‘We will make our plans tonight,’ Feann said in a low voice. ‘Nevin is one of my men. I sent him to Clonagh years ago, and no one knows of his loyalty to me.’
Alarr gave a nod, recognising it as a sound strategy. Yet, he questioned what the king would do now. ‘What is Breanne to you? A political pawn for your own alliances?’
Feann leaned back against the shed. ‘She is a daughter to me, in all but blood. I have cared for her since she was two years of age.’ There was a softness in his voice as he spoke of her.
‘But you intended to wed her to one of Cerball’s men,’ Alarr ventured.
‘It would have kept her safe from Treasa. I needed a strong man to marry her, one who would protect her and ensure that she would not be killed for her lands. A warrior.’
In the darkness, Alarr could not see Feann’s expression. He knew that the king had no wish to see Breanne with a man like him, though he didn’t say it. Even so, the thought of giving Breanne to another warrior filled him with a surge of possessive anger.
Another man would not understand that despite her façade of bravery, she had a tender heart and a fierce loyalty to her family. One day, when she bore children, he had no doubt she would fight to protect them. She was a strong woman, and she had faced threats that would have made others weep. Instead, she had risen up to meet those challenges.
Yet, he had turned her away for the sake of vengeance.
He closed his eyes, recognising what a mistake he had made. Although Feann wanted her to wed an Irish nobleman, Alarr knew he could not give her up a second time. She belonged to him and he was hers. Somehow, he would find a way to be with her.
The door swung open, and both of them unsheathed their weapons. ‘It’s me,’ came the voice of the guard, Nevin.
‘What can you tell us about Breanne?’ Feann asked.
The guard answered, ‘She is being held captive in the shelter at the far end of the ringfort. In the morning, Oisin plans to wed her and seize command of Clonagh.’ From the man’s tone, it was clear that he did not support Oisin’s leadership.
Alarr’s mood darkened, and he regretted not killing the man when he’d first had the opportunity. He would not hesitate a second time. He gritted his teeth and asked the guard, ‘Did he harm her?’
The guard’s silence weighed heavily. Then, after a time, he admitted, ‘Everyone heard her screams.’
Alarr felt his rage gather into a tight ball of hatred. He never should have let her leave. ‘I will see Oisin dead for this.’
Feann caught his arm. ‘Take your vengeance upon him. And I will see to Breanne’s safety first.’ In a low voice, he ordered the guard to leave.
At first, Alarr wanted to be the one to save Breanne. He blamed himself for what had happened, and he should be there for her.
And yet, he remembered how Breanne had felt abandoned by her father. She had gone into slavery, believing that Feann had left her, when the truth was, her father had tried to search for her. Moreover, if he sent the king to fight Oisin, Feann might not survive.
The decision weighed up on him as he tried to decide what was best. Breanne had left him, not wanting to witness their fight. She might not want to see him again, and he knew he would not be able to stop himself from embracing her.
Gods help him, he was in love with her. And he didn’t know if he had the strength to let her go. He could not force her to stay with him, nor was it right. She deserved the choice.
‘As you will,’ he told the king. ‘Go and save Breanne. I will face Oisin.’ If he placed his focus on killing his enemy, it would be a strong distraction.
The thought of being without Breanne was a physical ache inside him. If she did not want to see him again, it was best to leave Éireann and never look back.
There was a slight ease in the man’s tension. ‘And after he is dead? What then?’
‘I don’t know the answer to that yet.’ It depended entirely on Breanne’s wishes. But after she had left him once, he doubted if she would change her mind.
The king’s expression darkened. ‘I was right about you. You were only using her for your own gains. Breanne never meant anything to you.’
At that, his temper exploded. He took Feann by the throat and shoved him against the wall. ‘Breanne meant everything to me. But I know I’m not the man she needs. I cannot ask her to turn her back on her homeland. I will do the right thing by her, even if it means walking away.’
He released Feann and stepped back. The king appeared startled by his outburst, but his demeanour turned thoughtful. ‘And what is it you think she needs?’
‘A powerful warrior who can love her and protect her. One who is whole.’ He hadn’t meant to voice the last part, but it was true. He had let her go, fearing he couldn’t fight for Breanne the way he wanted to. He never wanted to see her broken or hurt because of him.
‘You defeated me,’ Feann pointed out. ‘But I agree with you. Breanne should not wed a Lochlannach and abandon her kingdom. They need her now, more than ever.’
Alarr said nothing, though he was startled at Feann’s reminder. He had defeated a strong fighter, in the end. He might not have the speed or balance that he’d once had, but he had been a warrior all his life. Perhaps it was time to stop dwelling on the possibility of failure and
