Page 9

CHAPTER SEVEN

T he moment Torrin was on Clan Gunn soil, he could breathe a little easier.

There, there was no chance that Keith men would follow, not if they valued their lives, and so he could relax and ride the rest of the way without looking over his shoulder every few minutes, trying to make sure there was no one behind them.

This was his home; these were his lands, which he knew like the back of his hand, from one end to the other. Even in the dark, he could find his way without looking, without searching.

Torrin rode along the cliffs to the sound of the waves below.

The sea crashed against the rocky side, the water meeting the jagged edges and flat plateaus of the cliffside formation, gathering in small pools on the rocks, drenching the cliffside.

There, the wind howled around them, the land bare of trees.

The only living thing was the grass, tall and swaying, resembling the waves below.

In the distance, Halberry Castle stood on the rocky promontory, overlooking the North Sea.

Torrin could see its familiar shape outlined in the moonlight—the keep, the turrets, the towering curtain walls that kept it safe.

He would never tire of this sight; every time he returned home, even from a short trip, seeing the castle come into view gave him a sense of peace.

All this time, Valora had remained quiet, the two of them not exchanging a single word.

Still, she did not speak, even as they neared the castle and eventually headed inside, past the curtain walls.

Instead of going through the main gates, though, Torrin chose a side passage—the one he knew Noah would have prepared for him, so that he and Valora could make it inside undetected by most of the people in the castle.

"Welcome, me laird," said a soldier—a young man with sandy hair and intelligent brown eyes named Colin. Even as Torrin helped Valora off the horse, the man hardly even looked at her, too discreet to do so.

"Good evenin’, Colin," Torrin told the man, and noticed that Valora looked at him perplexed as he said the name. "Make sure the lass is fed an’ watered. She had a rough travel."

"O’ course, me laird," said Colin. Once his mare was taken care of, Torrin gestured to Valora to follow him, and then led her through a side door inside the keep.

The corridor in which they found themselves was a narrow one, the ceiling short and the walls a little damp, illuminated by a few scant torches that Noah had undoubtedly had lit before they arrived.

He was proactive like that—the only man Torrin trusted to get any job done to perfection.

Finally, Valora broke her silence. "Dae ye ken the names of all yer men?"

Torrin blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Most of them, aye. They’re me men—ready tae give their lives fer me and the clan. The least I can dae is honor them by learning their names and making sure I’ve met their families."

The answer seemed to startle her. He caught the flicker of something in her eyes—curiosity, perhaps, or disbelief.

"Me faither never spoke a name but mine and me sister’s," she said softly.

Before he could respond, she shook herself free of the thought and shifted the mood. "Well... it certainly daesnae look like ye’re about tae murder me."

Torrin let out an exasperated sigh as he led her down the corridor. "Why would I murder ye? Why would I murder ye here ? I could have simply let ye die in the woods."

This quickly proved the wrong thing to say.

"Och aye, leave the defenseless lass in the woods tae die!" Valora said and Torrin was quick to turn around and shush her. Though he doubted anyone could hear them, he didn’t want to take any risks. "Dinnae shush me! First ye tie me with that cord, now ye’re takin’ me… who kens where ye’re takin’ me!"

"I’m takin’ ye tae me chambers," said Torrin, and that, too, was the wrong thing to say.

Valora stopped walking, something that Torrin only noticed because he couldn’t hear her footsteps anymore. After a few moments, he stopped too, and he tried to look at her expectantly, gesturing in front of him.

"Walk."

"I’m nae goin’ tae yer chambers!" Valora hissed. "Ye may think ye have some claim on me, but we’re nae even wedded yet! I willnae allow ye tae bed me."

Torrin tried to stave off a headache, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I have nae intention tae bed ye. I only wish tae speak with ye."

Valora didn’t seem entirely convinced. In the dim light of the torches, she gave him a doubtful look, her blue eyes narrowing as she looked at him like she was trying to peer right into his mind.

"I promise I willnae touch ye," he said. "I only wish tae talk."

Valora didn’t seem entirely convinced, but she reluctantly began to follow him once more, perhaps realizing that she couldn’t simply stay in the middle of that corridor forever.

A few moments later, Torrin opened the secret door at the other end of the passage, revealing his chambers—a large but sparsely decorated room, one of its walls overtaken completely by bookcases sagging with the weight of the books on them and the other hosting a grand fireplace, where a fire already burned bright.

He was thankful for it. Riding all that distance without a cloak had left him chilled to the bone, and now he could finally sit by the flames, absorbing their warmth.

"Sit," he told Valora as he dragged two chairs near the hearth.

She looked around at her surroundings for a moment, before she joined Torrin by the fire. She placed her hands on her lap, lacing their fingers together and drawing her bottom lip between her teeth, exuding a nervous energy that in turn made Torrin nervous.

He had to tell her the truth; he doubted that she or any of the other women knew the true nature of the ball they had attended.

"I had nay intention of claimin’ ye or anyone else taenight," he said. "That wasnae why I was there, at the ball."

Valora gazed at him curiously, almost suspiciously, but she didn’t speak.

"I was there fer Laird Keith," Torrin continued. "Our clans have been enemies fer a long time an’ I thought the ball would be a good opportunity tae find out more about him, so I secured an invitation."

"So why am I here?" Valora asked. "Why did ye ask fer me hand?"

"Because I saw the way Laird Keith was treatin’ ye," Torrin said. "An’ I ken the kind o’ man he is. Ye would have suffered a lifetime by his side."

It was the truth, plain and simple, and though he didn’t know if Valora believed him, he could at least tell she wasn’t as suspicious of him now, her expression softening ever so slightly.

That was the easy part of what he needed to tell her; now he would have to admit the whole truth to her, no matter how much it would hurt her.

"He would have done anythin’ tae have yer hand, Miss MacNeacail," Torrin continued, hoping that he could make her understand. "Ye see, yer faither may nae be as powerful as he is, but he has a powerful fleet. He has men who ken the sea. An’ what Laird Keith wants more than anythin’, it’s power an’ someone he can use as his broodmare. "

Valora could hardly stand to hear what Torrin was telling her.

She had always known that she would be used as a pawn, for financial and political gain, but to hear it put so plainly, so crudely, was a whole different story.

She swallowed hard, trying to keep the tears from falling from her eyes.

She refused to look weak—she refused to give anyone anything that they could use against her now that she didn’t know who to trust.

Not that she knew before—but now, with so many new players on the chessboard, she could only imagine that things would get even harder for her, and she would have to be careful of deceit and betrayal from all sides.

Tae be traded like this, in one single night, nay courtship, nay anythin’ that one may deem proper.

Was it truly so different, after all, from all the other women who had been traded for such things?

None of them had been traded off like this, but most noble women she knew had married for financial and political gain rather than love.

In the end, any such marriage was a trade in which the woman was nothing more than a pawn.

Her heart shattered in her chest into a million pieces, but she would gather them once more, just as she had done in the past. Now, all that remained was trying to figure out what to do after this, how to live the rest of her life.

Would it be there, with Torrin? Did she have any hope of seeing her sister again?

Did she have any hope of escape?

But even if she did, where would she go?

Going back home was impossible, not only because her father would surely be furious with her for escaping, but also because she never wanted to lay eyes upon him again.

She had no home; she had no one left, and the reality of it was only just beginning to settle in, making her doubt everything she knew.

"How is yer leg?" Torrin asked, much to Valora’s surprise. He seemed genuinely concerned by her injury, though the skin hadn’t even been broken and she wasn’t bleeding. She shrugged a shoulder and waved her hand dismissively, but Torrin was insistent. "May I see?"

She didn’t particularly like the idea of Torrin seeing her calf, but with the way he was looking at her, as though he was about to grab her leg himself and bring it right up to his eyes, she lifted her dress and showed him.

The next surprise came in the form of Torrin standing from where he sat and coming to crouch next to her, peering over it.

Just as he had promised her, he didn’t touch her.

All Valora felt was the warmth of his breath as it was whispered over her skin, feather-light and tender, and she couldn’t help the way her heart skipped a beat.

Torrin was too close to her. In order to be satisfied that she was not hurt, he had leaned right over her, and now Valora was torn between wanting him closer and needing to push him away.

"It looks undamaged," Torrin said with a soft hum. "Must have been a very old, very dull trap. O’ course, I could tell better if ye allowed me tae touch ye?—"

"Nay!" Valora cried, snatching her leg back and covering it with her skirts. Torrin’s gaze snapped up to her eyes, and the two of them stared at each other in silence, something unspoken and confusing brewing in the air between them. Valora couldn’t identify it—she couldn’t name it, but she knew it was something she both desired and detested.

In the end, it was Torrin who looked away, standing from her side to head to the door. "Ye can stay here," he told her. "I’ll have the maids draw ye a bath an’ bring ye some clothes. I must speak tae me council."

"An’ where shall I sleep?" Valora inquired, standing as well. Surely, Torrin wouldn’t expect her to share a bed with him on the first night, when they were not even wedded yet!

"I’ll also have a room prepared fer ye," he promised. "It willnae take long."

With that, he was gone and Valora was left alone in his rooms. For the first time, she had the chance to look around and take in her surroundings—a large bed with four intricately carved posts that depicted natural motifs, an endless number of books, a sword hanging by the door.

Though it didn’t seem to be in use, more decorative than anything, it gleamed in the light of the fire, reflecting the orange blaze.

The entire room, though holding few things, felt warm and cozy; personal. This was Torrin’s space, Valora realized—a space where few but him had been. Now, she was one of those few.

"Damn it!"

Valora didn’t know where the words had come from, and in her shock, she slapped a hand over her mouth to keep herself quiet.

She looked around with wide eyes, waiting for someone to reprimand her, but of course, no one was there.

With a groan, she sat back on that chair by the fire, burying her face in her hands, the panic and betrayal finally setting in, now that she was alone.

"Damn them all," she mumbled to herself, a couple of tears escaping her eyes before she could stop them. "Damn them an’ their plans an’ their clans an’ everythin’ they hold dear."

The only thing men like her father held dear, she knew, was wealth; wealth and power, the two things they didn’t seem to get enough of, no matter how much they had. Their whole lives, they strived for more at the expense of those around them, even if they were people they were supposed to love.

As long as Althea is safe… as long as she daesnae have tae sacrifice herself, I will endure this.