Page 92 of Honour Bound
‘Stop shouting!’ came a shaky, high-pitched voice from the darkness on the other side of the hill. ‘You’re scaring the snowdrops!’
We both fell silent as Morna Carnegie appeared, taking small unsteady steps towards us. ‘This is a very important time for the flowers,’ she admonished. ‘It’s touch and go and they’re very sensitive.’
I stared at her but Byron gave a tight smile. ‘I apologise,’ he said.
She sniffed. ‘I don’t need you to apologise. I just need you to keep the noise down.’ She looked at me. ‘You’re the Adair girl.’
Bloody Carnegies. ‘Integrity,’ I said coldly.
‘Pfft! No need to get the hump. When you get to my age, everyone is either a girl or a boy.’ Her pupils dilated. ‘I knew your father, you know. He had respect for his environment.’ She cocked her head. ‘Don’t believe everything you hear about him.’
I drew in a breath. ‘Do you mean…’
Before I could finish my sentence, she jerked back. ‘It was you,’ she whispered suddenly. ‘You took it. I can see it in you.’
Oh shite.
‘Took what, Morna?’ Byron asked.
‘My Gift. You stole my Gift.’
I shook my head. ‘No, no, no, I didn’t.’ My voice faltered. I squeezed my eyes shut and sighed. ‘I didn’t mean to. And I didn’t take all of it.’
‘You have no control!’ she snapped. ‘You can’t just go around stealing others’ magical powers!’
‘Integrity,’ Byron said slowly, ‘what is she talking about?’
‘I don’t know.’ I looked at him. He backed away as comprehension sank in.
‘Kirsty,’ he said. ‘Itwasyou who did that to her.’
‘It wasn’t deliberate! I didn’t mean to, it just kind of happened.’
Even in the darkness, I could see his face grow pale. ‘You took my Gift too, didn’t you? Not all of it but you took some. Ripped it from me. That was why it felt so strange in the Artistry challenge. Are you really that desperate to win?’
‘It wasn’t like that!’ I protested, feeling the situation and my control slipping away. I was desperate for Byron not to think badly of me.
He gave me a long, cold stare. ‘You really are a bitch.’
‘Byron…’
He shook his head and stepped away. ‘Stay away from me, Integrity. I don’t want you anywhere near me.’
‘Wait, Byron.’
It was too late. He’d already whirled away and was striding back down the hill. My shoulders sank.
Morna Carnegie was still looking at me. ‘The truth will out, Integrity Adair,’ she said. ‘It always does.’
Her words were so similar to those that I’d snapped at Aifric that I froze and stared at her. She smiled then squeaked, ‘Excuse me.’ She reached inside her coat and pulled out a ball of brown fur. ‘I told you to stop doing that,’ she said sternly. I blinked. The fur quivered in her hands and she sighed. ‘Fine. But don’t go far.’
Morna bent down and released the ball. It wasted no time in scampering off, leaving behind a three-legged trail. My mouth dropped open. ‘Is that…?’
‘A haggis,’ she said dismissively. ‘Bloody things keep running off.’
‘Haggis? But…?’
Morna snapped her fingers in front of my face. ‘Focus on what’s important, girl! People your age get distracted too easily. No wonder you keep making such a mess of things.’ Before I could protest, she held up her hand. ‘Not everyone is against you,’ she said. ‘No matter what their fool Clan Chieftains are doing. Come and see me once all this is over. I can help you with your Gift.’
