An uneasy feeling swept over Patience. Why was Kinsey here with Ulric? What had he meant when he’d said Kinsey had betrayed him?
Just as Patience curled her fingers around the dagger, Kinsey shoved her hard in the back. But the woman clearly had not seen that Patience had a knee upon the ground, and she did not fly forward, Patience understood with horror, as Kinsey had intended.
Patience shoved backward with all her strength, hearing a grunt and a thud. She twisted to the side, seeing Kinsey on her back, and as the woman struggled to get up, Patience scrambled around her, gained her feet, and started to run from the cliff. Five steps later, Kinsey barreled into her with a bellow, and they both went flying forward to the ground.
For a breath, Patience lay there stunned, but when Kinsey jumped up, grabbed Patience’s ankle, and began to drag her, she shook off her surprise and swiped her dagger at Kinsey’s hand. It sliced across her skin, cutting it wide. Blood began to flow, and Kinsey released her with a moan. “I wish ye would nae have done that,” Kinsey muttered. “It will be hard to conceal from Brodee.”
“Brodee?” Patience repeated, standing and pointing the dagger at Kinsey. Her mind fluttered wildly, her heart doing the same. “Why did ye bring me here?”
Kinsey eyed the dagger. “I did nae,” she said, matter-of-fact. “Ulric did.”
“Why didUlricbring me here, then?” Patience tried again.
When Kinsey stepped back, Patience grabbed her by the arm and set the point of the dagger at the woman’s stomach. “I’ll stab ye if ye so much as move again,” she said, her voice shaking.
Kinsey snorted. “Ye’ll nae. Ye’re too soft to do such a thing.”
“I stabbed Loskie,” Patience reminded the woman.
“True. That was quite surprising. Ye’ve always been so fearful, so I think it was simply a moment of being braw. If ye were truly braw, ye would nae have let my brother treat ye like a dog. I kinnae ken why he thought he loved ye.” Kinsey bit hard on her lip, causing blood to appear.
“Loved me?” Patience repeated, stunned. “Silas did nae love me.”
Eyes filled with hatred settled on her. “Aye. I said as much to him,” Kinsey spat. “Told him he was obsessed, nae in love.He was obsessed. And ’twas yer father’s fault, of course.”
“My father?” Now Patience was more confused than ever.
“Aye. He turned down Silas’s first offer of marriage to ye until Silas increased the amount of coin yer father would get. He made Silas feel he was nae good enough for ye, and that made Silas obsessed with winning ye. And he betrayed me to do it!” Kinsey screeched.
Patience shook her head. “I dunnae ken. How did he betray ye?”
“He was supposed to watch over me forever. Love only me, forever.” A sick feeling rose from Patience’s stomach all the way to her throat. Kinsey’s eyes narrowed on her. “He vowed to me that I’d be the lady of the castle. Secretly, of course. We had to be secret. But I would be the true lady of the castle and his heart.”
“Oh, Kinsey,” Patience said, feeling the nausea rising.
“He lovedme.” Kinsey stared past Patience, as if seeing Silas. “He told me so when he touched me.”
Patience had to swallow to keep from being sick. Silas had been twisted and evil as it was, but he’d used his sister and corrupted her mind? Patience felt a swell of pity, even as she felt such horror.
“He made me vow to keep our love secret once ye arrived.” A cold expression settled on Kinsey’s face. “I told him I’d only keep our secret if he did as I said when it came to ye. And he did.” She smiled grimly. “Because he loved me.”
Patience clenched her jaw. He’d enjoyed the horrid way he’d treated her, and she knew for certain it had nothing to do with love.
“I wanted him to kill ye.” Kinsey glared at Patience. “But he wouldn’t. He said ye were good in a way he’d nae ever kenned.”
Patience held in her surprised gasp. Silas had said such a thing about her?
“Once he was gone, I was determined to kill ye. But it could nae look like I had. I was going to rule the castle for Lamond. He was always weak, and I kenned I could manage it. But then Blackswell arrived and announced that the king had given the lairdship,my rightful lairdship, to the Savage Slayer himself. I had to think.” She tapped the side of her head. “What to do? How to survive? I was going to wed him. And then I discovered he was betrothed to ye!” Kinsey hissed. “Always ye! Ye arealwaysin my way.” She cocked her head and gave a faint laugh. “Ye are funny, ye ken.”
“Am I?” Patience felt almost numb from all she’d heard.
“Aye. Ye and yer plan to drive Brodee away. So foolish but so perfect! If ye had only stuck to it or at least done me the favor of drinking the wine I sent to yer bedchamber.”
“The wine?” Patience mumbled, then comprehension struck. “Ye poisoned the wine.”
Kinsey slapped the side of her head so hard, the smack resounded in the air. “Of course I did! I could nae decide if I wanted to kill ye or nae after I got to ken ye a bit. Ye are nice. Too nice. Annoyingly so, really. But in the end, ye must die.”
Patience tightened her grip on the dagger. Kinsey was behaving as if it were still a possibility. “I hold the dagger, Kinsey,” she reminded the woman.
