But now, he realised that he didn’t want any future without her in it. He would sacrifice everything to save her and give her the choice of becoming his wife. He wanted that, more than all else. If she refused, then after he killed Oisin, he would accompany Rurik to Northumbria. There, they could search for the other fighters who had slaughtered his kinsmen in Maerr.
For now, he hoped he could convince her to stay. In the meantime, he needed to find Breanne and free her from captivity.
‘What should we do about Treasa?’ Alarr asked.
‘She is dangerous,’ Feann admitted. ‘Ambitious, and I blame her for bringing this threat to Breanne.’ With a slight laugh, he suggested, ‘You could take her back to Maerr with you where she could do no harm.’
There was a slight lift in the tension between them, but Alarr shook his head. ‘Her fate should rest in Cerball’s hands.’
‘I agree.’ The king paused again as he regarded him. ‘What will you do afterwards?’
‘What I want to do and what I will do are not the same,’ he admitted. ‘I want to take Breanne back with me to Maerr. I want to wed her and keep her at my side.’ He saw the grim look of fury in Feann’s expression. ‘But it is her choice to make.’
‘You cannot ask her to surrender her kingdom. It’s better if you leave her behind, even if she grieves.’
He met the king’s gaze. ‘We both know she is worth more than any kingdom. I will do what is right.’
Breanne had spent most of the night making her plans. It was far better to feign surrender, for then, the others might let their guard down. She had tied the blade and sheath to her thigh beneath her shift. Though she didn’t truly know how she would use the weapon yet, she intended to leave Clonagh by any means necessary. A knock sounded at the door, and a woman’s voice called out, ‘Breanne, may I come inside?’ It was her mother.
She bit her tongue to keep from stating the obvious, that she was heavily guarded, and the door was locked. Instead, she answered, ‘Yes.’ This might be a chance to seize her escape, especially if her mother left the door unlocked.
Treasa lifted the bar and came inside. She was dressed in a crimson gown, and her hair was neatly braided and concealed within a cap. ‘I brought this for you to wear.’ In her arms, she held out a gown of soft yellow, the colour of morning sunshine. It was beautiful, and for a moment, Breanne imagined herself wearing the léine while marrying Alarr instead. The thought made her throat close up with emotion, for he was gone. She had left him of her own free will, and there was no one to save her now.
Her mother helped her change into the léine, and when she finished lacing up the gown, Treasa turned to look at her. ‘You are so beautiful, Breanne. I could not be prouder.’
‘And yet, you are handing me to the enemy,’ she countered. ‘You brought me here under the pretence of seeing my homeland. But all along, you intended to force this marriage.’
Treasa’s face turned pained. ‘Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good.’
‘But you are not the one making the sacrifice, are you?’ She crossed her arms. ‘Oisin is not a kind man. He is not one you can manipulate to do your will.’
The expression on Treasa’s face never changed. ‘Oh, my sweet girl. You are so very young. Did you believe I would choose a man like Oisin without ensuring that you would be safe from him?’
Breanne didn’t understand. ‘What do you mean?’
Her mother drew close and lowered her voice. ‘Oisin is Cerball’s bastard son, but he is not a favourite. We will make the marital alliance and prove our loyalty to Cerball. But Oisin will not live long enough to be a threat.’
Treasa spoke of murder as if she were discussing food to prepare for an evening meal. ‘Wed him willingly, and I will see to it that he does not survive the wedding night.’
Breanne said nothing but only stared at her mother. Treasa folded her hands together. ‘Unless you want to lie with him?’
The thought made bile rise to her throat. ‘No.’
‘Good. Then I will bring you a potion to slip into his wine. He will fall asleep and never awaken.’
Breanne still could not bring herself to speak. Not only was her mother planning a murder, but she intended her daughter to carry out her plans. No matter that she despised Oisin, she was not a killer.
Treasa continued, ‘Let everyone believe that the marriage is consummated. I will bring your Lochlannach to you later, and you can attempt to conceive a child. We will claim it is Oisin’s, and the alliance will be finished.’ It was clear that her mother had no qualms about taking another man’s life if it served her purpose. And her lack of emotion was utterly chilling.
Breanne decided it was better to behave as if she were ignorant. She lowered her head, wondering how much time she had remaining.
Her unspoken question was answered when her mother asked, ‘Are you ready?’
No, she wasn’t. But it was far better to leave this chamber than to remain a prisoner. Before she could say anything, she heard the sound of a battle cry outside. Treasa pushed the door closed and blocked her path. Breanne peered through a crack in the door, and outside she saw a group of armed men charging forward. One of them was Alarr.
He was here. And from the looks of it, so was her foster father. Her emotions gathered up and spilled over as she could not stop her smile of joy. They had come for her, and both were alive.
When she glanced at Treasa, her mother’s face had turned furious. ‘Wait here,’ she
