And he surely would not tell her.
“Her name is Ailith and she is kin,” Dyna said, steady as stone, drawing his attention back. “Are you willing to stay for a night or two?”
Edan took a moment to look over at his brother who shrugged and nodded. “I’d like a nice meal before we go back on the ship.”
Edan agreed. “We’ll stay, but how can you help?” Duart Castle was most impressive. From the massive curtain wall to the number of guards about, some working in the lists, others working their trade, he could see it was a place where hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
The inside was equally impressive, the dark wood of the walls in the great hall to the ornate scrolling of the dais, the dwelling was well cared for by man. He could see why MacKay had recommended they come here. Someone had to know something.
Sitting on the promontory of the firth, the castle’s parapets could provide a view of much that happened on the waterways and at the port. He’d be pleased to make his way around the castle if allowed.
Dyna said, “I know other seers. We all have different strengths, and I’m quite sure I can find out more for you. I may not be able to tell you exactly where she is, but I would wager I’ll be able to tell you who took her, and I would ask that you agree to something first.”
“What?” The word came sharper than he intended, revealing more hesitation than he liked. He wouldn’t promise anything to this woman he didn’t know, chieftain or not.
Things were different here at Duart Castle, and he hadn’t decided yet whether they were trustworthy or not. But he had not come this far to walk away because the chieftain was a woman.
A young girl hung over the balcony and shouted, “Aye, you can trust us. You should trust my mother more than anyone you know. She’s that honorable. And faeries are real.”
He grabbed onto the back of a nearby chair to anchor himself, his heart racing in his chest. When he was able, he glanced up at the lass above stairs. A young woman fussed with her hair, unconcerned with the fact that she’d casually revealed his inner thoughts as though one could announce such things whenever they wished.
She’d invaded his mind. Cut into his most guarded thoughts.
How? How had this slight lass known exactly what he was thinking?
He had that same unnatural sensation press in on him that he’d had the morning Heilyn disappeared. The feeling that someone could see inside his home, inside his soul.
Inside his mind.
It was as if he’d stepped out of his usual land on Islay and into a different world on Mull. A world of seers, of faeries, of people who could see inside your soul. He had to crush the urge to run out the door screaming.
“Sylvi, go back inside.”
“I will, Mama. I tore my leggings and came up to change.”
The lass went back into her chamber and Edan whispered, “How did she know my thoughts?”
Dyna’s arms crossed. “Sylvi hears what others do not say. She hasn’t done it much since she was young, but she’s been doing it more of late. Pay her no mind. We will pursue your daughter as long as you can make a promise to me. I’ll need that agreement, as I stated before.”
“What agreement?”
“You need to keep an open mind. You may not understand what we tell you, but you must be willing to consider that things may be different than you’ve seen in the past. Can you agree to listen with an open mind?”
Edan nearly refused, but he thought of his dear daughter, her head just sprouting red curls like her mother, her laughterlighting up everyone around him. His absolute fondest memory was when he picked her up one day when he wasn’t feeling well, and she set her head on his shoulder and patted his back.
Just as he’d done with her many times in the past.
He couldn’t explain to this chieftain that he didn’t believe in faeries because he couldn’t. Believing in them meant that some of the things his sire had told him could be true. And he just wasn’t willing to accept those things.
But he had observed a wee lass riding a dolphin, had met a lass who knew he carried a fear he kept hidden inside, and then another repeat his most innermost thoughts to everyone.
Perhaps he had to suspend his disbelief for seers. Was it possible for someone to see exactly where his daughter was? He could only pray it was true.
The truth was he’d do anything for Heilyn, including this, so reluctantly, he looked at the impressive female chieftain in front of him and nodded. “I’ll listen. You have my word.”
“My thanks to you.” She called out and a lass came over to the two of them. “Show them to the chamber at the end of the passageway. There are two separate beds in the chamber, and it has a small hearth.”
“Many thanks to ye.”
