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The shout for departure went up. With the MacKenzie in the lead, the procession of horses, litters, wagons and people started to move. The chief raised his arm in a last farewell, half turning in his saddle to meet Duncan’s gaze once more.

Duncan returned the gesture and nodded. An array of feelings assaulted him as he watched his chief pass through the gate and down the causeway. He’d not forgiven the MacKenzie for his lack of action against Morgana and her clan those many years ago, but at least the burning rage had faded.

“Will you be coming inside now? It’s a good time for a cup of ale, I’d say.”

Duncan looked at Kinnon. “Aye, I’ll be joining you, but not right away.

” He glanced up. As expected, Aileana stood silhouetted in one of the bedchamber windows.

Her expression seemed to condemn him. She looked tired and drawn, as she’d been each time he’d seen her in the three days since she’d been confined to his chamber.

Kinnon followed Duncan’s gaze up to the window and shook his head. In the next moment she was gone, vanished like a wraith in the mists of the moors.

“You cannot keep her up there forever, Duncan.”

“Aye. But I can’t let her loose either. Once she gives me the Ealach , I’ll be sending her home, but not before.

” Duncan clenched his jaw and stared at the thin layer of new snow blanketing the dirt and grass around the castle.

He glanced up again at the dark window, his heart heavy in his chest before starting back toward the castle.

By the time he reached the kitchens, Bridgid was in the process of covering Aileana’s breakfast tray with a clean towel.

Steam rose from a cup of spiced ale she poured from the kettle, and she placed the drink next to the other things on the tray.

“I’ll be taking her food up this morning, Bridgid. Give it to me and go on with your other duties.”

The bailie looked startled, her eyes wide, as she handed the tray to Duncan. “Is everything in order? Are you sure you don’t need me to come with you to…to help in any way?”

The anxiety in her voice made Duncan wince. It was clear that she cared for Aileana and was concerned for her safety. Perhaps Bridgid thought him a monster now as well. After his flare of temper the afternoon he’d dragged Aileana upstairs, he couldn’t blame her.

“I wish to speak with Aileana in private; that is all.”

Bridgid colored pink. “I’m just worried for the girl.”

Duncan’s teeth ached he was clenching them so hard. “There is nothing to fear, I assure you.” He started toward the stairs. “While I’m with Aileana I need you to prepare food enough for me and four of my men. If all goes as I plan, I’ll be taking a short journey before nightfall.”

“Aye, it will be done.”

With a nod, Duncan carried the tray to the steps, taking each stair slowly, deliberately, to allow himself time to think of what to say to Aileana, and how.

They hadn’t exchanged a word in the three days she’d been held; each night when he’d come to the chamber, she was already in her pallet, feigning sleep.

He’d never pressed the point, though he knew her to be as awake and sleepless as he was.

It was the one concession he’d been willing to make.

Halfway up the stairway, Duncan paused. His feet refused to move further.

He felt weighted down and unhappy, but his feelings made no sense.

If what he was about to do proved successful, he’d finally gain all that he’d wanted, all that he’d dreamed of for thirteen years. Yet it left him empty. Aching.

He reached the top of the landing. Setting the tray on a table in the hall, he pulled the key from the tie at his waist. The lock turned with a rusty creak, and the door swung open to silence.

From his position the room looked vacant and cold, though a fire burned in the grate.

The faint crackling of the flames was the only sound to break the stillness.

He stared through the shadows. There she was.

His heart thudded a slow, steady rhythm.

Aileana sat with her back to the door, hidden in a corner, her chair a few paces from the window.

She’d drawn back the curtain, but he noticed that she’d positioned herself far enough from the pane to avoid being seen from outside.

“I’ve brought your food.” He stepped in and waited.

At the sound of his voice, she twisted around, but the look of surprise lasted only an instant before she masked her expression.

“Have you decided to play nurse to me again, then? It has been weeks now since you first thought it amusing to undertake the chore during my bout with the plague.” She spoke quietly, but her words pricked him.

“Nay.” Duncan cleared his throat. “Bringing your meal is not the only reason I’m here.

” He put the tray down, indicating that she should eat if she wished, but she shook her head and remained seated.

He walked closer to her, silent, pausing to stare out as she was at the loch, glowing pink and yellow now in the rising sun.

“I’m here because you have a decision to make, Aileana. I’ve come to discuss it with you.”

“Discuss it…or direct me to your way of thinking?”

He felt her gaze shift to him, but he didn’t trust himself to look at her, to drink in the beauty of her eyes without losing his will to continue.

“Only you can choose the path we’ll both be taking.”

“Then I wish to be freed from this room.”

The anguish in her voice made his heart twist, but he forged ahead. “I’ll be releasing you when you give me the Ealach , and not before. It’s the whys and whens that I wish to discuss.”

“Ah, I see. Another attempt at blackmail.” A harsh sound caught in her throat. “My father imprisoned me in my chamber in order to protect the Ealach , and you lock me inside in order to make me surrender it; the irony of that is almost amusing, don’t you think?”

Duncan faced her, steeling himself against the hurt he saw in her face. “Aileana, we cannot go on as we have, that much is clear. Despite what you think, I don’t relish the thought of keeping you locked away.”

“Then why continue to do it?” Her eyes welled with tears, and Duncan’s hand shook as he struggled not to reach up and brush the sadness away. She wrapped her arms around her middle and whispered, “Keeping me in here…you’re killing me, Duncan, breath by breath.”

A stabbing pain pierced him, but he gritted his teeth against it. “Just give me the amulet, Aileana. Then I can release you to your kin and we can find a peace between us.”

“I cannot do that. No more than I could those months ago when you first attacked Dulhmeny.”

“Why not?” Irritation fueled him again. “Why are you sacrificing your freedom for the sake of something you were made to keep—something you didn’t even choose to protect?”

“My life and freedom were sacrificed to the Ealach long before I met you.” Her voice sounded hard, and his stomach lurched at the shadows in her eyes. “Besides, who are you to ask such a thing—a man whose sole purpose lies in stealing back an amulet you’ve lived without for thirteen years?”

“It is my birthright. The Ealach was my father’s and his father’s before him.”

“My father died trying to protect it.”

“It is not the same.” Duncan scowled. “Don’t try to compare your claim to mine. My entire clan was nearly destroyed and the woman I loved more than my life was slaughtered before my eyes.”

That statement pulled Aileana up short, and she felt the dagger-thrust of the reminder pierce her heart.

Mairi . Of course. She stared at her hands, clasped tightly together on her lap.

It was the memory of Mairi that drove Duncan.

His murdered love, perfect and irreplaceable to him.

Oh, she’d been a fool to think that any softness he’d shown her these past months meant anything to him.

He belonged to his slain wife, body and soul.

That knowledge made the dagger press a little deeper, adding to the bite of guilt she couldn’t help feeling at his obvious pain.

The realization of it startled her. Why care that Duncan suffered?

After all, she’d had no part in Morgana’s attacks and the terrible things he’d endured after.

He, on the other hand—he had locked her in this room, a fate almost worse than death after the weeks of freedom she’d been allowed.

Raising her gaze to Duncan again, she tightened her mouth, willing the sting of heat from her eyes. “I cannot keep silent, Duncan. The Ealach should be used for good. Your clan exploited its powers. It doesn’t belong with you.”

“Who told you that?”

“It is a well-known fact.”

“It’s a lie,” he muttered, “and one your sister used to muster your people against me.”

“Few in my clan condone the way Morgana took the amulet from you,” Aileana answered quietly, “but there was more reason for us keeping it after the raid than simple selfishness, as well you know.”

“What do I know? There was no other motive for your people to keep what wasn’t theirs.”

“You cannot possibly be claiming ignorance. The feud spans three centuries.”

“There’s no truth to it.” Duncan paced near the windows again.

“Aye, there’s truth!” Aileana retorted. “The Ealach belonged to a MacDonell before any MacRae ever laid hands upon it.”

“That is a myth.”

“It is a fact. My father gave his life for its sake. And Morgana believed, too, enough to risk all that she had to right the wrong.”

“Morgana wasn’t interested in right ,” Duncan scoffed, twisting to look at her with dark sarcasm. “She wanted much, much more—and when she didn’t get it she happily sent me off into thirteen years of living hell.”

Aileana felt herself flush, but she didn’t have a chance to respond. All trace of softness had vanished from Duncan’s eyes.

“Enough. This bickering serves no purpose.” A muscle in his jaw twitched. “What I came to tell you is this. Unless you give me the Ealach , in one week’s time I will be leading a raid against your people. It is as simple as that.”

Shock struck Aileana like a fist to the belly. She popped up from the bench, her hands suddenly icy. “But you can’t do that. We agreed that if I came with you as leman, you’d—”

“I agreed that if you came with me, I would spare your brother’s life. An even exchange. You for Gavin.” Duncan’s expression was grim, feral. “And I’m upholding my end of the bargain. I’ll not harm Gavin. But every other MacDonell is fair game.”

Aileana’s breath left her, and she sank back into her seat.

Her gaze flew to Duncan, searching, her mind tripping over itself as she tried to reach through the fear to argue with reason.

“But you’d be doing battle for naught! No one knows where I’ve hidden the amulet.

Attacking them serves no purpose. No one else can give you the information you seek. ”

“Exactly. A few months ago you were willing to sacrifice your honor to save one brother. It’s my guess that you’ll relinquish the Ealach now in order to save the lives of the rest of your clan.”

A hard knot formed in Aileana’s throat. He couldn’t be doing this. It was unjust. Cruel. She shook her head, trying to keep away the bloody images that rushed into her mind. “If you attack Dulhmeny, many innocent people will die.”

“Aye,” Duncan’s brow quirked up, “which is why you must—”

A scratching sounded at the door, interrupting him. An instant later Kinnon burst into the chamber. He looked serious, and his stance was tense. He flicked an uneasy glance to Aileana.

“You’d better come down to the yard now, Duncan. A score of riders are approaching from the south—” He shifted his gaze from Duncan to Aileana and back again. “And they look to be a contingent of MacDonells.”