Released by Byrne Kerrigan

Author:Byrne, Kerrigan [Byrne, Kerrigan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Fantasy, Historical
Publisher: Ardent Publishing
Published: 2013-01-01T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

The washhouse nestled beneath a gently sloped but tall hill on the banks of Loch Caladail. The icy sea wind that blew from Cape Durness screamed through the craggy limestone gorge on the opposite side of the knoll and broke upon the hill, buffeting the ruins from the worst of the foul weather.

Katriona turned to Kylah, who perched next to her atop the large pile of unused firewood, watching their mother fitfully sleep in the unused hearth beneath a warm pile of old furs. “She cannot go on living like this,” Katriona muttered. “I’m surprised she lasted the winter without a fire.”

“’Tis her hatred that keeps her alive.” Kylah didn’t take her eyes from Elspeth to reply. “And the warm food and layers of clothing that are left.”

“And us.” Kamdyn supplied from the stony arch that was all that was left of their doorway. “She doesn’t want to leave us behind.”

Katriona didn’t tell Kamdyn the dark thoughts she’d been harboring about their mother during the last few days. Elspeth had been inconsolable after the death of their father for months. She hadn’t been strong enough to cope with losing her daughters the way she did. She’d cast a spell and struck a deal with a Faerie to keep her daughters from leaving her alone. Not the other way around.

“Any sign of it?” she asked after the bundle of food and supplies delivered regularly under their alder tree. Every day except for Sundays.

Kamdyn shook her head, her lovely copper hair stirring with the movement. This had been the second time she’d gone to check, and the tree remained empty.

It was only Thursday.

“You never did tell us if you had any luck at the Laird’s keep today.” Kylah still didn’t meet her eyes, but she’d had trouble with eye contact since that horrible night. Her gaze rarely left the ground. Her voice rarely rose above a whisper. She was truly a shade, lurking about in the shadow of her grief and pain and, Katriona suspected, her shame.

Katriona herself battled shame as she felt the full weight of her sisters’ expectant stares. How could she confess to them that she’d not only failed them, but she’d further betrayed their purpose by allowing Rory to kiss her? Worse than that, she’d kissed him back.

And liked it.

More than liked it. Even now, in the chilly wee hours of a misty Highland spring morning, the heat of Rory’s mouth still lingered on her lips. She felt—singed by an invisible brand, weakened by the soft emotions threatening to leach his warmth into her cold heart.

And yet, a part of her became angrier at the thought of what had happened between them in his chambers. He’d waited until she was dead to act upon his desire for her, to introduce her to yearnings never to be fulfilled and pleasures always to be denied. Then he’d shown her the love he’d borne his evil brother and ended their interlude with ridiculous accusations.

Rory obviously didn’t understand Fae curses.

“Katriona?” Kamdyn’s worried prompting brought her back to the grey-tinged present.

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