by Kristen Cobb
Ronan nodded.
Nessa glanced up at the balcony attached to her room. Conri stood on it watching them. Nessa released Ronan’s hand but knew it was far too late.
CONRI SAT on the bed waiting for her, fully dressed, lounging with a deceptively calm expression on top of the blankets. The double doors leading out to the balcony remained open. Not even the sound of the ocean crashing against the shore brought her any peace at the moment.
“I do believe we need to talk wife.” He placed special emphasis on the word wife in the most insulting way.
Nessa closed the door behind her, unsure where to go. Sitting on the bed with him seemed too intimate given the circumstances, the table too far away. She decided to remain standing for the moment.
Her mind began racing to think of something to say. It would be so easy to convince him all was well. She could reveal her plan, kiss him and profess her undying love. After being tortured so brutally the man had a right to be surly, especially to her. If not for her presence in his life none of it would have happened. Her fault in this could not be ignored.
“Do you still deny dallying with my brother?” Conri sat perfectly still, like a predator waiting to strike.
“Yes.” That she would continue to vehemently deny. Believing she lusted after his brother would destroy his relationship with Ronan before it ever got started. There seemed to be only one way out of this. She needed to implement her plan now. “I am with Rory now. I love him.”
The words just came spilling out but once said they could not be taken back. She watched his face for any reaction but saw nothing, no anger or sadness, no emotion at all except for a slight clenching of his jaw.
“So you went to all the trouble of saving me just to reveal that you are in love with someone else?”
She could not imagine a worse time to be doing this, alone with him in a bedroom. Seeing Conri on a bed reminded her of all the times they made love. She remembered each one in vivid detail. His brown hair had that slightly mused, just tumbled look now that he was clean. Even a bit more facial hair than she liked did not detract from his perfection in her eyes.
“I would never allow anyone to hurt you.” It was the truth. She had no idea what else to say.
“And yet you just did.” He continued staring straight at her, making this as difficult as possible.
She could barely breathe. Her whole body felt as if it were shaking. It took every bit of self-control she possessed to keep from falling to her knees, begging forgiveness for causing him even a moment’s pain. This was the only way to protect him. She began chanting it over and over in her mind, still standing in exactly the same spot, unable to move. An intense paralyzing pain coursed through her body in wave after powerful wave.
“Does Ronan know about Rory or are you keeping him as a backup?” Dripping with animosity his words were meant to wound.
“He knows. Ronan has never lived among the mortals. It is something he has always wanted. Please do not hold my actions against him.” Pleading with him seemed to be the only course of action left.
“I am not sure what to believe any more.” Conri stood up, walking out to the balcony.
Standing out there alone in the encroaching darkness with his back to her he looked so lost. It reminded her of his father’s lonely path. The desire to fall to her knees assailed her again, the sense of loss nearly overwhelming. This was by far the most difficult thing she had ever done. Nothing else even came close.
Slowly Nessa forced her feet to move. Step by step she moved ever closer to the man she would never be able to touch again. Stopping just inside the double doors she drank in the sight of him. Soon he would be nothing more than a memory.
“Maybe you should stay here for a while, get to know your family.” Why had she not thought of this before? What if Conri were so angry about Rory’s betrayal that he decided not to even go back? He would be here where his father could protect him, a loving family surrounding him.
“Is Declan still alive?” Conri had his back to her, looking out at the ocean, leaning on the outer wall of the stone balcony.
Nessa walked slowly toward her husband. She wanted him to look into her eyes for what needed to be said on this particular subject. Nessa laid her hand over one of his, knowing he would look at her even if he pulled away. Surprisingly enough he glanced down at her hand then up into her eyes. She was shocked to see a bit of fear in his eyes. “Yes, he is still alive but I intend to remedy that as soon as I return to Rory’s. No one is ever going to hurt you like that again. I am doing everything in my power to ensure your safety and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.”
Conri pulled his hand out from under hers, looking away. “I will handle Declan. Take the bed. I can sleep out here.”
Apparently he had no intention of staying with his father. Walking into the bedchamber she pulled two blankets and a pillow off the bed. Quietly setting them down next to Conri she went back into the room, leaving the doors to the balcony open.
8
The journey back to Rory’s castle passed in near silence. The occasional call of a bird or the whistle of the wind only seemed to accentuate the tension. No one said so much as a word. She managed to warn Ronan before they left that Conri knew about Rory. Even Ronan with his boundless humor knew to keep his mouth shut. Ronan borrowed two horses from his father’s stable, wisely realizing it would only incite Conri’s anger if she rode him all the way back to Rory’s.
They stopped for the night when Conri did, following his lead without comment or argument. Thankfully Conri did not hurl any more wild accusations at his brother. She honestly did not understand why the first words out of her husband’s mouth were to accuse her of having sex with Ronan. What had she ever done to warrant such distrust? Granted she had not been honest and forthright in the very beginning of their relationship. Well, she was lying to him now but he did not know that so it could not be counted as relevant to his present conduct.
Conri deserved someone better. She spent far too much time lying and manipulating him. He would be much better off without her in his life.
As they rode up the dirt road leading to Rory’s castle anyone outside immediately pointed at Conri or ran inside their house to inform someone else of his homecoming. Everyone knew about his kidnapping. Their houses had been searched and each one of them questioned by Rory’s men when Conri disappeared. There would be no hiding what happened.
Watching Conri stare straight ahead as people gathered, following them in a growing procession up the road, she felt sorry for him. Someone like Ronan would probably love this. He adored being the center of everyone’s focus. Conri was a proud and private man, taken captive and saved by his wife. She could only imagine how humiliated he felt at the moment. To make matters worse he would be forced to watch his wife publicly shame him with Rory. The thought actually turned her stomach into knots.
Each of the guards at the bridge slapped Conri on the back as he passed. Considering this a special occasion they allowed everyone in. Conri rode out in front as they headed toward the stables. The men on the training field began coming up to him, telling her husband how happy they were to see him hale and whole.
Ronan rode next to her, taking in the growing event that was Conri’s return home. “They actually seem happy to see him.” Ronan sounded truly shocked by that clearly apparent fact as he glanced around at the ever-widening mass of people.
“I told you, your brother is the best of men.” Watching Conri dismount and be nearly swallowed by the crowd she wanted nothing more than to hold his hand.
Will and Donal appeared beside her, unable to make their way through the mass of people surrounding Conri. “I see you found him.”
Nessa slid off her horse. “Yes.” She could still see her husband. He stood a head taller than everyone around him except for Allister and Sedric. Allister pushed the men closest to Conri aside, wrapping him in a ferociously tight hug. Allister and Sedric were now in the rotation as part o
f Rory’s personal guard, a promotion out of the rabble thanks to Conri.
Ronan hopped off his horse in dramatic fashion. “You must be Will.” Ronan held out his hand.
“And you would be?” Will made no move to shake Ronan’s hand.
“Conri’s brother, Ronan.” Ronan kept his hand extended in greeting, waiting for Will to process his statement.
Will looked to her for confirmation. Once she nodded Will grasped Ronan’s hand. “I did not even know Conri had a brother. It is an honor. Your brother is a good man.”
“So I hear.” Ronan looked at her as he said it, surprised to have someone else repeating her exact assessment of Conri.
“And this is Donal.” Nessa set a hand against Donal’s back, nudging him closer to Ronan.
“A pleasure to meet you Donal.” Ronan ruffled Donal’s hair with a smile.
Donal stared up at Ronan with no small amount of awe. “Are you a great warrior like Conri?”
Ronan leaned down close to Donal, speaking softly. “I am better.”
Defiance immediately replaced the look of awe on Donal’s face. “No one is better than Conri. He is teaching me to be a great warrior. When I am bigger I will take revenge for that insult.” Donal crossed his arms, glaring at Ronan.
Ronan stared at Donal in shock before looking at her. “Apparently I am solidly in my brother’s territory now.”
Nessa could not stop the smile that spread across her face. Kneeling down in front of Donal it proved difficult to hide her pride at his words. “Ronan meant no insult Donal. He was merely jesting, the way brother’s sometimes will. Ronan is actually quite skilled with a sword. You would do well to learn from both Conri and Ronan. It will make you all the more fearsome.”
Donal turned his attention back to Ronan, peering up at the man with a serious expression, as if pondering a very important question. Nessa stood, leaving Donal to make his own decision on the matter of Ronan’s worth as a warrior. The first thing she noticed was Rory striding across the dirt-covered field. Very little grew in this area due to the multitude of people and horses walking across the path every day. Etain and Glenna were beside him, as were his constant guards. At the moment there were six surrounding the small group as they made their way ever closer.
She never did actually give this moment its due consideration. Conri loved Rory, very nearly raised him. The chances of Conri doing Rory any real harm were slim, but not completely nonexistent. As the people crowding around Conri noticed Rory’s approach they began to step away. By the time Rory reached them Conri stood alone. Standing a short distance from the pair she was afraid to move any closer for fear her presence would make the situation worse.
Etain threw herself at Conri, wrapping her arms around his neck. Conri made a polite but rather unemotional effort to return his mother’s embrace, all of her husband’s attention clearly focused on Rory.
She presently saw no path to warning Rory. Inserting herself between them might make the situation worse. All she could do now was watch and hope for the best.
When Etain finally released her son Glenna stepped in to embrace Conri. Her husband stood straight as the tallest tree, glaring at Rory. He set Glenna aside without even bothering to acknowledge her greeting.
Conri stalked toward Rory. To everyone else her husband’s face might appear cold and completely without emotion. Nessa knew better. Inside a torrent of pent up rage and pain swirled like a sudden and violent storm waiting to be released. Quietly making her way toward them she had no idea how to keep this confrontation from happening here. Conri had every right to be angry.
Nessa stopped no more than an arms length from the pair. In the blink of an eye Conri swung at Rory, punching him in the face. Three of Rory’s personal guards grabbed Conri. Two of the men were holding Conri’s arms. The third had an arm wrapped around his neck. Conri trained them all. They were well aware of his strength, even in his currently weakened condition. Thankfully Conri did not fight them. He simply stood there staring intently at Rory.
“I see you told him.” Rory shot her a frustrated glance while gently massaging the side of his jaw.
Nessa nodded without saying a word.
“I assume that is Rory.” Leaning down close Ronan whispered softly so as not to be overheard. “Do you think my brother is going to kill him?” Ronan sounded more amused by the idea than worried.
Nessa kept her voice low. “No, Conri loves Rory like a son.” She had to believe that relationship would be Rory’s salvation.
“Hmm.” Ronan did not seem convinced.
“I knew it. I was right. She has been tumbling your best friend.” Glenna stood in front of Conri demanding a reply. “Is that it? Has your faithless wife been…”
Conri flung his head back toward the guard with an arm wrapped around his neck. Blood spurted from the man’s nose when the back of Conri’s head connected with his face. The guard’s hold loosened just enough to allow Conri to pull his arms free from the other two. Glenna had the good sense to jump out of the way as Conri bolted toward Rory.
All six of Rory’s personal guards lunged at Conri. Rory did not move away at all, apparently unconcerned that he would be seriously injured even though Conri was clearly enraged now.
Watching six men attempt to drag Conri to the ground proved too much. Eventually one of the guards would pull out a weapon and Conri would be harmed, again, because of her.
Nessa reached into the bag slung across her shoulder pulling out Alana’s severed head. Holding it high in the air by Alana’s long brown hair she yelled as loud as possible. “Stop!” Once she held everyone’s attention, including Conri and the guards trying to subdue him, she continued. Her husband had no idea Alana’s head made the journey back to Rory’s castle with them, enlisting Ronan to sneak it out of the fort for her.
In an attempt to gather as much energy as possible she thought about Conri’s ordeal at the hands of Declan’s men. She intended to instill so much fear in these people no one would even consider helping someone harm Conri. Once she could feel the telltale warmth of her eyes glowing brightly Nessa stepped closer to the guards, still holding Alana’s severed head. Conri was staring at her in shock. At least he stopped fighting the guards. “The next person to lay a hand on Conri will suffer the same fate as Alana.” When a few of the guards surrounding Conri looked to Rory she opened her eyes wider for effect. “I suggest you decide who you fear more at the moment, your king or me. Remove your hands from my husband or you will find out exactly what I am capable of. I will protect your king if it becomes necessary.”
All six of the guards immediately released Conri without so much as a glance in Rory’s direction.
Conri leaned toward her. “You brought Alana’s head?”
“I told you I would do everything in my power to ensure that no one ever harms you again.” Holding his gaze for no more than a heartbeat Nessa forced herself to look away. She had something much more important to do than stare longingly into her husband’s beautiful brown eyes.
Stepping away from Conri she moved closer to the crowd, holding Alana’s severed head as high as possible, the terror on their faces urging her on. Terrified was exactly how she wanted them. “This will be the fate of anyone that attempts to harm Conri. Alana aided the men who took him. I suggest no one else repeat her mistake.”
Ronan actually came over to stand next to her, leaning down close enough to whisper in her ear again. “You are supposed to be convincing everyone you no longer love him. Does this really seem like the wisest course of action?”
Nessa turned away from the crowd, speaking softly into Ronan’s ear. “The goal is to protect him. When I am done there will not be a mortal in all of Ireland willing to help abduct Conri.”
“Murderer! Liar!” Eachan’s furious voice sounded behind her.
Nessa slowly turned around, eyes still glowing brightly, anger seeping from every pore of her body as she locked eyes with Alana’s father. “Your daughter was a willing and eager
participant. She deserved to die.” Nessa flung Alana’s head in the dirt at Eachan’s feet, feeling not even a moment’s remorse for killing the vile woman.
Eachan bent down, picking up his daughter’s ever so slightly decomposed head, brushing the dirt and small rocks off the side of her face. As he gazed down at what was left of his daughter the entire crowd fell eerily silent. Settling the head gently in the crook of one arm Eachan turned to Rory. “I want her punished for murder. I demand her execution.” Eachan gained even more weight since his daughter’s disappearance. His pudgy face turned nearly red with fury as he looked up from his daughter’s severed head.
Rory in turn looked at Conri. “Did Alana assist Declan and his men?”
“She did.” Conri set a furious gaze on Eachan. There would be no compassion from Conri concerning the loss of Alana.
“Liar! You wanted her out of the way to be with this whore!” Eachan’s eyes scanned her from head to toe in the most insulting way possible before turning his anger on Rory again. “And you. You call yourself the king yet the whore is in charge now. You are so eager to get her into your bed that you are making a fool of yourself.”
“Enough!” Nessa threw the bag used to transport Alana’s head to the ground. It was tainted now anyway. Raising a hand toward Eachan she used the power to wrest Alana’s head from the cradle of his arm. Silver bands of energy quickly wrapped it in a shimmering cocoon. With a wave of her hand the head went flying out of Eachan’s arms over the crowd as the glittering strands released it midair, landing somewhere behind them in the dirt. She could hear the chaos at the back of the crowd as people rushed to move out of the way lest the severed head land on them.
With a swirl of her hand Nessa wrapped Eachan in a glittering blanket of energy to immobilize him. His frantic bid to escape her wrath proved unsuccessful. The wisps of power were much stronger than their fragile appearance would lead one to believe.