Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 109722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
“Rumors have been stirring that you should be aware of,” Penn said.
Were there? Or was Penn stirring some of his own accord? Royden ordered him to continue. “Tell me.”
“The attack that left the clan decimated also left some more than curious. It seems many believe that it was a betrayal by a chieftain.”
“Not my da,” Royden was quick to defend his father, though he wasn’t surprised by the news. If he and Oria had suspected someone guilty of betrayal, certainly others would have as well.
Penn hurried to say. “No. No. Your da is beloved and respected by the clan.”
Hearing that he wondered not only what the rumors were saying, but why they seemed to disturb Penn.
“Who then?” Royden demanded.
Penn hesitated only briefly, Royden’s sudden scowl forcing the words out of his mouth. “Chieftain William MacGlennen.”
“Oria’s father?’ Royden asked, not believing what he’d heard.
“Aye, sir. Many are saying he helped to plan the attack.”
“That makes no sense,” Royden said, shaking his head. “He was pleased Oria and I would wed. He had insisted we get married sooner not wanting his daughter’s fate to be that of Thurbane’s daughter.”
Royden’s mind started spinning. Could the attack on Thurbane’s clan have been a prelude to the whole plan? Had it been meant to force he and Oria to wed sooner so that all the chieftains, would gather together in one place where an attack would be made easier?
He didn’t want to believe it, even conceive it possible. If it were true it would devastate Oria.
“Do you know if there is any truth to this?” Royden demanded of Penn.
“No,” Penn said, shaking his head. “I was nothing more than a warrior. I followed orders and did what I was told. I knew of no plans in advance.”
“Yet you were left here to feed your leader information. Why?” Royden’s question was punctuated with such force that it sent a shiver through Penn.
“I could only guess,” Penn said.
“Then guess,” Royden ordered.
“I couldn’t hide my feelings for Emily. I wore my love for her for all to see. She became my world. I had asked about leaving the mercenaries so that I could remain here with her. I was refused and when I heard we would be leaving, I never felt such pain,” Penn admitted.
“I have,” Royden said.
“I understand now. I didn’t before I met Emily. If I were to guess, I would say that my love for Emily was used to my leader’s advantage.”
“How so?”
“If I wanted to remain here indefinitely, I was to keep an eye on what went on here,” Penn confessed.
“Is that what you’ve done? Kept him aware of all that has gone on here? Or is it all a ruse and if the time came you would raise your hand against this clan?” Royden asked, since against his better judgment he had come to believe that Penn truly loved Emily and he didn’t want to see her hurt.
“I would say nothing that would bring harm to the clan and I would fight to the death alongside the Clan MacKinnon if it came to that,” Penn said with all honesty.
Royden found trust difficult, knowing most lied for selfish reasons. He wanted to believe Penn, but only time would tell.
“The Beast wants something from this area,” Penn said. “And he’ll get it, which means he’s going to return here. That can also mean it’s why he placed Trevor in the home of Chieftain William of the Clan MacGlennen… an ally.”
Royden sat in his solar waiting for his da. He wanted to discuss the situation with him. He didn’t think his da had heard the rumors or he would have brought them to Royden’s attention. And he doubted his da would believe them. He and William had been friends for a long time and had fought more than one battle alongside each other.
He couldn’t help but wonder what or who had started the rumors. Penn had had no idea when he had asked him. He had simply wanted to make Royden aware of the situation and he was glad Penn had. He didn’t want Oria hearing the gossip until he could at least find out how they had gotten started. He didn’t want to believe there was any truth to them, but they had raised speculation.
Why, though? Why would William have done such a thing?
His da asked the same thing after Royden explained it all.
“Why?” Parlan asked, shaking his head. “It makes no sense. What reason could he have had to betray us? To betray everyone?” He posed a reasonable explanation. “Perhaps the guilty one is trying to lay blame at William’s feet to keep from being discovered.”
“A possibility,” Royden agreed.
“Yet you sound doubtful.”
“I’d rather sound hopeful, but I fear proving William’s innocence isn’t going to be easy with him being dead,” Royden said. “And I worry what this news will do to my wife.”