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Ailis hid her amusement and maintained a neutral expression, playing her part in clan politics. “Thank ye, Kevin. Ye are a good man to help me.”

Walking through the woods, Ailis matched Kevin’s confident stride. The rustle of fallen leaves whispered beneath their footsteps as Ian trailed behind. Kevin smiled at her. “Yer throw was perfect, as always. Ye and yer sisters are accomplished warriors.”

“Me father raised us to be strong.” She knew Ian was listening, but at that moment she didn’t care. He wasn’t even willing to help with the deer.

In the clearing, they hoisted the deer onto a sturdy branch and its blood seeped into the soil.

Ailis turned toward Ian, his tall figure emerging from the shadows.

She made a show of thanking Kevin for his help.

“Thank ye for bringing the deer back for me. It would have worn me out to do it, but I would have.”

Kevin nodded, his eyes sparkling with laughter as he knew what she was doing. “I will always help if I am able.”

“Thank ye for the company.” Ailis gazed at Lachlan. He stood, watching them intently.

A sweet smile bloomed on her lips, meant for Lachlan. She wanted to call to him that he needn’t send his men following her, but she didn’t want Ian to know how much it bothered her.

Ian bowed slightly, but Ailis barely noticed. Turning, she approached the keep as Lachlan’s watchful eyes followed her every step.

As soon as she crossed the threshold, he appeared at her side. “Ye shouldna walk with Ian again,” Lachlan warned.

“Is that a request or a command?” Ailis asked, meeting his gaze squarely.

“Consider it… a heartfelt entreaty,” he replied. Their mutual attraction was undeniable yet tangled in clan loyalty and politics.

Ailis held herself with dignity. “Yer concern is noted.” She continued through the keep with determination.

She was inside the building when Lachlan caught up with her again. Ailis faced him, her eyes burning with determination. “I am beholden to no man’s command on whom I may walk with,” she declared, standing firmly as an equal.

“Ye put yerself at risk,” Lachlan countered, leaning forward. “What if Ian’s intentions are less than honorable?”

“We understand his intentions are less than honorable. But if ye want to help me, next time, ye may follow along or join us,” Ailis replied.

“It is not for ye to dictate me choices. I am well capable of discerning one’s intentions and protecting meself.

He saw me skill with a knife in the woods. He would be a fool to try to hurt me.”

“Is it yer pride then, Ailis? Is it too much to ask that ye consider how this might affect our clans?” Lachlan asked.

“Consideration does not require obedience,” she stated. “Me actions are taken with both clan and heart in mind, yet I must also listen to me heart and me own mind.”

The silence between them was heavy with unspoken truths. Lachlan’s glare remained unwavering, but Ailis stood firm.

“Ye are as stubborn as the winter frost,” he lamented, torn between admiration and frustration.

“Perhaps,” Ailis acknowledged with a hint of a smile. “But ’tis a necessary trait for one in me position.”

Gracefully, she turned away, sensing Lachlan’s intense gaze. As she reached her bedchamber, his voice echoed through the corridor. “Ye have not heard the last of this matter, Ailis!”

“Nor have ye,” she murmured. The matter was far from over. Behind her chamber door, she finally caught her breath.

Ailis settled into the quiet sanctuary of her room, the soft glow of the hearth casting a warm light over the chamber. She moved with practiced grace, deftly undoing the clasps of her cloak as she let it fall to the floor in a whisper of fabric.

The encounter with Lachlan lingered in her thoughts, his intense gaze stuck in her mind. She couldn’t deny the tug of attraction between them, even in the middle of the complex web of duty and expectations that bound them to their respective clans.

As she combed through her hair, each stroke a soothing rhythm against the tangles, Ailis couldn’t shake the image of Lachlan’s earnest expression. His concern for her safety was evident, underscoring the genuine affection that simmered beneath their cautious interactions.

But thoughts of Ian also intruded upon her reflections, his polished facade masking darker intentions that sent a shiver down her spine.

Ailis knew she treaded on dangerous ground, navigating a path strewn with thorns of duty and desire.

The memory of her walk with Ian lingered like a bitter aftertaste, his smooth words veiling a sharp edge that made her question him.

With a sigh, Ailis settled into the plush chair by the hearth, the flames casting flickering shadows across the room.

She reached for a small wooden box on the side table, its polished surface cool to the touch.

Opening it, she revealed an assortment of trinkets—tokens of moments shared with her sisters, reminders of love and laughter in a world fraught with tension.

She fingered a delicate silver pendant, a gift from Moira on her last birthday. Ailis held it up to the firelight, watching as the metal gleamed and sparkled, illuminating the chamber.

How she wished she knew all the answers to the questions Lachlan brought to mind. And how she wished she knew how to tell Ian to go away without upsetting their precarious clan dynamics. There had to be a way to know the right thing to do.