Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

C aitlyn leaned over the table and looked intently at the map spread across it. It was one of many Kieran used. As war chief, it was his responsibility to protect the castle. But though he was clearly familiar with them, Caitlyn had never seen them before.

She had been sitting in the garden earlier mindlessly gazing at the castle walls. The clouds were darkening above her head, and the wind pulled at her shawl as it grew in strength, but she had hardly noticed. It was only Kieran's approach that brought her out of her trance.

"Ye look deep in thought," he had said.

"I'm thinking about that arrow that came over the wall," Caitlyn had replied. "It's been on me mind since it happened, but I just cannae figure it out."

"Figure what out?" he had asked, lowering himself down onto the stone bench beside her.

"How they did it." She had looked at Kieran. "How did they ken where we were? How did they manage tae hit Edan when they couldnae see him?"

"It didnae come from over the wall," Kieran had replied. "Tae have been so accurate, the shooter would have had tae see us, which means, he had tae be standing on the wall itself."

Caitlyn had stared at him. "They were on the castle walls?" she gawked. "But how? Surely the guards would have seen Laird MacTavish's men approach?"

Kieran nodded. "Men, aye. A single shooter, nae. One man can easily approach the castle unnoticed if they're good enough."

"Without anyone seeing?" she had said, still struggling to believe such a thing was possible.

"It was dark when it happened, Caitlyn. Dae ye remember?"

Caitlyn had nodded.

"Well, while me men are good, they dinnae have special powers tae see at night. A single shooter could easily sneak past, find a blind spot where the men are nae positioned, and shoot from there."

This had worried Caitlyn greatly. "But if one can dae it, then surely, Laird MacTavish can sneak more men through."

Kieran had smiled and shook his head. "Now, cousin, dinnae be getting yersel' in a tizzy. It would take a great many o' MacTavish's men tae overpower us. He simply cannae get that many soldiers through unnoticed."

Caitlyn had not felt convinced, and clearly, her expression had betrayed her thoughts.

"Right," Kieran had said, standing from the bench. Holding a hand out to her, he jerked his head. "Come with me tae the map room. It will be easier tae show ye what I mean."

With the map spread out across the table in front of them, Kieran pointed to different places outside of the castle walls. "These are the best places for MacTavish tae attack, if we let him get that far. He'll concentrate on the lower parts of the wall, in hope that his men can climb it, but I have more men in these areas tae ensure maximum defense."

"But what if?—"

A loud clap of thunder outside suddenly made Caitlyn jump and shriek. Kieran placed a reassuring hand on her arm. "Ye're all right, Caitlyn. It's just thunder."

"I hate this weather." She shuddered.

Kieran smiled kindly. "I ken. Dae ye remember what I used tae tell ye when ye were a wee bairn?"

"Aye," Caitlyn smirked. "Ye told me the gods were having a row."

Kieran beamed at her. "It worked, though, didnae it? We used tae pretend tae ken what they were arguing about. Yer best guess always made me laugh. Ye said they were arguing over who got tae use the privy first."

Caitlyn giggled then. "Och, aye. I remember that."

"Who kens? Maybe that's what's going?—"

The door bursting open cut Kieran off mid-sentence, and shocked at the abrupt entrance, he and Caitlyn both spun their heads to look at who had entered in such a hurry.

Caitlyn was surprised to see Effie. She was even more surprised to see how angry she was. Normally easy-going and fun-loving, it was not an emotion her sister ordinarily displayed.

"Here ye are," Effie growled, staring at her sister. She turned to look at Kieran. "Would ye mind leaving us alone, Kieran? I need tae speak tae me sister."

A sudden fear welled up in Caitlyn's stomach as Kieran looked from Effie to Caitlyn and back again.

"Is everything all right, Effie?" Kieran asked carefully.

"I just need tae speak tae Caitlyn," she repeated.

Kieran raised his hands. "Very well." And with a final worried glance toward Caitlyn, he moved to the door, closing it gently behind him.

"Whatever is the matter, Effie?" Caitlyn asked, her nerves now on edge.

"Och, I think ye ken very well," her sister snarled. "Edan has just told me that the wedding willnae be happening. That he cannae marry me. That he doesnae love me."

"Och, Effie." Caitlyn took a step toward her. "I'm so?—"

"Dinnae come near me." Effie held up a hand, making Caitlyn stop in her tracks. "It's nae the only thing he told me."

A rush of fear spread through Caitlyn at Effie's words, for she knew what was coming next. But the fear was mixed with betrayal. She had told Edan to wait. She had asked him to give her a few days so she could speak to Effie herself. This was not how she wanted her sister to find out at all.

"Please, Effie. This is nae how I wanted it tae be. Ye have tae believe me."

"The thing is," Effie raged, "I kent. I kent ye were in love with each other about a week ago. I watched how attentive Edan was tae ye, the soft glances he gave ye, the way he looked at ye. He's never looked at me the way he looks at ye," she spat.

Her older sister paced back and forth, clearly full of heightened energy in her anger. "But I tried tae fight it. I denied it tae myself. I even made excuses fer his behavior. I told meself that it would pass. That it was only because ye had been taken. But ye havenae been prisoners since ye've returned. And it's clear that naething has changed."

Caitlyn felt completely devastated at her sister's words. Her pain filtered through her anger, and crushed Caitlyn's heart. All the guilt that had eaten away at her seemed to mount up all at once, and she felt that same familiar tightness in her throat.

"I'm so sorry, Effie," Caitlyn croaked, battling to hold back the tears. "I never meant fer any o' this tae happen. I didnae want tae hurt ye. Ye ken I love ye so much."

"And ye show that by stealing me future husband?" Effie yelled back. "That is how much ye love me? Me enemies would hurt me less."

"It shouldnae have happened," Caitlyn sobbed.

"But it did, Caitlyn. It did happen. Ye may as well have torn me heart from me chest and trampled on it."

"I'm truly sorry, I didnae ask fer any o' this tae happen. I've hated meself every single day because o' it. What else dae ye want me tae say?"

Effie shook her head. "I cannae talk tae ye about this now. I am so very angry, I fear I may say something I cannae take back."

"Tell me what tae dae. Tell me what tae dae tae make this right and I will, because believe me it's all I've done. Nae matter how much I think, naethin' comes tae that will make this mess right."

Effie fell silent for a long moment. Staring at the floor, she appeared to be in deep thought. Slowly, she raised her eyes to look at Caitlyn. "Tell me this, Caitlyn. If I asked ye tae, would ye tell Edan tae leave? Would ye send him away and promise never tae see him again?"

Through the tears and pain, Caitlyn could feel her heart breaking into a million pieces. This was to be her punishment? She was to sacrifice her love for Edan to appease her sister?

"Is that what ye want me tae dae?" Caitlyn gasped. "Ye really want me tae send Edan away?"

"Would ye dae it if I asked ye tae?" Effie repeated, pinning Caitlyn with an intense stare.

As much as Caitlyn wanted to comfort her sister, she could not imagine her life without Edan. How was she supposed to live with such heart ache? She had only begun to discover her love for him, and now, she was supposed to give all that up. The tears still flowed down her cheeks, but Caitlyn could not give Effie a reply. It was too much to ask.

Effie waited, but when Caitlyn did not answer her, she nodded. "I see."

Without another word, she turned on her heels and stormed from the room. When the door slammed closed, Caitlyn slid to the floor. Everything she had contained since her return finally overwhelmed her, and alone in her devastation, the sobs wrenched from her body for a long time.