Page 69 of Between Wrath and Mercy

“That’s a long and sad story. Since we were airing our secrets, I decided it was time to tell Emma, and I needed to prove it to her. I didn’t want her to feel like she had to keep any secrets on my behalf, thus my purpose for bringing you into the demonstration.” She nodded to me, and I felt guilty for needing proof.

“What else can you do?”

“A little of this, a little of that.” She gave him a sly smile, gesturing her hand dismissively.

“Are we bringing her with us?” he asked, crooked grin firmly in place as he addressed me.

“No, she has her patients.” I glanced at her, shocked to see she seemed to be considering it. “Unless…you want to?”

“I think I may be able to help.” She reached out and grabbed my hand, squeezing softly. “If you’d like me there, I will come.” I couldn’t control my smile, feeling a bit emotional that she wanted to help, and I nodded firmly as tears threatened my lash line.

“We leave in the morning, little merrow.” Rainier nodded and walked out of the stable without giving me a second glance. Something coursed through me when he called her that, and I didn’t like the way it made me feel.

“See, that’s what I’m talking about.” She dipped her chin as she walked to the window, hopping up on the table to shut it.

“What?”

“You flickered when he spoke to me.” I studied her as she walked back to me, not sure what she meant. “You didn’t like it—him calling me that.” She tugged my arm into hers as we walked out of the stable, patting me like I was a feeble, old woman.

“You don’t have to worry, Emma. You both burn for each other.”

Seatedtightlyaroundthedinner table sometime later, shoved uncomfortably between Mairin and Nana, I wondered how I became the subject of discussion. I’d never had so many people in my house, let alone around my dining table, and a small part of me felt some joy from all the noise. Until it became about me. I’d invited Dickey to dine with us, worried about him after the death of his friend, and Dewalt, who had stayed away all day, went to fetch him. When the boy walked up the bank from the camp, my heart ached. His head and shoulders drooped, and he didn’t look well.

“My lady.” He had held out something I couldn’t quite see since it had grown dark. “I found this after everything and thought you might want it.”

He handed to me what was left of my bow, snapped clean in half, and the grip was missing. I had studied it in my hands for just a moment. It was one of the only gifts Faxon had ever given me, going out of his way to get it made for me. It was carved from yew heartwood, and the grip was made of a thin layer of leather, molded with time to fit my hand almost perfectly. I had treasured it.

“Thank you, Dickey. It served me well.” I had paused, swallowing before I continued. I wasn’t eager to talk about it but knew I had to. “I’m sorry about Sam. I tried, I did.”

“I know you did, Lady Emmeline. Thank you. If it weren’t for you, I’d be dead too.”

I had waited until Dickey went inside before I walked over to the fire in the clearing and tossed the bow in, staring into the flame until Dewalt came to the door, calling me inside.

Now, Dickey was sitting across from me, describing exactly how I’d used that bow. Somehow, Mairin was running the conversation, and she’d wanted to hear about how I killed the tírrúil. I’d put a hand on her arm, a warning on my face when she asked Dickey to tell the story. I didn’t want him to have to relive how his friend had died. But he didn’t notice it and telling it seemed to make him feel better. I sank low in my seat, wishing I could disappear. I had done the bare minimum, and a boy still died.

“I heard my name, and I looked through the fire and saw Lady Emmeline through the flames.” He shook his head as if in disbelief. “I thought she was some kind of war goddess—standing on her horse like that. Then I saw her bow, and I knew. I turned around, and there it was, already on my friend Sam.” His head bowed when he mentioned him. “Then fire rained down on it, and it fell.” I focused on the food in front of me; the meat pies Nana had cooked were tough, providing me a much-needed reason to be busy. “I’ve yet to thank you properly, Lady Emmeline. I owe you my life and my sword.”

“You owe me no such thing, Dickey. You don’t have to call me lady, either.” I barely raised my head from the table.

“Yes, he does.” Rainier’s voice was quiet from the end of the table. He had finished his food, so he was relaxed and comfortable, an elbow on the arm of his chair while his hand traced his jaw.

“I’m sorry, Dickey. I was unaware our prince’s opinion on how I am to be addressed outweighs my own.” I aggressively stabbed a piece of meat from the pie in front of me before shoving it into my mouth, not bothering with the prince in question. Bold of him to demand respect for me while secretly betrothed and whispering promises with his lips against my skin.

“I heard I missed quite a show today.” Dewalt served me a malicious grin. He was seated just far enough away that I couldn’t kick him under the table, though it didn’t stop me from trying. When I couldn’t reach him, I fisted my knife in my hand and stabbed another piece of my food while I made pointed eye contact with him. My message was evidently not clear enough because he continued.

“Honestly, I thought you would’ve won, Emma. The old man down there doesn’t like to slum with us soldiers and our swords. He prefers playing in the dirt.” I heard a chuckle and ignored it.

“Emma has always liked to use her hands.” Nana, of all people, chimed in. “Ever since she was little. Lucia fought with words, and Emma fought with fists. They were quite the pair.” Everyone at the table laughed, and I looked at the little woman next to me, smiling lovingly, making it hard to glare at her.

“Emmeline excels at drawing first blood, but she doesn’t have the endurance or patience to follow through with it.” Rainier was talking about me as if I wasn’t there, but I could feel the heat of his gaze on my face. “We’ll have to work on it.” I refused to engage with him.

“Yes, how is your stomach, brother?” Lavenia laughed from the other side of Nana, seated opposite her brother, before leaning forward in her seat to look at me. “To be fair, you did play dirty with the dagger.”

“It was strapped to my leg; I didn’t hide it. It’s not my fault if he forgot about it.” I shrugged and took a long drink of my wine.

“I didn’t forget it. I just wasn’t expecting you to use it on me. Just like I wasn’t expecting you to challenge me today.” I wondered when he would figure out that I didn’t intend to speak to him. The apology he gave me while we fought wasn’t even a real apology. It didn’t tell me anything about his plans going forward. Until he gave me more details, I had no intention of speaking to him at all.

“You know we heard most of what you two said to each other, right? At least before the thunder started.” Mairin eyed me when she said it, and I believed she meant to say it quietly, just for me. But the multiple glasses of wine she’d shared with Lavenia before dinner had other ideas in mind, her voice much louder than she intended. Everyone grew quiet. The only one who reacted at all was Dewalt as his head turned back and forth between me and the infuriating man at the end of the table. I noted Dickey and Lavenia taking a decided interest in their food. Eyes wide, I turned toward Marin and glared. Divine hell, this woman was going to be the death of me.

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