Page 107 of The Splendor of Fire
Fury streaked across Léo’s expression, and she moved her thumb along her face telling him not to move.Don’t.
Ardis looked between Léo and herself, at last understanding that her hand motions meant something. Léo gave her a wrathful look. She swallowed and said nothing.
Fingon dragged his fingers along the wall, following the chase of the doe around the room and stopping in front of the hearth. He skewered Léo with a look. “Ardis has confessed you weren’t together the night the siege engine was destroyed. Where were you?”
“Asleep in my bed, as I’ve told you.”
Niall squared up to him, and Léo raised his chin. “I’m not a female for you to terrify. Think before you swing at me, Niall. I’ve told you I was asleep in my bed. I’ll admit I let Ardis cover for me, but only so I wouldn’t go back to prison for something I didn’t do. How would I have known about the siege engine? How would I have coordinated an attack being out of prison for only a few hours? And it must have been a coordinated effort. Who could destroy it alone?”
Niall’s mouth tightened. “It was someone close to Dun Ringill.”
“Perhaps it was one of the Wolf’s men that let it slip.”
The thought traveled the length of Niall’s pasty face and across his stupid brain as if he had never considered this possibility before. He grunted. “The night of the granary fire, you were the only one to see the bowman.”
“I wasn’t. Gordon saw him. A short man. I also had a bruise across my face where I’d been hit fighting him. Didn’t you bother to ask Gordon?”
Fingon’s face contorted. “Well we can’t very well ask him now, can we? Convenient.”
Leo’s eyes rolled. “Whose fault is that? Not mine.”
Moira took a pitiful breath. So that was that, then. Gordon was dead. God have mercy on his black soul.
Niall stroked his beard. “What about the night of the Staffa theft?”
“What about it? Gordon saw me then too. He said he confirmed it to Fingon and Malvina. Where is Malvina?”
Fingon crossed his arms. “In bed.”
In bed with a headache to avoid Niall’s questioning about her keys. Where she’d been for over two days.
Leo made a face. “Perhaps we should get her up.”
Fingon shook his head. “Not necessary. Moira and I heard her confirm the sighting the morning after.”Snake.
Niall’s face pinched with frustration. “Everyone go to bed. I need time to think. We’ll pick this up in the morning. No one leaves.”
She rose and followed Ardis and Léo out of the room. Fingon followed close behind. “I believe I need to be sure everyone goes to their respective rooms.”
Chapter 32
ALBHAINN POND - SEPTEMBER 25, 1385
Three hours after compline Léo managed to slip through the keep and to the tunnel. His heart pumped in his chest, knowing he would need to order Moira to leave, knowing she would resist it at all costs. He must convince her to go.
As he pushed himself out of the tunnel opening, he saw her sitting on a wide rock, her icy blue gown shimmering against the bright moonlight. When she saw him, her face softened with relief, and she sprinted through the clearing, straight into his arms. He caught her and held her tight.
“I’m here,mon petit oiselle.”
Her face nestled against his neck, and he touched the soft curls gathered on top of her head. Her lungs filled with a deep breath and released, and he put her down on her feet.
He took her hand and pulled her toward the forest path. “Let’s go, Angus and Eoghan are waiting at Breacais to take us to Dunvegan.”
Her feet planted and she wouldn’t move forward. Frustration filled him. He must not lose his temper. Keeping his voice steady, he squeezed her hand. “Moira. This is an order. This mission is done.”
She pulled her hand out of his and shook her head furiously.No. Wecan’t go. We must stay until the attack. We can’t abandon the mission now. We’re so close.
He took her hand again. “I don’t care a thing about this mission. It’s done, it’s over. We’re leaving now.”
