Page 38 of Highland Storm

“War is what it always be.”

Every man nodded to that truth, their looks solemn and full of uncertainty. Between them, the burning fire sizzled and sputtered.

His mood soured, Keane returned to his fletching.

Lianae placed a hand about his arm, squeezing gently. He wished he knew precisely what to say to allay her fears, for the thought of Scotia again at war—a battle never-ending—could hardly set any man or woman at ease. It had been less than five years since they’d laid down their arms.

And yet… with David pre-occupied in Northumbria, he would have little enough to say about the fate of the woman sitting beside him. With a bit of luck, and a bit more time, mayhap he could see to her himself…

He could then return her to Lilidbrugh to retrieve her stones, and he could help her determine where best to go from there—not back to her husband, this much was certain. Though in his dreams, mayhap the vale?

In the meantime, David would expect them to return to Keppenach—not Dunloppe. And now there were more important things to consider: How might Scotia’s war affect the vale? Would David force Aidan to finally take a side? And if so, what would his brother do?

Keane knew Aidan well enough to predict he would never agree to do battle to further David’s cause—particularly not down in the borderlands. And once again, he would defy Scotia’s king, and how would this go? For Aidan? For Lael?

Everyone would be forced to choose a side.

Including Keane.

As for Lianae… not for the first time, Keane found himself wondering: Who were her people? Where did they fit in this battle David planned to wage? And clearly, he wasn’t the only one who was wondering…

“What about you, lass? What’s your sad tale?” the elder messenger asked. He was staring at Lianae.

Picking at the underside of her fingernail, Lianae slid Keane a nervous glance. “I have no story,” she claimed.

The man screwed his face. “No story? Everyone has a story.”

Lianae shook her head.

King David’s soldier considered Lianae a long moment, before sweeping his gaze over the rest of the men as though to gauge their expressions as well. And now everyone was staring at her as he turned to address her once more, squinting his blue eyes at her. “So, then, how di’ ye come to find yourself… here… amidst these wretches?”

Lianae blinked. “Me?”

“Aye, lass,” he said a bit impatiently, his tone a little more condescending. “I ken how the rest of these dolts all came tae be here.” He waved a hand to indicate the lot of them. “They were sent by decree of the king. ’Tis why we came searching, after all. But what about ye?”

“I…”

Lianae peered from one man to another, uncertain how to continue. Fear paralyzed her tongue. The only one thing she knew for certain was that she could not afford to reveal aught to these men about whence she had come. At the moment, they were content enough to loathe the English, though if she revealed who she was, she was certain they would return to hating her people all at once. She looked toward Keane for salvation, praying silently that he would intervene, silence their conversation once and for all. But he did not. Like the others, he too seemed to be waiting for an explanation, and Lianae inhaled a shaky breath and decided to appease them with a half-truth. “I am… searching for my brothers.”

The elder messenger lifted both his brows. “Your brothers?”

Lianae nodded, averting her gaze almost as once, her heart beating a little faster.

“An’ ye happened upon these wastrels… where?”

“Lilidbrugh,” Lianae replied, swallowing. There was no true reason for anyone to be near Lilidbrugh… unless they were leaving a changeling for the faeries… or hiding.

The one called Luc eyed Keane with a lifted brow. “That auld pile of rocks?” He returned his gaze to Lianae and she nodded uncomfortably, once again averting her gaze. A heavy silence followed her declaration and Lianae could feel the tension mounting in the air.

The elder messenger persisted. “Where might be these brothers o’ yours, lass? Er’ they friend o’ the faeries perchance?” The men all laughed a little awkwardly. “I believe that’s all what be hanging ’round those parts.”

Most of the men quieted at once, waiting to hear what Lianae had to say.

Keane watched her as well, his curious green eyes catching a glint of moonlight.

The sound of their horses nickering softly outside the warmth of the fire was the only sound to breach the silence. “I dunno,” Lianae confessed. “I ha’e not seen them in… a while…”

“Is that so?” the elder man asked. “An’ ye say ye ha’e two?”