The Daughters of Avalon Collection: Books 1 & 2 by Tanya Anne Crosby

Author:Tanya Anne Crosby
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Oliver Heber books
Published: 2019-07-02T23:00:00+00:00

Sensing the importance of his war council—for what else could it be called?—Elspeth had deferred the evening’s festivities for tomorrow, sending the kitchen’s efforts into Malcom’s council room instead.

That he wasn’t with her on their first evening returned to Aldergh sorely aggrieved him, but there was little doubt; his heart wasn’t in the mood for a celebration tonight.

As Rhiannon had claimed, war was, indeed, nigh. It came to him from all sides now, and no doubt there would be hell to pay for absconding with and marrying Elspeth.

Only now, that was the least of his troubles; as he’d long suspected, the summons north was but a ruse to get him to the table and David of Scotia was now mounting a campaign from Carlisle. He’d sent Malcom’s cousin Cameron along with Caden Mac Swein to persuade Malcom to join his fight.

It was his intention to bring the entirety of the kingdom of Northumbria under his dominion, and at the instant, he had his sights set on York. Like so many, he feared Stephen meant to abdicate his throne in favor of his son, and he’d made himself clear: He would never ally with Eustace.

If the father was ineffectual, the son was a miscreant.

Malcom raked a hand wearily through his hair, because, in truth, though he could be right, so long as Stephen wore the English crown, Malcom swore him an oath of fealty. “So my father is with David at Carlisle?”

Cameron nodded.

“Why did he not come himself?”

Cameron lifted a shoulder. “He’s proud, Mal. As he must see it, ’tis your duty as his firstborn to come to heel.”

Malcom lifted a brow. “Come to heel?”

“Tis a matter of speech, Mal. You know what I mean.”

“Nay. I do not know what you mean,” snapped Malcom. “And it angers me that he had so little compunction over allowing his name to be used to summon me north.” Malcom slammed his fist against the table, and the sound of it reverberated through the hall, like thunder. “How dare he leave me to believe he could be dying!”

Cameron lifted his shoulder yet again. “If it makes ye feel better, Mal, it wasn’t your father’s idea. It was mine.”

“Nay! That most assuredly does not make me feel better.”

Stretching his neck, Cameron poured the last of the vin from the flagon into his own cup. “So then… you’ll keep your vows if Stephen abdicates?”

Considering the question, Malcom tipped his own glass to peer inside, wishing now that he’d not ordered the last of the serving girls out of the hall. His tongue was parched, and they’d yet to come to any sort of agreement.

By now, Elspeth must be long abed, and to his mind, this was no way to welcome his bride to her new home. “I am certain it will never come to pass,” he said finally, annoyed, tired, ready to be abed.

Cameron was clearly not of the same mind. “’Tis blind faith ye gi’ a man who’s already claimed he would do so, and if he manages to convince Theobald to confirm him, he will do it.

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