Page 55 of The Night Prince

“Oh yes, lets march a half-dead army, weak with sickness, onto Madadh-allaidh. James will be terrified.” I give him a hard look. “Don’t do anything.”

Blake grins—a real grin, almost charming—and his annoying dimples deeply puncture his cheeks. “Fine. Perhaps not, then. Are there any other ‘friends’ of yours I should know about?”

“No one of note.”

“What a relief. Does Callum know about this?”

“No. It doesn’t matter that Alexander may have a personal vendetta against me. The outcome is the same.” When Blake raises his eyebrows, I sigh and look away. “It will worry him and he has enough to deal with. I don’t want him fussing over me like a mother hen.”

“Quite right. Come to Daddy about things like this.” He winks.

I shake my head, but have to bite my cheek to stop myself from laughing. “You’re repugnant.”

“Perhaps refrain from making any new ‘friends’ until we’ve dealt with this one. Yes?”

The corner of my mouth twitches. “You’re the only ‘friend’ I’ve made recently.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Keep the wolfsbane I gave you close by when you meet with Lochlan in the morning.”

“You didn’t give it to me. I took it.”

“Of course you did, darling.” His voice fades as the hall disintegrates around us. Shadows swirl around me as the dream ebbs away. “Let me know if Lochlan says anything interesting, won’t you?”

***

The next morning, I wrap my cloak tightly around me as I walk through the grass toward the brown-and-orange waters of the loch. Lochlan is already waiting for me. He leans against the bough of an ash tree, his red hair a sharp contrast to the grey of the bark. His yellow kilt ruffles in the wind.

He smiles in my direction as I approach, then he looks over my shoulder. I follow his gaze. Callum leans against the outer wall of Lowfell with his arms folded across his chest. He raises a hand to wave at Lochlan, the gesture playful—but the meaning clear. He’s watching.

“Sorry.” I shrug. “I tried to get him to wait in the castle, but he’s as stubborn as an ox when he wants to be.”

Lochlan’s smile grows. “Not a problem. It was the other one I was more concerned about.”

“Blake? Why?”

“We’ll get to that.” He holds out his arm for me to take. “Walk with me.”

I asses the wolf before me—strong, lithe, a warrior. I’m glad of the vial of wolfsbane in my pocket. I loop my arm with his, and he steers me toward the woodland.

“What is it you wanted to speak to me about?” I ask.

“Sebastian.”

Something cold floods me at the mention of my former betrothed. A vision of me straddling his lap in the carriage flashes behind my eyelids.How about you show me what else you learned while you were being a whore to that Highfell beast?Sweat beads on my brow, and I push down the rise of the fever that threatens to take me.

I push down my disappointment, too. I had hoped he wanted to speak to me about my mother.

“What about him?” I ask.

“He came to Glas-Cladach with a group of soldiers about six months ago.”

“What did he want?”

“He was looking for the Heart of the Moon.”

My eyebrows lift. “He thought you had it?”

Dry twigs and leaves crunch beneath our boots as the trees around us get taller. They stretch toward the grey sky with gnarly fingers. A rustle, and the scent of the mountains carried on the wind, lets me know Callum is not far behind.

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