Beneath the Forsaken City by Carla Laureano

Author:Carla Laureano
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Historical
ISBN: 9781621841715
Publisher: Enclave Publishing
Published: 2021-02-02T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

They reined in their horses near the edge of the forest, and Aine dismounted quickly, desperate for a distraction. She took her entire satchel this time, unsure how many herbs she would gather, but before she could make it more than a few steps, Uallas took the pack from her hand. “Allow me.”

Aine nodded and kept walking, aware that he kept pace a half step behind. The guards dismounted with their bows and spread out, keeping a close eye on their surroundings. Their vigilance scraped her nerves raw. Did the men think they might come under attack? Had Aron become so dangerous they feared ambush a mere two or three leagues from Forrais, within sight of the keep’s towers?

As soon as they reached the edge of the forest, Aine spun to face Uallas. “Explain.”

Uallas lowered himself onto a fallen log, but she remained standing, her arms crossed over her chest. A slight smile twitched at his lips. “Men are drawn to you, my lady.”

This was what he wanted to talk about? She waved a hand. “Aye, I know. Alsandair’s heir, extensive wealth. No doubt if it were not for the little problem of me being married, Lady Macha would already be flooded with suits for my hand.”

“Don’t think she isn’t already.” That hint of humor surfaced again. “You would certainly be an attractive wife for what you brought to the marriage. But that’s not what I mean. Men seem to lose themselves around you”—he held up a hand before she could protest—“and not in the way you imagine.

“Look at them out there.” He nodded back toward the guards. “They met you this morning, yet they’re behaving as though they’ve devoted their entire lives to your service.”

“That’s their job,” Aine said slowly, but she couldn’t deny that their behavior was odd.

“How did you make your way alone to Forrais?”

“I had help. Three mercenaries rescued me and brought me home.”

“For what gain?”

“No gain.” Hadn’t she herself thought that was strange, that the mercenaries had taken her all the way to Forrais? Aye, Taran had said Comdiu had sent him, but he’d been willing to kill a landed lord to protect her secret. Even more telling, he’d given up his plans of revenge for her.

“You’re beginning to see now,” Uallas said. “Whenever you were in need, someone stepped forward to assist you. To protect you.”

Her heart rose into her throat. When she’d mapped the wards on the Siomaigh front, the men had looked upon her as a sister to be protected, despite their commander’s fears. Then there had been Lorcan’s unflagging devotion from the day she’d taken him into her service. Keondric’s sacrifice. Hadn’t even Lia noticed how Diocail reacted to her that first day in the practice yard? She sank to the log beside Uallas, her hand grasping at her chest as if it could release the band around it.

“Aine, breathe.” Uallas gripped her shoulder and shook her. It snapped her out of her panic and made her suck in a deep breath.

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