Chapter 28

28

T he next morning the fog lifted lazily over the Crawford lands as Thalia and her sisters took to exploring the woods and the surrounding hills, their boots brushing against the dew-colored grass. For the first time since arriving at the castle, they were truly alone, no shadows of Finn lurking over her or her sisters. The air was crisp, and the world felt fresh, unburdened by the tension that had filled the castle halls. Yet, beneath the beauty of the landscape, there was a simmering unease.

Diana walking ahead, threw a glance over her shoulder. “Do you think… Cousin Herbert will come after us?”

The words hung in the air, and Thalia paused, her chest tightening at the mention of the man who betrayed her and threatened her life, but her sisters didn’t know the extent of it. They had even escaped the chapel before seeing their cousin do what he did.

“He won’t,” she said firmly. “Not now.” Her eyes flicked over to Arabella and Caroline, who were lagging behind, giggling and pushing at each other. She caught Arabella looking back, and the unmistakable floppy hair of Euan bounced up and down as he chased them down.

“Looks like someone’s got a new friend,” Diana remarked with a smirk.

Thalia chuckled. “Arabella has always had a way of making new friends, hasn’t she?”

“More than that. I think Euan fancies her,” Diana added with a sly grin.

Thalia shook her head, amusement creeping in despite the heaviness she carried. “He’s a bit young, don’t you think?”

Diana shrugged. “Young hearts, all the same.”

A brief moment of levity passed between them before the silence crept back in. Thalia’s thoughts circled once again to their cousin. “Uncle Maximillian—” she started to say but was interrupted.

“Why does he hate us so much?” Caroline had asked suddenly, appearing in between Thalia and Diana. Her eyes, once full of childish mischief, now glimmered with the weight of their reality.

They do know that their uncle is dead, right? Surely…

Thalia stopped in her tracks, leveling a firm stare at each of her sisters. Even Euan from far off in the distance stopped chasing after them.

“Uncle Maximilian is dead. He was killed in the chapel during the attack.”

Her youngest sisters look up at her with heavy concern mounting behind their wide eyes. “He’s… dead?”

“Cousin Herbert?” Diana asked, softly.

“Greatly injured but escaped with his life.”

“Who — Finn? Did Finn kill our uncle?”

Thalia couldn’t quite place the anger in Caroline’s voice. Had she not paid attention when Thalia went through this before?

“Uncle Maximilian was greedy… as you very well know. He wanted our inheritance by any means necessary.”

Her sisters continued looking at her, blankly. So, Thalia continued, “Cousin Herbert had drugged me and sent me here in hopes to get rid of me and marry one of you instead.” Her eyes landed on Diana, who nodded her head along, already aware of the situation.

“That’s why Finn and I rescued you from Pemberton.”

“But why did he kill our uncle?” Caroline said, her brow furrowed.

Is she really mad that Uncle Maximilian is dead?

“You saw him at the chapel, Caroline. Uncle Maximilian attacked us on our wedding day,” she said, trying to appeal to her sister’s sense.

“I know, Thalia — I saw. I was there. What did he do?”

Thalia straightened, recognizing that her sister was angry that she wasn’t told about this sooner — not that their uncle was killed but that she was again not aware.

“He told Cousin Herbert to kill me, and he was going to make Finn watch. Just as he was made to watch his own family die at the hands of the enemy. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you, I’ve been —”

“We all know how you have been, Thalia. It’s not like you’re all that great at hiding your feelings from us. Also, how else would you be feeling after your wedding was ruined and then called off?” It had been Arabella’s turn to level with her eldest sister, and the sting of the harsh reality of her situation bit her cheeks.

Thalia loosed a breath, the cloud of exasperation billowing in front of her. “Uncle Maximilian ordered Herbert to kill me, and Finn cut him down before rescuing me.”

“Cousin Herbert escaped?”

“He did; Finn and the others let him go.”

The silence was heavy between the sisters as they all thought on the information Thalia just gave them. Euan had reached them, but he seemingly understood the gravity of the situation and remained far enough away as to not seem to eavesdrop.

Diana chewed on her cheek, and Arabella and Caroline shook their heads in unison. “But why?” Arabella asked.

“Why?” Thalia echoed.

“Yes. Why?” Caroline asked again.

They should already know why. Their uncle and cousin attacked them. She just told her sisters how greedy their uncle really was.

Thalia smoothed her skirts, trying to fight the annoyance she was feeling. “Because he didn’t care about anyone else but himself.”

All three of her sisters stiffened, and the grimace on their faces sent a jolt of confusion through Thalia’s veins. “Wait — what?”

“Gosh, Thalia, for being so smart, you can be so obtuse sometimes. Why did they let Herbert go?” Arabella asked, as if the question had been obvious.

“Oh! Probably because our cousin is pathetic. Finn gave him a scar on his face, but that’s it.”

The girls nodded, seemingly satisfied with that last revelation. Caroline turned and started walking first. Arabella held back to match stride with Euan, and Diana linked her arm through Thalia’s. “Come on, now. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Diana had already known what happened. She surely heard from Cillian or Saoirse. She was just testing me to see if I would be honest with them or keep it from them again. Good.

Feeling triumphant, Thalia patted her sister’s hand, and the two walked arm in arm over the hill.

“Come on! I can already see Rowan!” Caroline hollered over her shoulder, beckoning them all down the hill.

The three boats on the loch edge were all lined up in a row, and Rowan was flagging them down.

“Oh! Ye are here right on time! Are ye ready?” the woman said cheerfully, taken the wide grins and nodding heads as an affirmative answer.

“Alright, it will be me, Saoirse, and Thalia in the largest boat. Ye four split up on the other two.”

Diana and Caroline jumped in the green boat, and Euan helped Arabella into the bright red boat next to them.

“Saoirse is joining us?” Thalia asked gleefully, and Rowan smiled.

“Of course,” she replied although there was a hint of something mysterious behind her eyes.

What is she on about?

The tall woman, holding a basket in her arms, emerged from the woods near the boats and handed it to Euan before embarking the boat with Rowan and Thalia.

“Ach! I couldnae get out o’ the castle soon enough! Seemed even the chickens wanted to be in the way of my progress!” Saoirse complained before straightening out and smiling.

“Ready?” Rowan asked everyone and waited for another affirmative response before pushing the boat off the shores. Diana and Euan followed closely behind.

The boats had navigated into the middle of the loch before they had said anything to each other. “So, shall we?” Saoirse said, a lifted eyebrow brandished in the direction of Rowan for agreement.

“Aye, I suppose now is a good time.”

“Thalia, dear, ye have been carrying a heavy weight. We think it’s time for ye to rid yourself of it.”

Thalia’s shoulders dipped. I have been carrying a lot, but I don’t think I’ll share the burden with them. It’s far too personal.

Rowan nodded slowly, as if reading her thoughts.

It’s not like you’re all that great at hiding your feelings from us. Caroline’s revelation echoed in her mind, and Thalia looked directly into the sun to find a reason to screw her face up.

“There’s an old ritual we do when we want to cleanse the soul of bad spirits.”

Bad spirits?

Her curiosity piqued, she questioned it aloud.

“Aye,” Saoirse said, her eyes gleaming with the knowledge of the old ways. “The kind that follow ye from dark places, like the chapel. We’ll cleanse ye of them, so ye can face what’s ahead with a clear heart.”

She hesitated, thinking of that day in the chapel and how cold she had felt afterward. They’re wanting to cleanse me of the bloodshed and death I experienced that day… not the loss of my love… I guess I’ll indulge them. It’s not like I have anything else to do.

“What do I have to do?” she asked.

Rowan smiled, “We’ll come get ye tonight. Just trust us.”

The group continued paddling to the opposite shore. The picnic basket was filled with food and beverages. Euan carefully laid out the blanket for them all to sit on, and they spent the short break teasing Arabella and Euan and making light of the morning.

They led them through the wood and to the far reaches of Crawford Castle lands. “This is where the village starts. Ye havenae been there, but I assume the Laird or Cillian will wish to escort ye lassies if ye desire to go to the village.”

Saoirse’s mention of Finn made her stomach drop, and anger boiled in her veins at the fact that he had left her, and yet she still felt this way about him — even the mention of him and not even by name. The Laird. Why does he still have this effect one me!

“Escort?” Thalia bit out defiantly.

Rowan leveled a stern look at her. “Aye. To be sure ye are safe, of course.”

Thalia’s anger was quelled, and her heart warmed at the thought that even though the wedding hadn’t gone on, Rowan still considered her and her sisters part of the clan. It felt good to be wanted, even if it isn’t Finn who wanted her.

Perhaps the ritual is also for what happened between Finn and I as well…

The distant chime of the castle bells went off, and Rowan beckoned all of them to follow her back. “We best be getting back before the sun gets too high and cooks us all.”

When the group arrived at the castle, Arabella and Euan wandered off toward the gardens, and Diana excused herself to her room. Rowan and Saoirse disappeared to the kitchen and surgery, respectively, and Caroline begged off to the stables. Thalia was very quickly in the large great hall, alone with her thoughts spiraling in her head.

What will I do when I see him again?

This was supposed to be our ceilidh…

What did he tell all of the guests? Did he blame me? Did no one even question him?

Where is he?

“Just breathe, Thalia…” she whispered to herself, quieting her thoughts with three deep, thoughtful, purposeful breaths.

She collected the bottoms of her skirts and walked deeper into the great hall, twisting and spinning around, following soft music playing on in her head. Thalia imagined Finn leading them through their first dance, and she felt calm with the warmth of his body close to hers.

“Thalia?”

“Hmm?” she hummed contentedly, and the music in her head reached a crescendo.

“Lass? Are ye well?” The voice had not been Finn’s but one with a less familiar tenor.

Thalia jerked to a stop and wrenched her eyes open. They landed on the tall figure of Conor Peterson. “Are ye well?” he asked again, his eyes tracing the tear stains on her cheeks before finding her eyes once more. His hands spread wide as if to catch her.

Am I well? He’s obviously asking to tell Finn later. I’ll never give him the satisfaction.

“No, I am. I don’t need your assistance.”

“Ye are, or ye are nae?”

“What does it matter?” Thalia said, feeling jarred from her pleasant daydream and almost spitting out her response. “I am fine.”

“Darling?” she heard Nylah ask softly from just behind Conor. “We were only making sure as a friend to ye. Being down here alone…”

Of course, now, they’re my friends?

“Are you not just going to report to Finn? Just leave me alone…”

Nylah gave Conor a look, and he excused himself quickly. Thalia watched cautiously as Nylah took a few steps closer to her.

“I think we should sup with just the other ladies, don’t ye?”

Thalia couldn’t shake the feeling like it could be a trap. But what kind of trap? I’m safe here. I know I’m safe here… still.