Page 18 of Time of the Warlord (Stones of Scotland #5)

S adie clung nervously to the boat’s railings as they approached their final destination - the port of Dunadd. She’d never visited this place in the twenty-first century, but she vaguely remembered that it was now inland. Something to do with the sea receding. For now, though, Dunadd was a bustling seaside village, perched high on the rocky hill, and protected by rings of high walls. Looking up at those walls, Sadie shivered a little. If they caught Norah, would they lock her up behind there.

“Don’t worry,” Ciaran said, his voice a low rumble in her ear. “I won’t let you fall this time.”

He’d completely misunderstood the reason for her nervous expression. Still, Sadie forced herself to smile at him. He meant well. It wasn’t his fault he would always have to choose his king over Sadie.

Ciaran helped her off the boat the minute it docked. No fancy landing equipment here - she just had to swing her legs over the side and jump down onto a rough wooden jetty. Ciaran gave her a moment to steady herself, letting her cling to his arm for a few sweet seconds. Then they were off, heading up the hill towards the great gates of the fortress.

Sadie had never been somewhere so utterly foreign - and to think she hadn’t even left her own home country. This long street was a mud-splattered mess, filled with noise and chatter, children and animals. People wore bright checkered cloths, or the heavy brown habits of monks. The air was heavy with sea salt and the cries of gulls, with the smell of fish catching at Sadie’s nostrils. She could hardly stop from turning her head every which way, her attention constantly caught by the glint of sunlight on heavy gold jewelry or gleaming spear points.

“Dunadd can be a bit overwhelming, at first,” Ciaran said. Sadie nodded, unable to find words to answer.

The lower part of the hill fort was just as busy and exhausting. Stall keepers sold their wares, crimson-robed guards strode to and fro, and there seemed to be a constant stream of people. Dogs and livestock were mixed in, adding to the colorful chaos.

Ciaran didn’t stop to look at anything. He marched them onwards and upwards, heading inexorably towards the topmost part of the hill fort.

The next section was much calmer and quieter. There were fewer people here - no crowds at all - and the noise seemed somehow subdued, although the gulls still called overhead. Sadie at least felt as if she could take a deep breath without drowning on color and chaos and chatter.

“Almost there,” Ciaran said. His face was firm and determined now. With every step, he had shed a little more of the soft, tender man he’d been on the boat. Here, in the fortress of his king, he was every inch the ruthless warlord, and it sent shivers down Sadie’s spine.

She could feel the other guards watching them as they went. Did they all recognize her? Did they think Ciaran had brought Norah back as a prisoner? Thankfully, no one made any attempt to stop them. Sadie did not want to explain the whole story any more than she had to.

Two guards sprang aside to let them enter a nondescript wooden building. They nodded respectfully to Ciaran, both murmuring a greeting. He acknowledged them with a nod of his own, but did not speak. The two men looked at Sadie uncertainly, but made no move to bar her entry. She followed Ciaran through the door and into what seemed to be a small sitting room.

A pretty, dark-haired woman sat by the fire but jumped up with a gasp when she saw them, her eyes fixed on Sadie.

“Don’t worry, Bethany,” Ciaran said quickly. “It’s not who you think.”

So, this was Bethany. Matthew’s mother - and a woman from Sadie’s own time.

At that moment, Matthew himself came bursting through another small door.

“Ciaran! Sadie!” he said cheerfully. “I’m so glad you made it. I was very sad to hear what happened to you.”

“Thank you,” Sadie said weakly. “I’m glad to see you, too.”

She could feel the confusion and uncertainty radiating from Bethany.

“Why don’t we all sit down?” Ciaran suggested. “I can explain everything. Where’s Comgall?”

“Here,” a deep voice said, and another man strode into the room through the door Matthew had just used. Although he was not especially tall, his broad shoulders and the heavy sword at his hip gave him an air of power and command, tempered only slightly by the small girl who clung to his hand. Even if Ciaran had not dropped to one knee, Sadie would have instantly recognized this man as Comgall. The king.

“Get up, old friend,” he said affectionately to Ciaran. Then his eyes focused on Sadie. “But you certainly do have a lot of explaining to do.”

They all sat down on the cluster of chairs beside the fire. Sadie noticed that she was positioned at one end, with Ciaran in between her and the royal family. She could not blame them for that, not after everything that had happened.

Ciaran hastily explained the links between Sadie and Norah, and the possibility that Norah was working under duress. Bethany gasped in horror at the idea, her eyes wide and her hand flying to her mouth.

“You think that Lucan might be behind this?” she asked.

“You mean my old father?” Matthew asked.

Bethany’s attention switched immediately to him.

“I don’t think that you and Maeve should be listening to this,” she said firmly.

Matthew scowled, but Bethany ignored it. “Take your sister to her nurse,” she said.

For a second, Sadie thought Matthew might disobey his mother, but he sighed heavily and did as he was told.

“This is difficult information to process,” Comgall said, turning to Sadie with a serious face as Matthew left the room. “It was bad enough, believing that this assassin had been sent by a political opponent. But if Lucan is here again, then we are truly in trouble.”

“No one has heard from Lucan Edmondson in a long time,” Sadie said slowly. “I believe he was behind my sister’s disappearance, but I cannot be sure that he’s still involved.”

Bethany’s frown deepened.

“This feels a little too sloppy to be Lucan’s handiwork,” she said. “But I cannot be sure.”

“We can discuss this further,” Comgall said. “But you two have traveled a long way, and I’m sure you need some rest.”

Sadie nodded in gratified relief. It had been a long journey indeed.

A servant appeared at the door as if by magic, ready to whisk them off. Sadie found herself separated from Ciaran, who waved briefly before striding away.

Stay calm , Sadie reminded herself. She didn’t need Ciaran. Shouldn’t depend on him. She would be fine on her own.

And then she saw it. A flash of red, vanishing behind one of the buildings, gone so quickly that no one else would have recognized it. But Sadie knew what she’d seen. Her heart soared - and broke as well, all at once. Norah was still here.