Page 71 of Promised to the Cursed Laird

Fearchar flinched, and his controlled fury faltered, giving way to something closer to grief.

"Cailleach has tried tae have me killed."

The color drained from his face.

"What?"

"More than once."

"Neilina—"

"The first time was at MacRath's. His men kept me there against my will, and when I tried tae get away, they came after me. They’d have caught me if Marcas hadnae arrived." She swallowed. "Then there was the ambush on the road. Men waiting in the trees with bows. They'd blocked the road so Marcas and I couldnae pass without slowing."

Fearchar stared at her.

"In the village," she continued, quieter now. "Three men came for me there. They struck down the guards Marcas had left with me. They tried tae drag me away."

His expression changed.

"They tried tae take ye?"

"Aye."

"And ye're telling me this was Cailleach?"

"We found proof of MacRath's household in the attack. The scrap of cloth they left behind matched the plaid I'd seen inside his keep." Her voice hardened. "And the men weren't trying tae kill me. They were trying tae take me alive."

Fearchar looked away for a moment, jaw clenched. His eyes came back to hers.

"And ye've been walking about this whole time pretending ye were safe?"

"I wasnae pretending." Her voice softened. "I was trying tae live."

Fearchar's face tightened with something that looked painfully close to guilt.

"I sent ye tae MacRath's tae keep ye safe."

"I ken."

"I thought⁠—"

"I ken what ye thought." She stepped closer. "But ye need tae understand what actually happened. I was handed from one man's control tae another's, and every one of them claimed it was for my protection."

Fearchar said nothing.

"I am tired of being protected by people who don’t let me choose for myself."

He exhaled heavily, his eyes filled with sadness and guilt.

"I've been at war more years of yer life than I've been present for, Neilina. I dinnae ken how tae be the brother ye needed. I only kent how tae keep ye alive, and I did the only thing I kent how tae do."

"I ken that now," she said, softer, though she didn't let it fully undo her point. "I didnae ken it a fortnight ago. I only kent I was being handed from one man tae another, without a single person asking what I wanted, and I'm tired of it, Fearchar. I'm done being managed."

"Did ye receive my letter?" she asked, before he could answer that. "The first one. I sent it near a week past, after the ambush on the road, telling ye I was safe, that there'd been trouble, that I needed ye tae trust me before ye acted."

Fearchar's brow furrowed. "I received naething from ye. Only Cailleach's letter, three days past, telling me ye were held against yer will."

Neilina felt the cold certainty settle into her chest.