Page 10 of Sins of a Scot
“Nae from where I’m standing. Daire had a full tankard of ale, and yet, ye convinced him tae go and get another. Did ye put him in a trance? What did ye dae?”
“I’ve already told ye. I’m nae willing tae answer any more o’ yer questions.”
“Och, but ye will, lass. Or would ye like me tae send Daire in here tae beat it out o’ ye?”
Iseabail’s eyes flew wide, but as she glared at him, she noticed an almost imperceptible movement at the corner of his mouth. As though, he found what he had said amusing. Perhaps she had got it wrong. Perhaps he was a dangerous man after all.
Or maybe, he’s laughing because he kens, he’d never dae it, and is only trying tae terrify ye intae telling him what he wants tae ken.
That sounded like a far better option, and thus, Iseabail grabbed hold of that reasoning with two hands. He had saved her earlier, before the fight had begun. If he was any kind of fiend, surely, he wouldn’t have made the effort. Her line of reasoning was a little thin, but it was just enough to keep her from spilling everything.
Earlier, she had unloaded all her worries onto the burly man who had approached her in the tavern, but she had known shecould compel him to forget everything she said. Now, apart from the fact that her powers were useless against this man, she also didn’t know him and therefore, could not trust him. Somehow, she needed to know from where he had garnered his necklace, and yet, she had little doubt he would refuse to tell her without some information in return.
But if she did answer his questions, she might well end up in this dungeon for far longer than she intended.
“So, ye’re nae going tae tell me?” Owen pressed.
Iseabail stood her ground. “I think I’ve already made that quite clear.”
“Ye ken, it is ye who has gotten yersel’ intae this position. Ye tried tae steal something that belongs tae me. Ye put me friend under some sort o’ spell tae dae it. And I still cannae understand how ye managed tae get into that room tae see the fight.”
He glared at her for another long minute, but Iseabail only looked back at him, her eyes never leaving his, and her resolve as strong as ever.
“Will ye nae even tell me why ye want this?” He tugged at the necklace.
Iseabail stared at the necklace for a moment, but still did not say a word. What she had been looking for was right there, not three feet away. The irony of it was, if he wasn’t wearing it, she couldcompel him to give it to her. But alas, it was not going to come into her possession that easily.
Besides, it still wasn’t enough. The crystal she was looking for was far bigger than the one he wore. Laird Sutherland had made that quite clear. He had told her the stone was large and heavy, and thus, the crystal that hung on Owen’s necklace couldn’t be it. At least not the whole of it, but perhaps it was a small piece broken off it. But if she could discover from where he had obtained it, maybe it would lead her to its source.
“Where did ye get it?” she asked.
Owen burst out a mirthless chuckle and gawped at her in disbelief. “Ye dinnae want tae answer me questions, but ye expect me tae answer yers?” He shook his head. “I’m afraid it’s nae going tae work like that, lass.”
She already knew he wouldn’t tell her, but it was worth a shot. Even now, she could hardly take her eyes off it, and as she gazed at it, she wondered if this man knew how much power truly hung around his neck.
“Owen,” a voice said, carrying through the bars.
Both Owen and Iseabail looked across the cell to see the giant Viking-like man standing close to the gate. “I need tae speak tae ye.” He nodded, gesturing that Owen come and join him.
He huffed out a frustrated breath. “Fine.”
Spinning on his heels, he turned and left the cell. The guard hurriedly locked it once Owen had left, and then he stood in, what Iseabail assumed, was his usual position. She tried to see where Owen and Daire had gone, but even with her face pressed up against the bars, she could not see them.
If they had left, this might be her chance. For a certainty, the guard was not wearing a crystal, and if she could just get him to come over to her and look her in the eye, she might be able to escape this place.
But then, she heard voices echoing through the empty corridors, and realized that Owen and his companion had not left the dungeon at all.
“She’s saying naething,” Owen huffed. “As stubborn as a mule.”
“What is it yer hoping tae discover?” Daire asked.
“Dinnae ye remember? She put a spell on ye.”
“Dinnae talk nonsense, Owen. There wasnae a spell.”
“Then tell me why ye went tae get another drink when a full tankard sat beside ye on the bar?”
There was silence for a few seconds, and then Owen spoke again.
