Page 44 of Darach

She took in a breath and then nodded. “On the count of three. One, two, three.”

As Charlotte said “I’m falling in love with you,” Darach said “I’d give you my heart.” As their words tangled they stared at each other.

“I know the MacRoss don’t marry or have families,” she said, wanting to make herself clear. “I’m not asking you to make any promises for the future, either. I don’t care about those things. I just want to be with you.”

“Then from tonight we shall be together.” He kissed her so tenderly it made her heart ache. “Until you bid me go, I shall stay by your side, my beautiful lady.”

* * *

Early in the morning Luthias received a scroll from a laird he seldom saw but still considered a friend, thanks to some mutually profitable livestock trading as well as the more unusual aspects of rule that they shared.

“’Twould seem the Mag Raith mean to expand their herds this season,” he told Duine as the master sage sorted through his own messages. “Lord Domnall wishes to pay a visit to see our young mares, mayhap to purchase some for his new breeding scheme.”

“He’s a strange one, with his old Pritani ways and that golden ink.” Duine shook his head. “Mayhap you should advise him wait, my lord. The vassals, they’ve noticed that the Carack watchers and patrols on the boundaries, they’ve doubled of late.”

“Aye, we’ve spied the same. Doubtless Struan wishes a show of strength. ’Twillnae affect Domnall’s visit, as he travels alone.” Luthias tucked the scroll under his belt before he noticed the sage looking uneasy. “’Tis something more amiss?”

“’Tis a message from Mairi, my lord. She and her family shall stay on Skye another moon to attend to some matters with their kin. ’Tis likely some dispute over her sire’s holdings.” He looked up at him. “I’m no’ easy with the long absence of the clan’s healer. Some of the elder sages, they’re in growing need of her care. Sgur grows more reckless and absent-minded of late as well.”

The oldest of the MacRoss’s sage enclave had always created more chaos than order with his trials, but Luthias recalled what Emery had told him about the latest and most dangerous endeavor with the ever-multiplying mushrooms he’d taken from the Fae crystal caves. Had they escaped and infested their forests, the consequences would have been disastrous.

“I shall ask Domnall to bring his clan’s shaman,” Luthias assured him. “’Tis but a day’s journey for them to reach Dun Lasair, and Edane’s a fine healer.”

After writing the reply to the Mag Raith, Luthias went to the lists in search of Darach to warn him of the impending visit. There he found Ameron monitoring the sparring circles while Taveon stood peering into the window of a nearby granary.

“The chieftain accompanied Mistress Walsh for a walk this morning, my lord,” Ameron told him. “Before he left he ordered everyone stay clear of the spring, so I reckon they went there.”

Luthias nodded and thanked him for standing in for Darach before he went over to join the war master. “You grow very fond of inspecting our stores of late.”

“Someone tried again to shoot the chieftain last night,” Taveon said. “The only spot that provides concealment is inside this granary. I’d ask your lady to inspect the inside for any trace of the bastart.”

“His lady says no problem at all.” Emery appeared and wriggled between them to peer inside the window. “I’m going to need some more light, parchment, clean shallow bowls and everyone to stay outside.” She sniffed the air. “What is that smell? It’s like wet concrete.”

Luthias breathed in. “’Tis fresh mortar.”

“I’m guessing you make yours out of lime, right?” When he nodded she stepped back. “The clan stores sacks of grain in here, right?”

“Aye.” He moved to look over her head. “What of them?”

“Some of the sacks over there have dark stains on the bottom. It could be mold, I suppose.” She made a frustrated sound. “I need to go in to take a better look, but this is making me flash back to the shearing barn.”

Taveon called for the guards to bring torches as Luthias looked for any sign of tampering before he went inside. The scent of mortar grew strong as he ducked under the low overhang and looked over the interior before allowing her to enter.

“It’s better if you stay by the door, honey,” Emery told him, and then called out, “I don’t want to bring torches inside, Tav, so have your guys hold them by the windows.” She made her way forward carefully, examining the floor before taking a step.

Luthias drew his sword as his wife crouched down by a bulging sack. “What see you?”

“I smell decomposition now. I’m going to look inside this one.” She removed the small dagger she carried on her belt and cut the drawstrings, and then pulled open the top of the sack. She made a low sound of distress that tempted him to go and pull her away. Only knowing his wife and her methods kept him still.

“Tell me what you see,” he said softly.

“There’s a corpse in here. All I can tell is that it’s female.” She let out a long breath. “She’s completely covered in dried, light-colored muck. I’ll assume that’s the mortar.”

“I’ll have the men carry her out,” Luthias told her. “You can examine the body in the infirmary.”

She turned around to look at him, her mouth tight. “Her hands are missing.”

After searching all the sacks they discovered two more nude bodies plastered with mortar, and one of those also had no hands. Luthias directed the guards to carry the dead to the infirmary while Emery finished inspecting the granary’s interior for evidence.