From the way he was acting, she knew she’d hit a nerve.
“Cam, I swear upon my mother’s grave that the Keith had nothing tae do with the burning of Netherton,” she said quietly. “Drostan sent his men intae town dressed in our woolen because he knew any survivors would think it was the Keith. He wants our lands; he wants everything we have. That is why we went tae the Ludus Caledonia—we knew we needed tae find someone who could help us resist the Lindsay.Thatis why ye’re here. Now, I’ll ask ye again—did ye believe the Keith responsible for the destruction of Netherton?”
He continued to stir the embers, bringing about a brighter blaze, and a soft golden glow filled the cottage. He set the stick aside and sat on the messy woolen blankets.
“It isna that I canna sleep,” he finally muttered, avoiding the question. “It is that I’m afraid tae. Last night, ye saw why. I used tae dream about the destruction of Netherton in the beginning, but time at The Cal saw those nightmares go away. Last night, they came back. I’m afraid tae close my eyes again.”
Isadora could hear such vulnerability in his tone, something that tugged at her heart. “Will ye tell me everything?” she pleaded softly. “I want tae know. I want tae help if I can.”
He shook his head. “Ye canna help,” he said. “No one can help. I wasna in Netherton when the raid began. I only came afterward. I ran tae the cottage I shared with my grandfather, but it was destroyed and there was no sign of him.”
Isadora could feel his pain. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
But he wasn’t finished, speaking as if unable to stop himself. “He was the man who raised me, who meant the world tae me,” he said. “I searched for two days but I never found any trace of him. I knew I had tae punish the men who had destroyed myvillage. They took everything away from me and I couldna let it go unanswered.”
“So ye went tae the Ludus Caledonia?”
He nodded. “I did,” he said, turning to look at her. “That day in the Vale of Demons when ye ambushed me, ye told me of the place and I remembered it. I dunna know why I should remember something from so long ago, but I did. Ye told me that is where the greatest warriors learn tae fight.”
“But how did ye find it? ’Tis not an easy place tae find.”
He snorted ironically. “After I searched for my grandfather, I went tae Kirkburn Castle for help. I wanted Drostan tae do something tae punish the Keith and he told me that he would. I brought up The Cal and how I wanted tae learn tae fight so I could avenge my grandfather, and Drostan told me I should go. He’s the one who told me how tae find the place.”
Isadora was listening with a great deal of distress. “Then Drostan led ye tae believe it was the Keith, too.”
“He did. He encouraged me tae avenge my village and now I understand why.”
“Why?”
“Because I would come back and attack the Keith. I would become his weapon and do exactly what he meant I should.”
Isadora looked at him for a very long time. There was something in that statement that had her attention and as she mulled it over, she began to realize just what it was.
He was telling her of his true motivation.
“And is that what ye intended tae do?”
“Aye.”
“That’s why ye accepted my da’s offer.”
“Aye.”
He didn’t hesitate in his replies, but the words cut her to the bone. There was betrayal there.
“Ye told me ye loved me,” she said painfully. “Did ye tell me that tae get close tae me, knowing it would bring ye closer tae yer vengeance?”
He looked at her, his expression full of turmoil. “I told ye I loved ye because I do,” he muttered. “I’ve loved ye since before Netherton was burned. I think I loved ye when ye first demanded birds’ eggs from me. But I loved my grandfather, too. Dunna ye see, Isadora? I swore tae destroy the Keith before I knew ye were a Keith. When ye finally told me, I had tae decide if my sense of vengeance was stronger than my love for ye. It’s been killing me ever since.”
Now, Isadora realized what had turned him into a sullen, moody brute. She could see it plainly. Cam was being torn apart from the inside.
Now, it was tearing her apart, too.
“Is it?” she asked as tears stung her eyes. “Is yer love for me stronger than yer vengeance?”
“I dunna know,” he said honestly. “Until today when we arrived in Auchnacree, I truly dinna know. Until today, I was going tae do all I could tae see yer clan punished for what they did tae my grandfather. But now… now, everything yer father said makes sense.”
“Do ye truly believe him?”
