Elise and Aila took a sedate walk away from the looming presence of Dunadd. Although both her and Aila’s ladies accompanied them, as well as their bodyguards, they still had enough privacy to catch up on gossip.

She hadn’t realized how much she had missed her cousin. According to Aila the physicians of Dal Riada were primitive barbarians she refused to allow near her. She trusted only the healers of Pictland and her own relatives to tend her when she gave birth.

The knowledge gnawed into Elise’s mind. She had no experience of the medical expertise of Dal Riada but she trusted the healers of Pictland with her life. With the blessing of Bride, they had once saved her life. Would Cam agree to take her back to Pictland so her grandmother could assist when their babe was due?

A smile warmed her. She couldn’t wait to share the news with him. Perhaps she would wait until they returned to Dunmar. Too much blood and betrayal stained the walls of Dunadd to share such a precious moment with her husband.

As they approached a gentle slope, a couple of warriors appeared on the ridge. Elise frowned as they approached but there was no mistake. One of the Scots was MacAllister.

Bride could not have been clearer in her message. She had ensured MacAlpin’s mouthpiece directly crossed her path for one reason only. Elise squeezed Aila’s fingers. “One moment. I must speak with MacAllister.”

“I do not trust him.” Aila’s voice was pure ice.

“Of course not.” As far as Elise was concerned, that went without saying. There were few Scots she trusted. “But nevertheless I must speak to him.” She didn’t wait for her cousin’s permission and stepped toward the two men.

They bowed. “My lady,” MacAllister said. Elise was not fooled for a second by his show of respect. But two could play that game.

“MacAllister.” She inclined her head.

“I trust you have everything you require, my lady?”

“Indeed. But I am grieved I have not yet had the opportunity to make closer acquaintance of your king.”

An oddly blank look washed across MacAllister’s face. Why was he pretending to have no idea what she was talking about? She knew quite well he was MacAlpin’s closest confidant.

“I will tell the king you wish to speak with him, my lady.”

Elise gave a brittle smile. “If you would be so kind. Perhaps your king will be able to accommodate my request here in Dunadd. I appreciate our time was somewhat curtailed in Fortriu.” While that cursed upstart defiled our supreme kingdom. She hoped her thought didn’t show on her face.

“Had the king been aware of your wish to see him, I know he would have gone to great lengths in order to accommodate your request.” MacAllister offered another half-bow. “He wishes only peace and prosperity between our two lands.”

Elise could feel disgust radiating from Aila who stood by her side. Truly, the arrogance of both MacAllister and his king was breathtaking. But she couldn’t afford to tell him what she really thought of him. Not when Droston’s life hung in the balance.

“Perhaps your king did not receive my previous communications,” she said graciously. Of course he had received them. Cam had asked the king personally on more than one occasion.

“I fear this is true. I’ll make certain to convey your wishes to him directly, my lady. Thank you for bringing this oversight to my attention.” With a final bow, he continued back to Dunadd and Elise let out an infuriated breath.

“Curse their lying tongues.” It was the politest thing she could manage.

“Do not distress yourself.” Aila took her arm. “Think of your babe. Why do you wish to speak with that upstart king? Do you wish to see your father?”

Guilt threaded through her. She did wish to see her father, but it was more important to gain Droston’s freedom. Her father was valuable. MacAlpin would allow no harm to befall him. But Droston, in the eyes of the world, was nobody. If relations between Pictland and Dal Riada degenerated further, Droston was expendable.

“Yes.” But that wouldn’t be the first thing she asked.

“He will allow it.” Contempt wove through Aila’s words. “I’ve seen my brother and he is well, as are all hostages with royal blood.”

“What of our nobles?”

“I haven’t seen any of them but I’m told they are accorded the respect their status deserves. A few of them have been ransomed and returned to their kingdoms.”

That was good news. Elise focused on that and pushed the hint of unease her conversation with MacAllister had provoked to the back of her mind.

***

Elise sat in the bed her arms clasped around her knees, and watched Cam pace the chamber. Every now and then, he slung a sideways glance at her ladies, who were settling down for the night at the other end of the chamber.

It was a most primitive arrangement. Although another chamber had been offered for their comfort, neither they nor she had wanted to accept the offer. There might be an alliance in place, and she might be married to a Scot, but here in Dunadd, they were surrounded by enemies. She would keep her ladies close, for safety and peace of mind.

“What troubles you, my lord?” She knew he had seen Connor MacKenzie earlier while she and Aila had been together. Cam had been surly since his return, but she hadn’t had the chance to ask him what had transpired. She hadn’t felt inclined to discuss personal matters during the feast, especially when she was aware that both MacAllister and MacAlpin gave her speculative glances throughout the evening.

She tried to ignore it but as each hour passed, the uneasy knot in her chest tightened. Damn MacAllister and his blatant lies. She would not allow his sly insinuations to tarnish the bond she and Cam had forged.

***

Cam stared at his wife as she sat on the bed, her hair in a long braid over her shoulder. Connor’s words rang in his ears. You have to tell her.

That was easy for Connor to say. But how could he tell Elise the truth when she gazed at him with those innocent blue eyes? How would she react? Would she understand? Or would his confession tear apart this fragile web of peace she had woven around them?

Once again, he glanced at her ladies across the chamber. He understood Elise’s reluctance to allow them to sleep so far away from her but fuck. This arrangement was barbaric. His plan of making love to Elise until she was spent and pliable in his arms and then revealing the truth withered. He would not perform to an audience. And they had four more nights after this one.

He let out a pained breath. Four more nights. He would tell Elise the truth about mac Uurguist when they returned to Dunmar.

“Cam?” There was an edge to Elise’s voice and he dragged his mind back to the present.

“Nothing troubles me.” He knew he was glowering at her. He hadn’t glowered in weeks, but the stone walls of Dunadd were oppressive in a way he had never found before.

But he hadn’t known of the bloodied betrayal before.

After their tortured exchange regarding the wellbeing of Elise, Cam had asked Connor what he knew of the night the nine Pictish lords had died. He thought Connor wasn’t going to answer. But then he did.

The Picts hadn’t turned on their hosts. They had been brutally slaughtered by order of MacAlpin, to eliminate any threat on his claim to the kingdom of Fortriu.

Connor had ordered him to never breathe a word of it to anyone. As if he needed to be told. Even knowing this information was tantamount to treason.

But he and Connor were both married to Pictish princesses. To women who had personally been affected by MacAlpin’s actions. If the day ever came to question his loyalty, would he choose his king? Or would he choose his wife?

Against his better judgment, he once again looked at Elise. He couldn’t help himself. Whenever they were together, no matter what else was happening around them, his gaze always returned to her. She was, and would always be, the light that guided his battered heart.

There was no question to answer. His loyalty was to Elise. God help him if MacAlpin ever discovered it.

“Your meeting with Connor MacKenzie went well?”

He could feel his frown darkening, despite his best attempts to halt it. “Aye.” What else could he say? That MacKenzie and Elise’s own cousin had feared Cam had abducted and raped her by order of MacAlpin?

She took a deep breath, obviously not satisfied by his response but unwilling to press the issue in front of her ladies. For that at least, he could be thankful for their unwelcome presence.

“I’ve been wondering,” Elise said, as she fiddled with the end of her plait as though it fascinated her. “Back in Fortriu was it MacAllister or MacAlpin himself you spoke to with regard my request for an audience?”

“What?” How had they got onto this subject? He didn’t want to speak of this. Not ever, but especially not now when he needed to tell her of mac Uurguist.

Four more nights.

“If it was MacAllister,” Elise persisted, still not looking at him, “I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t pass on the message to his king at all.”

Sweat trickled along the back of Cam’s neck. He couldn’t lie to her. But he couldn’t tell her that he had never passed on her message either.

Not until he had sorted everything else out with her.

And so he gave an uncommunicative grunt that might have conveyed anything.

Elise pressed her lips together. He couldn’t tell whether she had discarded this line of conversation or whether she was preparing another question that would twist his long dormant conscience inside out.

He couldn’t risk it. He strode across the chamber and only when he reached the door did he pause and glance over his shoulder. Elise was staring at him, a bemused expression on her face.

Four more fucking nights. “Forgive me, my lady. There are matters I must attend to.” He gave an inelegant bow and hastily left the chamber.

***

The following morning as her ladies readied her for the day, Elise attempted to hide her growing unease. She’d had a restless night and what little sleep she had managed had been filled with ominous dreams.

But it wasn’t her lack of sleep that caused the unformed dread that lurked in her breast. It was because for the first time since they had wed, Cam had not shared her bed.

It had nothing to do with the question she’d asked him concerning MacAllister and MacNeil. Of that, she was absolutely convinced, and ruthlessly squashed the tiny sliver of doubt that refused to believe.

It was because, as Aila had told her the day before, the walls of Dunadd bled evil. No matter how delighted she was at seeing her cousin again, she couldn’t wait to leave this royal stronghold and return home.

As she and her ladies left the hill fort to wait for Aila, Cam strode toward her. As always when she saw him, a pleasurable pain squeezed her heart.

Of course he hadn’t lied to her.

“My lady.” He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. He continued to hold her hand as he stared at her and she resisted the urge to pull him into her arms. He looked as though he hadn’t slept at all, with shadows under his eyes and the previous day’s stubble darkening his jaw.

“You didn’t come to bed.” Her voice was low. She wanted no one to overhear their exchange.

“Forgive me.” His thumb caressed her fingers, such a light touch yet it reminded her of all the other times he caressed her and desire stirred. “I didn’t want to wake you. And,” he hesitated and slung her ladies a furtive glance. “I’m not comfortable sharing the chamber with your ladies.”

She laughed and tugged him close. Curse protocol. “Will you avoid my bed for four more nights, my love?”

A pained expression crossed his face. “Don’t torment me, Elise. Promise me you’ll wait four more nights until we leave this wretched hill fort.”

She smiled, but even as he once again kissed her knuckles and left, his final words echoed in her mind.

He might have been referring to the fact it would be four more nights before he shared her bed, or before they made love. But she couldn’t shift the certainty he had meant something else entirely. What that might be, she could not imagine.

“My lady.” The sound of MacAllister’s voice shattered her thoughts and she turned to give him a cool look. “The king will see you at the tenth hour today, if that is acceptable to you.”

She stared at him in shocked disbelief. He didn’t move and she realized he was waiting for her approval or otherwise. She inclined her head and brutally reeled in her scattered thoughts.

“That will be acceptable.”

“I’ll send a messenger for your convenience, my lady.” He bowed and strolled off and Elise took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart.

It would not be calmed. All she managed was to make herself lightheaded.

It was sheer coincidence that MacAlpin had agreed to see her, barely a day since she had requested audience with him. He had agreed because it pleased him to do so. It had nothing to do with the fact that until now he’d been unaware of her wish to speak with him.

“Elise, are you well?” Aila’s concerned whisper pulled her back to the present and she forced a smile for her cousin. Her thoughts were too tangled to share with Aila. She needed time to process them. What she really needed was to talk to Cam and ask him outright. It couldn’t be denied that his response to her question last night had been unsatisfactory to say the least.

“Quite well.” She took another deep breath and dizziness spun through her. “You’re right about Dunadd. Even its shadow makes me ill.”

“Come.” Aila linked arms. “Let us walk to the monastery. Its library is not nearly as magnificent as the one in Ce but the Dal Riadans are immensely proud of it.”

While Elise had never felt the need to take advantage of the services of the monks in Ce she had to agree. The library there was breathtaking.

Under the watchful eye of a monk who made no secret of his disapproval of their invading his domain, Elise, Aila and their ladies explored the library. It was quite fascinating but Elise found something else far more intriguing.

When the monk finally stopped glowering at her from across the chamber to focus on one of Aila’s ladies who had dared to open a book, she clasped Aila’s hand and pulled her into a side passageway.

“Do you feel it?” Her voice was low, but it seemed to echo along the passageway and a shiver whispered across her arms. There was great power here, the kind of power she always felt at the standing stones of both Ce and Circinn.

“Yes.” Aila glanced over her shoulder and then led Elise farther along the passageway where it opened out into a large chamber. They remained in the shadows as Elise frowned at the far end of the chamber at the chancel, where the altar stood. It was uncannily similar to the layout of the monastery in Ce. “The old gods do not rest easy here. But I’ve discovered the Scots have taken many of the ancient places of worship in Dal Riada for their own.” Then she sighed. “But so have the Picts. It seems all gods gravitate to the same sacred ground.”

Before Elise could answer, two warriors entered the chamber from behind the chancel.

“… if all the princesses of Pictland are as fuckable?” said one with a leer. Elise glanced at Aila and without a word, they stealthily retreated back into the shadows of the passageway.

“I would have no objection if MacAlpin ordered me to wed one to strengthen the alliance.” The second warrior laughed and made an obscene gesture. Elise ignored Aila’s tug on her hand to return to the library, even though she knew if she remained she would end up offended by the Scots lewd talk. But something stopped her.

“Aye. But why choose MacNeil? He fucking hates the Picts. Surely MacAlpin could have found another willing warrior to bed such a luscious prize.”

Elise pressed her hand against her aching thigh. It was no great revelation. She knew Cam hated the Picts, and she knew why he did. She also knew he did not hate all Picts.

He couldn’t look at her the way he did if he loathed the very sight of her.

“MacNeil is the one who snared this princess from the start. Don’t you know who her former husband was? The bastard he’s been hunting down for the last nine years. What better revenge can you think of than to take his widow and fuck her every night?”

No. No. She ground her hand against the rough stone wall to clear her head. She had misunderstood. This wasn’t true. Ferelei wasn’t the Pict Cam had told her about. Even the thought of it churned her stomach. Of course he hadn’t planned to snare her from the first moment they had met. Cam wasn’t devious. He was honorable and noble.

As the two Scots left the chamber, she heard the first one give an incredulous laugh. “MacNeil’s a sly bastard. So he was the one who killed mac Uurguist after all…”

“Lies.” The hoarse word scraped her throat and she roughly pulled free of Aila’s grip and stumbled into the chamber. “I will have their heads for such slander. How dare they…” The words lodged in her throat as the chamber closed in on her. Goddess help her. She would not faint.

She swung about as Aila once again gripped her hand. Her frenzied thoughts froze at the look of wretched sympathy on her cousin’s face.

No. Aila didn’t know Cam. She wouldn’t believe it. She wouldn’t. But even as the denial thundered through her mind, she slowly lifted her hand.

Her palm was bloodied from where she had ground it against the stone wall. The same hand where only weeks ago her crystal had grazed her skin. Terror and denial warred within her heart but it was a futile battle.

As with a sickening sense of inevitability, she watched a single drop of blood roll from her palm and splash on the unforgiving ground.