Three men sat bound against the far wall, wrists tied. They looked up sharply at the sound of the door.
“Ye,” Fergus Key spat.
Evan shut the door behind him and lit the single candle he’d brought with him. Its light revealed the men’s faces: bruised. Angry. Defiant.
He crouched before Fergus Key. “MacInnes wants to use my lands? Fine. I’ll let him.”
“Ye think he’ll trust ye now?” Key growled. “After betraying us to yer brother?”
“I betrayed nothing,” Evan snapped. “Hamish was the one who informed Niall. I said not a word. Nor will I. My brother can burn for all I care.”
Key took in his bloodied nose, eyes narrowing. Evan reached down and began untying the rope that bound Key’s wrists.
“What are ye doing?” Key demanded.
“Freeing ye.” He moved to the next man, untying the rope with deliberate calm.
“Ye expect thanks?” Fergus hissed, massaging his wrists. “We ought to gut ye where ye stand!”
Evan straightened slowly. “Ye could try,” he said evenly, “or ye could deliver a message.”
Key shifted, flexing stiff fingers. “What message?”
Evan crouched in front of him, letting the light catch the dried blood beneath his nose, the eye that was beginning to swell.
“Tell MacInnes I accept.”
The three men said nothing. Tension lay between them as taut as a bow string. If these men decided to repay him for his earlier attack, he would be hard-pressed to fend them off. He crossed his arms and waited.
Fergus Key studied him carefully. “We heard a fight,” he said at last. “Looks like yer brothers dinna care much for family reunions.”
Evan let something dark settle over his features. “They deserve what’s coming to them,” he growled. “All of them do.”
The men exchanged a look. Evan stood and opened the door, letting cool night air rush in. The men rose slowly, rubbing their wrists.
“If this is a trick—” Fergus began.
Evan turned back, letting the full weight of his stare land on the man. “A trick?” he said softly. “Why would I bother when all I had to do is leave ye to rot in here?”
They filed past him cautiously, glancing once toward the main house where faint candlelight flickered in upper windows.Fergus studied him. He couldn’t make out the man’s features, just the glint of his eyes.
At last, he spoke. “We’ll pass on yer message.”
Then they disappeared into the dark. Evan remained where he was for a long moment, listening to their retreating footsteps. The night swallowed the sound quickly. He was alone now. Truly alone.
He wiped the last of the blood from his lip with the back of his hand. The copper taste lingered. He straightened slowly, rolling his shoulders back.
He had ten days to walk back into a life he had clawed his way out of. Ten days to convince a predator that he was willing to become one again.
He lifted his gaze toward the dark horizon. Then he turned and walked into the night.
RUBY SAT AND STAREDout the window.
Beyond, the night pressed close. There was no moon. No stars. Just a thick, unbroken dark stretching across the grounds and into the distant line of trees. The wind stirred the branches, and every now and then she heard the lonely cry of an owl.
Where was Evan right now? Was he already with MacInnes? She imagined him surrounded by hard faces. Saw a knife drawn to test his nerve. Saw cold eyes assessing him, searching for weakness. Her pulse skittered. What if they suspected? What if he had to choose between proving himself and protecting—
Stop.
