“It was.” Gordon peered out the corner of his eye at Darshan as they passed through a lit intersection. “He trusted me mum once, too. And he seems to trust you.”
“But you still do not,” Darshan said, fairly confident that was the direction the man was taking. “I understand, really I do. Entrusting the wellbeing of your brother to someone who is virtually a stranger? I would likely have the same doubts if it were my sibling.”
Gordon wet his lips. He glanced over his shoulder, seemingly satisfied they didn’t share the dark corridor. “He almost succeeded in his last attempt. Ate berries he had to ken were poisonous. Fortunately, we were nae far from the cloister at the time.”
“And he has not sought to try since?”
Gordon shook his head. “Constant surveillance when he leaves his quarters. Nae weapons when he’s alone. Anything to keep him from taking his life.”
Not much of one. Whilst Hamish was distraught over the idea of being flung into a cloister, it seemed the man’s life would’ve been better if that had happened. “Still, a little forewarning would’ve been nice.” He might’ve been able to spot some hint of what had transpired in the forest before the bear could be roused.
“Aye, that was me fault. I didnae think he’d make another attempt with you nearby. He seemed stable enough journeying to the cloister.” He sighed and wiped at the corner of his eye. “But I was wrong and he almost paid for that misjudgement.”
“You might not have been as far off as you believe.” After having listened to Hamish’s every word all the way to the roadside, he had a fair idea of the reasons behind his actions. He didn’t think they were called for, but he saw the steps leading to where they were now easily enough.
They trotted up a flight of stairs. It could’ve been the dimness of their passage, but he didn’t recall walking this part of the castle before. Where was the man taking him? And would he be able to find his way back without alerting anyone?
“What if…” Gordon drawled. “What if you join the contest?”
Darshan came to a halt, all forward motion seemingly impossible whilst his mind sparked and buzzed. “Me?” Unable to see the man’s face properly in the dim corridors, he formed a small ball of light to balance on his palm.
Gordon seemed wholly serious.
“I can compete?” Hamish hadn’t mentioned anything about that. Surely the man would know who was eligible to enter the contest for his own hand. “I thought all the suitors were women?”
“Aye.” It could’ve been the low light, but there seemed to be a gleam of humour in Gordon’s eyes. “But the rules always remain the same of the competitors regardless if the hand being fought for belongs to a man or a woman. They request that only eligible nobles apply.”
A small flicker of hope peeked into the darkness of Darshan’s despairing thoughts. If he could compete, if he could win, then Hamish would be free to leave with him to Minamist. Except… “Your mother would never allow me to—”
Gordon bowed his head. Thick, auburn curls tumbled from his temples to obscure part of his face. “She would stop you.” His gaze lifted, peeking through his hair. “But who said she needs to ken you’re there until you’ve won? I’ve a few of me wife’s belongings still packed away, including her clothes and the banner she competed under during the contest for me hand.”
Darshan shook his head. Competing as himself was one thing. But, whilst he wasn’t exactly a rough-around-the-edges kind of man, he would certainly get caught if he tried masquerading as a woman. “Would I not be a little conspicuous?” Darshan indicated the beard he had cultivated in the past month. “Even if I shaved and wore a dress, I—”
Gordon waved his hand, seemingly brushing the concern aside. “The competition requires each clan to present their suitors covered top to bottom.” The man gestured from Darshan’s head to his feet. “You’re a mite bit taller than me wife was, but you’re near the same build.”
“I thought you did not trust me. Now you are asking me to secretly compete in what I gather is a rather serious rite?”
Gordon folded his arms across his chest. “I didnae think much of you at first, but you saved me brother from completing the worst decision of his life.” He shrugged and let his arms fall to his sides before resuming his sauntering pace to whatever destination the man had in mind. “I think you’re owed a bit of trust.”
Darshan shuffled along behind the man, keeping the orb floating just over his shoulder to light the way. “You mean I stopped him from the outcome of one terrible choice and threw him into a worse scenario.” Competing for Hamish’s hand could be a step towards making it right. As long as he didn’t get caught. “You seem sure of him even wanting to speak to me ever again. He seemed pretty angry.” Not that Darshan blamed him. “Where is he right now?”
“Bed. Dinnae fash,” he added, his cheek twitching as he shot Darshan a reassuring smile. “I’ve got people keeping an eye on him. And me brother’s nae the type to hold grudges.”
They had rounded a few more corners and clambered up two more flights of stairs before another thought came to mind. “What of your wife’s clan? If I enter under her old banner, will they not dispute knowing me?” Were two competitors from the same clan even allowed? Darshan toyed with the end of his moustache. If he did compete, he would certainly need Gordon to fill him in on the rules.
“They probably would,” Gordon conceded. “But her clan
