Page 79 of A Fearless Rebel

She placed the cider on the bottom step and tiptoed around the side. Beside the stairwell, there was a short hallway with three steps down to a semi-hidden alcove.

It was easy to stand in the hallway without being seen, so Ava flattened against the wall and listened.

Keithen’s voice was first. “Ye need to stop acting so stubborn. I am as much to blame for what happened. There is no reason for her to know. What good would come of it?”

A hard lump formed in Ava’s throat. He’d professed his love to her just a couple weeks earlier and now…

“I do not care one way or the other if she knows or not. I will not tell her, but if she finds out that I was the one who shot her brother, then so be it.”

The woman was Esme. At first, Ava was relieved. But then at hearing what was said, she could barely breathe.

“She has gone through enough without having to find out her husband’s sister killed her brother.” Keithen sounded angry.

“I am sure he survived my shot. I ensured it.” Esme huffed. “I saved yer life and all ye are concerned with is yer shrew of a wife. Whatever ye say, she is the cause of ye almost dying and, finally, her brother’s death.” Esme’s loud voice carried clearly. “I will try to be nicer, but do not ask me to feel badly about her brother’s death. He almost killed ye.”

“I understand,” Keithen replied.

A strange numbness filled Ava. There were no thoughts or feelings, just an emptiness that, in a way, was welcoming.

She walked back to the great room, grabbed a cloak from near the doorway and went outside. Once in the courtyard, she went to her horse’s stall and dug in the back where she kept a bundle of clothes. She then guided the animal out and straight to the gates.

One of the guardsmen neared.

“Do ye require an escort?”

“No, I am walking about the keep with my horse. I do not plan to ride him.”

The man shrugged. “Make sure ye stay where the guards can see ye.”

In truth, she had no idea what to do. In the past, she’d run away when a situation became unbearable. This time, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to get away or not. Keithen was fighting with his sister to protect her. To leave would be a betrayal to him.

She guided the horse along the front of the keep to one end and then back to the other. The docile horse, not at all upset at being out of the stall, enjoyed her attention.

“Ava,” Keithen hobbled to her. “What are ye doing out here?”

Obviously, the guard had informed him, and he’d hurried out because all he was wearing was his tunic.

She stopped walking and studied his handsome face. He meant so much to her that she wanted to weep at his concerned expression.

“In the past, whenever I was upset, I ran away. I almost did it this time, but knowing ye would be hurt stopped me. For the first time in my life, I have a reason not to run.”

Keithen walked to her and lifted her face. “Why did ye come out here?”

“I overheard ye and Esme speaking. She shot my brother.”

“Aye, she did.”

A frigid wind blew, and Ava shivered. “Her shot did not kill him right away. My brother would not allow healers to help and the wound festered.”

“With everything that has happened between our clans, there will always be reasons for rifts. However, ye and I should not allow it to affect us.”

Tears of frustration spilled down her cheeks. “Ye should have told me. There was no need to keep such a secret. Why did ye not tell me?”

Keithen let out a breath. “Because ye have been through enough.” He took the horse’s reins from her frozen fingers. “Come inside, please. It is very cold.”

Of course, he had to be chilled through without any protection from the wind. Ava allowed him to guide her and the horse back inside the courtyard.

A stable man rushed to them and took the horse away as she and Keithen continued inside.