The Betrayer: Tales of Pern Coen (Legacy Book 1)

by Hannah E Carey

  “I don’t tell many people this,” she finally said, “but everyone in the village where I grew up thought my father was a wonderful man. The problem was, no one ever saw him behind closed doors. He was the harshest with my mother, but he would yell and berate me as well. My mother tried to hide it from me, but when I was around seven, he started to become violent with her. It wasn’t even a year later that she left him and we moved to the village outside Castle Clogwyn. She created a new life for us there, a far better one. Being deceived by a man who was a skillful liar doesn’t make you weak. It just means you’re human.”

  Ciara blinked back tears, her body numb. Somehow, she managed a nod and they went back to eating. Silence filled the room again, but like before, it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was almost as if Maura sensed that Ciara wasn’t quite ready to continue their conversation, that she needed time to process all that had happened.

  Once they were done eating, they stacked their empty bowls on the table and readied for bed. Ciara changed into one of Niall’s shirts, trying not to notice how the fabric smelled like him: a woodsy scent that reminded her of cedar. She was exhausted by the time she crawled under the covers, pulling the blankets up while trying to get comfortable with her sore side. When she finally settled, she could see that Maura was still awake.

  “Thank you,” Ciara said quietly. “For sharing that with me.”

  “You’re welcome,” Maura replied and through the darkness, Ciara could see a sympathetic smile on the other woman’s face.

  They bid one another goodnight and Ciara let her eyes drift shut, welcoming sleep. She could only hope that her own story would have such an ending.

  Chapter 20

  The Raven’s Warning

  Niall was spared visions and granted restful sleep during their brief stay in Caoirigh. They lingered in the village for three days, giving Ciara time to heal and allowing them to gather supplies for the rest of their journey. Niall was eager to get back to Clogwyn, especially with rumors circulating Caoirigh of trouble in Blaidd, but the trip would be a long one. In spite of his impatience, he knew they wouldn’t get far being ill-prepared.

  Ciara was at least healing well, though he had tried to limit his interactions with her—with anyone, really. Odran had removed the stitches from her finger and suspected the ones in her side would come out within a few more days. The tentative friendship that Niall had seen between her and Maura over the past few days had eased some of his own guilt. Even if he couldn’t be there for her, someone could.

  As Niall wandered the market square of Caoirigh, he knew he needed to be paying attention to his surroundings, especially with Regulus and Bleddyn hunting for them, but all he could think of was Ciara. Being so close to her and having to keep his emotions and feelings in check was torturous.

  She’s not for you, he reminded himself, keeping his head down as he navigated the square. She deserves more. As he passed by a group of five farmers standing around an old cart and ancient plow horse, he couldn’t stop himself from tensing. The men’s voices were loud and their conversation boisterous. One of them glanced Niall’s way and he was grateful for the light drizzle that allowed him to keep his hood up without drawing too much suspicion. He’d been jumpy since he’d left the safety of his room and he worried that his nerves might be completely frayed by the time they reached Clogwyn.

  Readjusting the small sack of dried berries he carried over his shoulder, he scanned the mixture of carts and makeshift stalls, hunting for the next item on his list, gloves for Ciara. Her lack of coin and her lack of clothing had become apparent over the past few days. They had all agreed to do what they could to help and Niall had taken it upon himself to purchase her a few sets of clothes while they were in Caoirigh.

  His gaze fell on a stall a few feet away that boasted a few stacks of clothing. He made his way toward it, absently rubbing his thumb along the finger of his right hand where his clan ring should have been. The mark of his place as Ri, which had been passed down for generations, was too much of a giveaway to who he was, however, and he had removed it their first night in Caoirigh. It now hung from a thin leather strap tied around his neck, tucked inside his shirt.

  Pausing in front of the stall, he eyed a stack of shirts and pants while trying to ignore the growing tightness in his chest as the woman selling the clothing walked toward him. Breathe, he reminded himself, inwardly wishing he’d brought Rhew instead of leaving the wolf to keep Ciara company. It’s not as if she’s going to start screaming my name into the crowd. Or at least, he hoped not.

  “Looking for something in particular?” the woman asked as he picked up a grey shirt.

  “No,” he replied, averting his gaze. “Just… looking for my sister.”

  The woman nodded and he picked up two more smaller shirts. A sister, he thought, looking through the pants as well. That’s precisely how I need to think of her. Like a sister. Never mind the fact that the continual thoughts of kissing her and the memories of the one kiss that they had shared inside the walls of Castle Cryf were anything but brotherly.

  “I just got these in from Arth.” The woman reached behind her, pulling out another bundle of shirts. “They might interest you.”

  She set them down in front of him, but his vision blurred. His pulse started to race, panic setting in as the woman faded from view—

  He was at the edge of a lake, somewhere high in the mountains. His own face was reflected back to him in the water and he watched with strange fascination as Ciara, Maura, and Odran’s faces appeared. Suddenly, the water grew dark and a massive raven swooped up out of the lake. It was Cigfran, with its otherworldly red eyes and bizarre mixture of bones, feathers, and blood. It shrieked, the noise making him cover his ears. The Spirit flapped its wings, causing a giant wall of water to push toward the shore—

  The market square came back into view and Niall was left gasping for breath as the vision cleared. The woman stared at him, wide-eyed. He was entirely too hot, his muscles quivering as his stomach churned, and he momentarily wondered if his breakfast was going to make a reappearance. When a hand came to rest on his shoulder, he started.

  “We’ve had a long journey,” Odran said to the frightened woman in front of them.

  “Yes,” Niall added, licking his lips as he struggled to calm his racing heart. “Forgive me.”

  He quickly paid a few pieces of coin for the clothing, fighting to ignore Odran’s wrinkled brow and pursed lips as his cousin stared at him. Niall turned to walk away from the stall, but the caw of a raven somewhere nearby made him freeze. His gaze darted around the crowded square, finally falling on the bird. It was perched on a wagon a few feet away. There was nothing unusual about its looks but when the creature stared back at him, he could feel something—something dark and sinister that sent a shiver down his spine. He jerked his gaze away from it, but he was still left with an uncomfortable feeling that they might not be as safe in Caoirigh as they had first thought.

  “Something wrong?” Odran asked.

  “No.” Niall shook his head, walking off in the direction of the tavern.

  Odran kept pace with him as they pushed their way through the crowd. The other man was silent, but the set of his jaw told Niall that he wouldn’t be so easily put off. Odran at least had the sense to wait until they were walking along a mostly deserted side street before he spoke again.

  “You want to tell me what happened back there?” he asked.

  Niall looked away, his shoulders tensing. “Like you said, a long journey.”

  Odran snorted, but he let the topic drop as they reached the tavern. Maura waited for them outside the building, her arms laden with more supplies. Niall and Odran relieved her of some of her load and the three of them made their way up the steps. It was midday and the main room of the tavern was far fuller with travelers and patrons than it had been earlier that morning. Niall was torn as they walked toward the hallway, part of him wanting to run back to the safety of his room while another part of him lo
nged to enjoy a pint of ale in the company of others to help him forget his fears.

  “I think I’m going to set all this down and go get something to eat,” Maura said when they reached their rooms. “If either of you want to join me.”

  She spoke to both of them, but her gaze lingered on Niall. He shook his head. It was tempting, but he’d already had one vision in the middle of the square. There was no reason to risk drawing more attention to himself.

  “I want to start mapping out our trip,” he replied. “I can put the supplies away.”

  For a moment, Maura’s gaze drifted downward and she pressed her lips together, but it was brief. When she looked back up, her confident expression had returned.

  “Of course,” she said. “Would you like me to see about having food sent back?”

  “That would be wonderful,” he told her, his tension easing. “I’m sure Ciara would appreciate it as well.”

  Maura gave him a tight-lipped smile and turned to leave, but Odran stopped her.

  “I’ll join you in a moment, Maura,” he said.

  Her expression softened, her smile becoming more genuine before she continued on her way.

  As soon as she was out of earshot, Odran turned to Niall with a frown. “You do realize that she’s halfway in love with you, don’t you?”

  Niall stared at him, blinking rapidly as he tried to come up with some sort of response.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” he finally said, swallowing hard.

  “Lie to yourself all you want, I suppose,” Odran replied, his tone casual, though Niall could see the tension in the other man’s shoulders. “But she and Ciara deserve to know the truth, one way or another.”

  Niall stiffened. He was eager to deny Odran’s accusations, but as he thought about his interactions with Maura over the past few months, he came to the uncomfortable realization that his cousin might not be entirely wrong. He had been close with her, largely out of necessity, but did her feelings run deeper than that of a warrior chief serving her Ri?

  “Ciara already knows that there can’t be anything between us,” he said, staring at a knot in the wood on the wall behind Odran.

  “And Maura?”

  Niall pinched his lips together before letting out a quiet sigh. “Maura will know soon enough.”

  Odran gave him a nod and although the other man was silent, judging by his expression, he would hold Niall to it. He strode off down the hallway after Maura, leaving Niall alone with their newly gathered supplies. Biting back a groan, Niall let himself into their room. With Rhew across the hall with Ciara, it was empty and he missed his wolf’s comforting presence.

  After organizing their purchases the best that he could, he rummaged around for the map of Blaidd and Seabhac that Odran had purchased the day before. Spreading it out on the bed, he tried to study it while he waited for food to arrive. He was anxious to retrieve Rhew, but it would be best to wait to go get her when he had food in hand. There was no sense in looking desperate. Rubbing a hand over his face, he fought the exhaustion that always followed after one of his visions. Finally, with a muttered oath, he set the map aside. He was too tired from his vision to get anything done now. Resting his face in his hands, he let out a sigh. He needed to get home, and he desperately needed the safety of his castle.

  ∞∞∞

  Ciara squinted as she worked to thread the needle, wishing for better light in her tiny room. On her third try, she succeeded and turned her attention back to the sock in her lap. She had already taken in the shirt and pair of pants Maura had given her and now she was mending a few of the other woman’s more worn clothes. All of her years assisting her mother in her shop, trying to keep Aideen’s seamstress business afloat, were proving to not be a complete waste. At least she could somewhat contribute to the group while being stuck inside.

  Rhew was sprawled out next to her on the bed, the wolf’s soft snores filling the room as she slept the afternoon away. The wolf had been good company and Ciara would miss her when she left Caoirigh and struck out on her own. With her sewing skills, she was fairly confident that she could earn the coin that she needed to make it the rest of the way home. There was no need to return to Blaidd with Niall, no matter how much part of her wanted to. Continuing with her stitching, she mended the hole in Maura’s sock the best that she could.

  A soft knock at the door woke Rhew, the wolf lifting her head and pricking her ears. By the time that Ciara had set her sewing aside, Rhew was halfway to the door. When Ciara opened it, Niall stood outside in the hallway with food and a cloth bundle, looking down at her with a soft smile that made her chest flutter. She stepped back, making sure to keep space between them when he entered the room. He wanted nothing more than friendship; she didn’t need to be pining after something she couldn’t have. He carried a steaming plate of food in one hand and a small stack of clothes in the other.

  “Maura and Odran had this sent up,” he told her, handing her the plate.

  “Thank you,” she replied, setting it down on the bedside table and watching him out of the corner of her eye as he affectionately greeted Rhew.

  There had always been something inherently kind about Niall. One could see it in the way he treated his four-legged companions. It was something that now, in hindsight, she could realize had been completely absent in Bleddyn.

  “We picked these up for you while we were out,” Niall said, holding the stack of clothing out to her.

  Tears pricked her eyes as she took it from him, biting down hard on her lower lip. “That was very kind; thank you. I can pay you all back eventually.”

  Niall shook his head, his voice growing soft. “It’s a gift.”

  Their gazes locked and for a moment she thought he might close the distance between them. Her pulse quickened at the thought of being so near him, the memory of their kiss returning, but then he cleared his throat and turned back to the door.

  “I’ll let you eat in peace,” he said. “Come on, Rhew.”

  Ciara watched him leave, Rhew obediently following along at his side. The door closed and she was unable to squash her disappointment at his departure. Despite her best efforts, her feelings toward him remained. Setting the clothing down, she turned her attention to her lunch. The fare at the Black Sheep had been bland, but it had still been good to have home-cooked food after days on the road. Sitting down on her bed, she ate in silence, trying to ignore how empty the room felt now that Rhew was gone.

  When she finished, she set the plate aside and continued on with her mending. She had just finished tying off her last stitch when she heard voices in the hallway, followed by the muffled noise of pounding feet. Frowning, she set aside the needle and thread just as the door to her room slammed open. Niall burst in, followed by Odran. Their eyes were wide with alarm and Odran was breathing heavily.

  “What in the blazes is going on?” Ciara asked, blinking rapidly and jerking her head back in confusion.

  “We have to go,” Odran said, walking over and starting to gather up Maura’s things. “Now.”

  “Now?” Ciara repeated. “What? Why?”

  “There are three mercenaries and a warrior from Seabhac at the bar looking for us,” Niall answered.

  She swallowed hard, a sense of dread coming over her as she leapt off the bed and hurried over to help them stuff her and Maura’s belongings into saddlebags.

  “I’m assuming that we have some sort of plan here?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Odran replied, far too quickly for her liking.

  Ciara gave them both a disbelieving look and Niall winced.

  “Sort of,” Niall said. “Maura took Rhew and she’s getting the horses. We’ll sneak out the back.”

  “Well,” Ciara sighed, throwing a few of the saddlebags over her shoulders while trying to ignore the slight pain the movements caused in her side, “thank the Spirits for that.”

  She grabbed her bow and quiver and they bolted out of the room. Odran led the way down the hallway to the back door and t
hey ran down the steps toward the stable. Maura already had the horses saddled and upon reaching them, they began attaching the saddlebags to their mounts, the horses tensing as they picked up on the fractious energy in the air.

  Odran swung himself up onto Degwch as Ciara buckled the last of Rhosyn’s saddlebags. The opening of the tavern door drew her attention and an arrow flew through the air, just missing Rhosyn’s leg. The mare started and pulled the reins out of Ciara’s hands. Thankfully, Maura grabbed Rhosyn before the mare could bolt. Ciara grabbed an arrow from her quiver, her warrior training not completely forgotten.

  She loosed at the warrior from Seabhac, the man managing to loose his own arrow at Niall before Ciara’s connected with his chest. The warrior stumbled forward, falling down the steps to collapse at the bottom of them. The mercenaries dodged around him and continued to rush down the stairs. Ciara loosed again, one of her arrows digging into the knee of one man before another embedded itself into his neck and caused him to drop. She pivoted, another mercenary advancing on her, but Gealach’s stocky form jumped in front of her. Niall sliced his blade across the man’s neck and the mercenary crumpled to the ground.

  “Let’s go,” Niall said, offering his hand.

  Ciara took it, letting him pull her up behind him. The throbbing that had started in her side upon using her bow erupted into an almost unbearable wave of pain, but as she settled in the saddle she gritted her teeth, suppressing a whimper. The remaining mercenary latched onto Gealach’s reins, but Niall thrust his sword into the man’s arm and he stumbled backward, letting out a string of foreign curses. Gealach jumped forward as soon as he was released and Ciara was forced to wrap an arm around Niall’s waist to keep her balance, in spite of the sharp ache the movement caused in her side. Niall wheeled the grey stallion around, some of the tightness in Ciara’s chest easing at the sight of the others unharmed and Rhosyn safely ponied off Maura’s mare. Gealach quickened his pace at Niall’s urging and the horses bolted away from the tavern, once again taking them back into the depths of the Seanathair mountains.