Annag's beautiful face twisted with anger."Ye'll regret this.My father has influence with King David.If ye embarrass me by refusing this match, ye'll be sorry."
"Then I shall have to learn to live with the regret," Cormac replied, and turned back toward the Keep.
***
CORMAC SOUGHT OUT HISfather immediately, intending to put a stop to this once and for all.If his father refused to listen, he would seek audience with the king and insist the betrothal be nullified.He had not consented, and taking a wife in haste would put his missions in jeopardy.In a decade of service to the royal house, Cormac had never once pressed the king for a personal favor.But he would press one now.
He burst into the Great Hall to find his father deep in conversation with Laird Ruthven at the long table, both men smiling as they shook hands.
"Father," Cormac said, his voice tight with barely controlled rage."A word.Now."
His father looked up, startled by his tone."Son, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong is that ye've apparently betrothed me to that woman without my knowledge or consent," he replied, cutting a glance at Laird Ruthven."I never agreed to this marriage, and I never will.Whatever documents ye've signed mean nothing without my consent."
Laird Ruthven rose to his feet, his face reddening."The betrothal is legally binding.If ye refuse, ye'll pay a substantial penalty."
"Then I'll pay it," Cormac said."I dinnae care."
"Cormac," his father said, standing as well."Be reasonable.Ye dinnae have that kind of coin, and think about the alliance—"
"I dinnae give a damn about the alliance!How could ye do this?How could ye promise me to someone without even asking?"
"Because ye would have said no!"His mother's shrill voice rang out from the doorway behind him."And ye need to marry.Ye need heirs.Ye need to stop idling about and start making something of yerself.With yer talent, ye could even become a courtier and work for the king himself.But instead ye squander yer youth on playing childish games with yer men!"
"What I need," Cormac said, his voice dropping to a dangerous calm, "is for my family to respect my choices.To trust that I ken what's best for my own life and my clan."
The room fell silent.
Then came the sound of boots on stone – quick, purposeful – and the doors to the Great Hall swung open once more.
Cormac was surprised to see Seumas, his second-in-command, filling the doorframe and breathing hard from exertion.
"Forgive the intrusion," he said, his gaze finding Cormac immediately."I need a word with my master.'Tis an urgent matter."
Cormac was already moving, ignoring everyone else in the room.He stepped out into the corridor with Seumas, pulling the doors shut behind him.
"What has happened?Where are the men?"he asked.
"The men are camped in the wood half a league south of the Keep.All of them."He let out a slow breath."A day after ye left, a sealed message arrived from the king.I thought it best not to sit and wait, so we broke camp and came to ye."
Cormac stared at him for a moment, something loosening in his chest that he hadn't realized was coiled tight.His men.All of them, camped nearby, waiting on him.Loyal to a fault, the lot of them, and he was absurdly glad of it.
"Ye brought the message?"he asked.
Seumas produced a folded letter from inside his jerkin and held it out.The royal seal was unbroken.
Cormac took it and cracked the wax.
Shadow – Urgent.Need ye immediately.
He read it twice, then folded it away.All at once the chaos of the past day and a half felt very small and very far away.
"Are ye all well rested?There is food aplenty in the Keep if ye need to eat before we leave for Edinburgh."
Seumas scoffed."Need I remind ye, Shadow, we are not primped-up court lasses.We dinnae need to be mollycoddled like wee bairns.The men will find rest and food aplenty on the road.Keep life is making ye soft, I see."He smirked before turning on his heel toward the stables.
Cormac laughed, the first genuine laugh he'd had since riding through the Keep's gates."Aye, then.I'll join ye shortly."
