But for now, she would listen and watch.
Alarr led her towards the fire, and she sat on a fallen log. He took a place beside her, and then regarded Darin again. ‘Where is Feann now?’
The man hesitated a moment. ‘King Cerball wanted him to—’
‘I asked where he is. Not what he is doing,’ Alarr interrupted.
Darin eyed Breanne as if he didn’t want to answer. At last, he said, ‘I don’t know where Feann is now.’
He wasn’t going to tell Alarr anything, and she understood that. But he could tell her the truth if she commanded it. And perhaps she could confront Feann and end the vengeance between Alarr and him.
‘But you do know where the escaped prisoner was being held,’ she pointed out.
There was tension in his shoulders, as if he didn’t want to reveal too much. She understood that he was trying to protect Feann, for her sake. His loyalty was commendable.
At that point, Rurik interrupted. ‘Alarr, I can join these men and escort Breanne to Killcobar if you want to go in search of Feann and the prisoner.’
There was a silent glance exchanged between the men, and she wondered why Rurik would want them to split up. She was trying to decide what to say when Alarr’s gaze narrowed upon Darin. ‘There’s something you’re hiding from us, and it’s not about Feann. It has greater importance, doesn’t it? It’s the reason why he didn’t search for Breanne.’
The captain shifted his gaze back to Breanne but made no denial. ‘My duty is to keep Lady Breanne safe.’
‘But there is another threat,’ Alarr guessed. ‘And I suspect it has something to do with the escaped prisoner.’
The captain tried to keep his face expressionless, but Breanne saw the way he averted his gaze. There was something Darin was hiding.
‘Tell me,’ Breanne insisted. ‘I have the right to know the truth.’ He refused to meet her gaze, so she stood and drew closer. Her senses grew heightened as she waited for him to answer.
At last, he lifted his head and regarded her. ‘You do.’ With a pause, he added, ‘The prisoner that King Cerball exiled was your mother.’
Chapter Six
Breanne’s heart was pounding with a blend of anxious nerves. ‘They told me she was dead. My father was executed, and I thought Treasa was killed alongside him.’ But now, she wondered if Feann had lied to her about everything.
The captain shook his head. ‘Your father was executed for treason, and your mother was exiled. King Cerball has command of their lands at Clonagh.’
For a moment, she felt as if she had been turned to stone. Everything she had known in her life was a lie. A tremor of anger took root and slowly kindled into rage. ‘And Feann knew she was alive. All this time, he knew.’
Darin nodded. ‘Feann was trying to negotiate with King Cerball. He wanted you to reclaim your birthright by wedding a man loyal to Cerball. But Cerball denied him for years. Feann never told you because he didn’t know if he would be able to bring you back again.’
She was already shaking her head. Right now, she felt as if her life had spun out of control, and she was struggling to grasp the truth. How could Feann have lied to her all those years about her family? The thought sickened her. She had believed that he cared for her like his own daughter. And now, it seemed that he had only been using her to solidify his alliance with Cerball and possibly gain command of Clonagh.
One moment, she had planned to leave Killcobar behind and begin anew with her own choices. Now, it seemed that kings were manipulating her life, pulling her in directions she’d never imagined.
There was only one person who could tell her the truth of what had happened. And she needed to understand all of it. She regarded Darin and asked, ‘Where is my mother now?’
‘If Feann was successful in capturing her, then likely she was returned to her exile at Dún Bolg,’ the captain answered.
‘What do you want to do, Breanne?’ Alarr asked. His voice was quiet, almost gentle. ‘You can go back with Rurik. Or if you want to go with me to Dún Bolg, I will escort you there. The choice is yours.’
At first, she didn’t know whether to let him accompany her. But if Feann had already brought her mother to Dún Bolog, then likely her foster father was returning to Killcobar. It was better to keep Alarr away from Feann. ‘I want to see my mother.’
She had so few memories of her past, and she didn’t even know if she would recognise Treasa. Was her mother aware of what had happened to her? Would she care at all? A fervent longing prickled within her with the hope that she did have at least one person to call family.
‘We can leave as soon as you are ready,’ Alarr offered.
It surprised her that he wanted to travel by nightfall, but perhaps it would be safer. The moon was bright, and most of the journey would be through open fields. Breanne had never been to Dún Bolg, but she had heard that the lands lay towards the west.
She gathered a few belongings, along with some food, while Alarr and Rurik spoke in the Norse language once more. Then the brothers bid one another farewell, embracing before Alarr brought his horse to her. He tied her bundle to the saddle and helped her mount.
To the captain, she said, ‘I bid you and your men good fortune.’ Then she turned to Rurik. ‘Swear to me that you will not harm Feann.’
He nodded. ‘I swear it.
