- Alistair went to Inverness to bring Ravenna to trial and had promised Aideen to bring his sister with him. He was caught in a trap as he was leaving the castle with Aileen's help. Aideen arrived with Bruce when Aileen was being dragged into a boat and managed to prevent Ravenna from taking her. - he made a face. - In all this confusion, Loch was killed by Ravenna; my brother was wounded by a beast and Aileen fled into the forest, while Ravenna disappeared in a boat.
- So you don't know where she is?
- No, but my brother sent Bruce to find her and, by the way, Bruce is good at finding people. It's the best tracker we've got.
- You're dissociated. - smile and agree.
Luckily, I could see Bruce's abilities before he left with Alistair for Dunhill. I knew he'd bring my sister back safe and sound. You knew that too because I trained you to stay alive. I just didn't know if he would survive Aileen's talent for talking too much about everything that came to his mind.
- I want to go to Dunhill! - I fired out of bed and stood up. - Bruce will search the woods from top to bottom. We'll have a better chance of finding her if we come from the bottom up. If Ravenna's men have found her and are bringing her here, they'll have to go through us.
- What about your sisters? - Alec asked if he'd come near me. - They think you're dead, Aila.
- You said yourself that it no longer makes sense for me to remain dead to protect them.
- Yeah, but what about you? - he fired. His tone was highly worried.
I took a deep breath. I had to know that my sisters were alive, but in return, I had become a truffle for Alistair. The fact that I was Phillipe's daughter made me a callus on Roy's boot, and if he knew I was alive, he would kill me so that Alistair wouldn't have a chance to tell Phillipe anything. The youngest one was already on the throne and that was a hindrance. Aideen's pregnancy only made things worse for Roy. He had one foot in the grave and just needed to finish sinking it.
- Alec, I have a plan, but I need to talk to Alistair first. - I said after a little thought. - I think I can convince Phillipe to help us.
- That's dangerous, Aila! - he fired. - In addition, she must be accompanied by a member of royalty to be heard by him.
I smiled at Alec showing that I knew well about that condition. It wasn't enough for me to be the king's daughter, I was still seen as a lord's daughter. I needed Alistair or Alec to accompany me to an audience. Alec seemed to understand very well, for he turned his eyes.
- I won't let Alistair come to England with you to try to make a deal. - Alec exploded. - Phillipe can kill you if you don't agree with that idea very much. He just became a father and will be crowned soon. I won't let you risk your life in enemy territory.
- I know that and I would never ask such a thing of you!
- Is that so?
- Yeah. - Smile settling down. - That's why you're coming with me!
Chapter 12
Alec
I stood there, amazed, looking at the redhead in front of me. She looked at me confidently, while I could hardly believe her words.
- You've gone crazy! - I exclaimed with my frown. - Under no circumstances will I cross the rest of Scotland to England.
- Alec, this could be our chance to get a bigger army and invade that fortress. - Bree insisted.
- That could cost us months of campaigning! - I said exasperated and walked around. - I can't risk the men here dying of winter or lack of food. It's long enough that they're camped out.
I paused and took a deep breath.
- Your proposal is by far the best idea we have had so far, but I cannot risk losing any man under my command. - I stopped in front of her. - That includes you.
Bree let out a growl, contradicted by my words.
- Alec, we can use the tide to our advantage and get to London within a month. - she insisted. I had a laugh.
- The same way we're watching Roy, he's watching us, too. Do you really want to take a chance by sea? We'll be caught before we cross the channel.
- Not if we break from above!
I frowned and then I laughed again. Everything she said sounded crazy.
- So you want to go to Dunhill and from there leave for London by sea?
Not that it was impossible, but a trip to Dunhill would take almost three months. Of course, there were shortcuts that would make us arrive with less time, but they were dangerous trails full of packs.
- Why is that funny? - she asked ironically.
I sighed.
- Aila... Listen...
- Bree. - she said so angry. - My name is Bree. Aila died two years ago in that car accident.
- Listen, as much as I like Breanna, Aila MacBride is her baptismal name. - he said, approaching her. - You'll have to accept that if you really want to see your sisters again.
Bree held his breath. She was taking seriously the plan to go to London and negotiate with Phillipe. I had a pretty good plan to get there. She was
