Page 111 of A Courage of the Chosen

“I know, but this is how it needs to be, and you’re the only one I can trust to keep the council honest. Eòghann will be glad, after what happened last time.”

“Yeah, but that’s why I’m worried for you.” She stops me in the quiet hallways with a hand on my arm. Callahan continues walking. “What’s going on with you?”

My brows pinch together. “What do you mean?”

“I can tell there’s something bothering you, Elsie. You’ve been avoiding speaking to me alone after our last chat.” I hate that she’s noticed, because that’s exactly what I’ve done, only I thought I’d been a lot less obvious about it. “And riding off on your own like that this morning was really fucking daft of you.”

My shoulders slump. “I’m sorry. I just needed some time alone to think.”

“I get that, I truly do. But it’s not just that. I know you, lass. I can see there’s something you’re holding back. You don’t have to carry everything alone all the time.”

I clamp my teeth together, tamping down the words. Reyne has stood by me through everything I’ve faced, and hasn’t once faltered in her loyalty to our friendship. She’s a safe space, and I can wholeheartedly trust her.

But this secret I now carry is entirely different. It would change the way she saw me, and I couldn’t bear to witness the disgust in her blue eyes if she found out. She was among the first to raise her hand in ending Kerr’s life, and I know we’re closer than she and him were, but I can’t help asking myself . . . what if?

“I’m good.”

She holds my gaze for another second, then begrudgingly lets the issue go. We catch up to Callahan, and walk the rest of the way to Erin’s room in silence.

When we arrive, she’s sat on the large rug, with sheets of paper, crayons, and pencils littered around her as she concentrates. Cal had managed to determine she loves to draw, color, and paint, when they went for ice cream after her first training session with him.

By the time she got back to her rooms, there was a stack of supplies to make any artist jealous, and she’d quietly thanked us both.

I lean over her shoulder to take a peep. “Who’s that?”

She lifts it so I can get a proper look.

“This is me and Callahan training.”

The Seelie in question drops to his haunches next to us. “Good job on my muscles.”

She giggles just once, and my heart soars, her laughter is so rare. She’s more at ease around Callahan now, and there’s a trust between them that’s fragile but blooming. He took her out with him to the yard yesterday for the second time, and they returned to our room hand in hand.

“Are we training again today?” Erin’s eyes lift hopefully to his, having apparently developed a taste for it.

“Sure thing, soldier. But Eòghann will have to take over from me for a wee while. Is that okay?”

“Why?” she asks with a frown.

I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Callahan and I need to go somewhere, sweetie. We’ll be gone for a couple of weeks.”

Her face drops a fraction. “Where are you going?”

“We have to go to a small village tucked high into the mountains. But Reyne is staying here, and she’ll take care of you.”

“Will you see Brollachan?” she whispers.

“We might,” I reply honestly. “But we’ll be careful, and we’re taking guards with us.”

She looks back to Callahan, her bottom lip wobbling. “I don’t want you to go. Please don’t leave.”

Callahan’s expression softens into something I’ve never seen before, and when I reach for him down our bond, utter heartbreak for Erin pricks tears into my eyes.

“I’m sorry, Erin. If there was any other choice, we’d stay here with you. But there’s something there that we need, to banish the Dorche forever. Do you think you can brave without us while we’re gone?”

She hesitates, and then nods before crawling over to him and burying herself in his chest.

“Promise you’ll come back? You won’t leave me like my mum and dad?” She looks up at him, and if I wasn’t almost crying before, I’m sure as shit about to now.