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“Perhaps all the answers tie together,” Alyce suggested.
“You’ve suspected my leader’s identity since the first night you entered our camp, haven’t you?” Septimus asked.
“It seemed a logical assumption,” Alyce admitted. “Your leader always remained in the shadows where he couldn’t be seen. And when I demanded to meet with him you gave me an excuse and saw that it never happened. I asked myself why? Why did someone work so hard not to be seen? The answer was easy. He didn’t want to be recognized, which meant I would recognize him, and why? He resembled Lachlan.”
“So you assumed Ronan is our leader,” Septimus said.
“Our brother wouldn’t lead a band of mercenaries,” Cavan said as if insulted by the mere suggestion.
“Why not?” Septimus asked just as insulted.
“He’d have no reason to,” Artair explained. “He has a home to return to.”
“Perhaps he has a good reason for not returning home,” Septimus suggested.
“I don’t believe that,” Lachlan said. “Ronan would return home if he could, therefore, something is preventing him from coming home.”
“I have to agree with Septimus on this,” Alyce said to everyone’s surprise. “My father would have never believed that I would fake my death so I wouldn’t have to return home.”
Lachlan shook his head. “Not Ronan.”
“You don’t know that for sure,” Alyce said. “You have no idea what has happened to him in the time he’s been gone.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Cavan agreed with Lachlan. “Ronan would come home if he could.”
“Sometimes something happens to change people,” Alyce said.
“Cavan changed,” Honora said and looked with loving eyes at her husband, “but still he fought to get home. I believe Ronan would do the same.”
“Any Sinclare would,” Cavan said, his fist pounding the table. “I do not believe Ronan leads a band of mercenaries.”
“What you mean is that you can’t see your brother degrading himself that way,” Septimus said and stood. “We’re finished here.”
Every one of his men got to their feet.
Cavan stood, though stilled his warriors with his raised hand. “I’ll have an answer, Septimus.”
“Don’t you already have it?” Septimus challenged. “You don’t believe your brother would lead a band of mercenaries like us.” He motioned for his men to leave and they all filed out, except Dale and Hagen who waited for him near the door.
Septimus looked to Alyce. “I will wait one day. If you wish to return to Everagis join us and I will make certain you get home safely.”
Lachlan stood and stepped toward him. “My wife isn’t going anywhere.”
“I came here to give her a choice, and I will see that she has it.” Septimus turned and headed for the door, though he stopped just short of leaving and swerved around. “We would not want your brother Ronan part of us. He is a coward.”
Chapter 34
Lachlan and Artair went to go after Septimus, but Cavan’s strong command stopped them.
“Let him go.”
Reluctantly and angrily both brothers returned to the table.
Anger bubbled in Alyce and so she spoke without thinking. “You insulted him.”
“You took his side before,” Lachlan accused. “And you take it again?”
“I see the truth of the situation,” she defended. “While you see what you want to see.”
“What do you know of truth?” Lachlan asked sharply. “You believed that Ronan led the mercenaries and never shared that with me when you knew how important it was to me to find my brother.”
His accusation felt like a slap to the face and it angered her all the more. “I wasn’t certain. I assumed it could be your brother, since he hid his identity from me. Why else would he not speak with me face-to-face?”
“And you couldn’t share it?”
“It wasn’t my place?” she asked, hurrying off the bench to stand and glare in turn at each of them. “For whatever reason, your brother apparently doesn’t want to be found. And Everagis needed the mercenaries’ protection. You did as I expected upon meeting Septimus. You insulted and belittled him and expected him not to retaliate?”
“He called our brother a coward,” Cavan said, his tone bitter.
“A generous admission,” Alyce snapped.
Gasps circled the table, and it was Zia who spoke first.
“I know for certain Ronan is no coward. He suffered his wounds bravely while at my village.”
“And he fought like a true warrior,” Cavan said, his fist so tight at his side that his knuckles turned white.
“I cannot believe you side with Septimus and would believe our brother a coward,” Lachlan said.
Alyce refused to give way to the tears that threatened. “You once promised me that nothing would hurt our friendship and that you would never judge or condemn me.” She glared at her husband, her eyes heavy with unshed tears. “You lied to me.”
Alyce ran from the room and up the stairs to the bedchamber. She shut the door behind her and let her annoying tears fall, swiping angrily at them now and again. She quickly slipped out of her dress and hurried into her skirt and blouse. She had little time if she planned to catch up with Septimus.
