Page 2 of Bride of Fire
Jenefer said that mostly to convince herself. In her heart of hearts, she doubted their parents could persuade the king to reverse his decision.
No matter how sensible it had always seemed to bestow the land adjoining Rivenloch to a Rivenloch heir.
No matter how convenient it would be for Jenefer to become laird of the keep next to her cousin Hallidis.
Unfortunately, the newly crowned King Malcolm had already offered the title to some heathen from the Highlands. And Malcolm was unlikely to change his mind, considering how much trouble the fourteen-year-old king was having, holding on to hisownland.
As for the Highlander, word was he hadn’t even waited for official documents to be drawn up. The greedy sot was on his way to claim the castle even now. Due to arrive any day, he might well be settled in before the cousins’ parents returned from their futile mission.
But Jenefer was determined to keep a barbarian from laying claim to her land.
“Creagor will be mine,” she swore, “even if I have to seize it myself.”
Feiyan turned to Hallie. “See? I told you.”
Hallie nodded.
Jenefer scowled at them. “Told her what?” she snapped. Were her cousins conspiring against her?
“Jen,” Hallie said, “you’re not doing this alone.”
Jenefer narrowed her gaze. Sometimes Hallidis Cameliard could be so domineering. Aye, her oldest cousin had been left in charge of Rivenloch in her parents’ absence. But that didn’t mean she was the laird proper. Not yet.
“If you think I’m going to sit on my hands,” Jenefer said, “while you try to woo a thickheaded Highlander out of his property—”
“Who said anything about wooing him?” Feiyan arched a dark brow and plucked a sinister-looking steel star from beneath her cloak.
Hallie glowered in disapproval, confiscating the star.
Feiyan gasped as Hallie hurled it at the wattle fence, lodging two of its sharp points in the wood.
“Violence is a last resort,” Hallie said. “We’re far more clever than that. But whatever course of action we take, I want your oath. We do it together.”
She offered her hands to her reluctant cousins to confirm the pact they’d made when they were young lasses.
Jenefer didn’t appreciate Hallie’s overly cautious attitude. But she had to admit it would be good to have allies in this fight. So with a resigned sigh, she clasped first Hallie’s hand, then Feiyan’s.
“Amor vincit omnia,”Hallie intoned.
Feiyan and Jenefer echoed the Latin words, which were inscribed on the Laird of Rivenloch’s sword.
Love conquers all.
Jenefer wasn’t sure about that.
She’d heard about Highlanders. They were filthy, half-wild creatures with mad eyes and tangled beards, who supped on raw lambs and carried shields decorated with the ribs of their enemies.
Shuddering in disgust, she shouldered her quiver.
She wouldn’t break her oath to her cousins. But when Hallie’s reasonable negotiations ultimately failed, Jenefer intended to have her weapons close at hand.
Chapter 2
Morgan Mor mac Giric could not endure another day in his Highland home.
It had been three months. But the pain was still fresh. His grief was raw. His guilt was crippling.
It struck him most when he lifted gritty eyes to the gray-green pines, the stark rock mountains, and the silvery waterfalls trickling down the face of the cliff like tears.
