight Templar.”
Humbled he’d trusted her with such an admission, Lathir sat; then her brow furrowed with another thought. “Your time with the Templars may have intensified your faith, but I think it never brought you true peace.”
Rónán tensed, stunned by her insight. “I loved being a Knight Templar.”
“Butyou left. Why?”
“Left? The demands of the Brotherhood, of those traveling to the Holy Land, gave me a sense of purpose,” he rasped. Painful memories of the way, beneath the cover of darkness, he and many of the Brotherhood escaped, ripped through his soul. “Never would I abandon my brothers or the service I loved.”
Any color on her face fled. “Saint’s breath, you were in France when King Philip ordered the arrests of the Knights Templar on charges of heresy.”
“Aye, I was there, and his claims were all lies,” he spat, unable to contain his fury. “Nor were his accusations frivolous, but chosen to enflame those envious of the Templars’ wealth and power.” His nostrils flared. “But unknown to King Philip, before the charges were publicly disclosed, word of the monarch’s despicable intent was secretly delivered to thegrand master.”
She lay on the side of the bed, resting her head on her folded hands, but her expression remained intent. “How did you escape?”
“By the grand master’s orders, prior to the day of the arrests, beneath the cover of night, a significant portion of the Templars boarded our galleys at the port of La Rochelle and fled.”
“But not all the Brotherhood left,” she said, a waverin her voice.
A lump built in his throat. “Had the grand master warned the entire Templar force, ’twould have alerted King Philip that his plan hadbeen exposed.”
“But the Brotherhood’s ability to fight, their brilliance in strategy are well known. Instead of fleeing, why didna the grand master rally the Brotherhood and confront the king againsthis treachery?”
“With the growing dissent of those jealous of the favor given to the Brotherhood over the years, even if we had wanted to, we wouldna have found enough support to confront France’s sovereign.” He shook his head. “Nor with Templars scattered in several countries did we have the luxury of time to contact everyone, and for them to sail to France, much less organize a formal denial.” Rónán clasped his hands into fists against the surge of despair. “So, until October, Friday the thirteenth, when the decree was revealed, many Templars remained ignorant of King Philip’s barbaric intent.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks.
“Though devastating to sail from port without all of the Templars aware of our plan,” he forced out, the grief still raw in his heart, “all within the Brotherhood understood our first priority was to ensure that the secrets beneath Templar guard were kept safe.”
Hand trembling, Lathir wiped away her tears. “What secrets did you abscond with that outweighed the lives of the Brotherhood who were left behind?”
He closed his eyes against the horrific thought, understanding that because of the French king’s greed, men he’d fought alongside had been imprisoned, tortured, or killed. Yet there was some consolation in knowing the crew he’d escaped with had captured Avalon Castle and hidden the Templar goods in the catacombs beneath, a fact known by few.
He met her gaze. “I canna tell you. Know that their lives were notgiven in vain.”
Somber gray eyes held his with steadfast sincerity. As she reached out to him; he took her hand, appreciating her touch, the bond that however much he tried to fight, grew stronger each day.
“I am so sorry for you, for what all within the Brotherhood have suffered, have lost.”
Breaths unsteady, he pressed her hand against his heart. “I–I thank you.”
“Your being a Templar explains much. Your skill with weapons, your knowledge of sailing, and your confidence.” Gray eyes with a hint of lavender darkened in a thoughtful frown.
“What?”
“How is it that you are working forKing Robert?”
“Because Robert the Bruce is a Knight Templar.”
