Page 77 of Wolf Heir
“Aye. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Then Tristan took off for the tower stairs.
“Usually, Hamish schedules the fight in the morning before we break our fast.” Aodhan looked back at the forest.
“Do you believe he’s angry about Osmond, and this is a way for him to release his anger? I have no’ seen him fight before though.”
“Aye. I believe he has said we must join the fight so he can”—Aodhan smiled—“battle you, just to see how good one of his newest guards is since you bested me. I would recommend you remove your shirt again this time, unlike last time.”
“And if Morag happens to see the wolf on my shoulder?”
“She never comes to see the men fighting.”
Coinneach wondered if Morag would this time, to appease Hamish, if he wasn’t sure if she’d had the affair with Osmond or not, to pretend she was interested in watching Hamish fight.
17
Blair entered the kitchen and pulled Aisling aside from cooking a boar. It normally wasn’t done when Aisling was helping to prepare a meal, but she figured something was wrong the way her mother looked so pale.
Cook might have had words with Aisling over it if it hadn’t been that Blair took care of all injuries and illnesses, and no one wanted to get on her bad side.
Besides, it seemed that Aisling and Blair were in the know about a lot of things concerning what was going on with Osmond and Morag, which was piquing everyone’s interest.
“What is wrong?” Aisling asked her mother.
“The chief has ordered that all able-bodied men practice fighting after the meal. Specifically, he wants Aodhan and Coinneach to fight.”
“Each other again?”
“Nay, well, I dinna know. He just wants them to relinquish their duties on the wall walk and focus on practicing fighting. It is rumored that Hamish will be fighting this time as well. They want me to watch the practice session in case anyone gets hurt.”
“Which makes sense since Tristan hurt Coinneach the one time.”
“Aye, but Morag is attending for the first time in forever also.”
“Morag?” Aisling's voice rose a little too high, and she lowered her voice. “Why?”
Blair took hold of Aisling’s hands and tightened her hold on them. “Something is up. Tell Coinneach no’ to remove his shirt during the fight. Morag canna see the mark on his shoulder no matter what.”
“If I arrive after you do, then you can tell him.” Aisling still wasn’t sure her mother was happy she had mated him.
“If Morag sees me talking to him?—”
“If she sees you talking to him, she has to know he is part of our family now, and that is the reason.”
“And that he has a wolf mark?”
“Whoever gets there first, talks to him,” Aisling said, feeling anxious now.
“If you must go, go, Aisling,” Cook said, winding one of her unruly red curls around her finger, then poking it back into her plaited hair. “I’m sure many of us will be watching Chief Hamish to see him fight. It’s been a long time since he battled with his men.”
“Aye, thank you,” Aisling said, glancing back at Nelly, who had taken her place to turn the boar along with some of the other women.
She cast a worried frown at Aisling.
Aisling left the kitchen, her mother hurrying after her.
“I think there are hints of a rumor floating around the pack that Coinneach is Hamish’s son,” Aisling’s mother said.
“Who has started such rumors?”
