“I have no idea. But I have a deal for you. Let those two go, and I can make your wife happy.”
“They won’t go anywhere unless he leaves the sapphire sword behind. And he has to teach me how to use it first.”
“But I have something that will make your wife ecstatic.”
“What?”
“Me.”
“Who the hell are you?”
“Take me to Glenna and I promise you she will be pleased to see me.”
Kelvan said, “Unless you are the one who cut off her hand, she won’t be happy. And I know you aren’t the one because I remember that face.”
“But I promise you that she will be happy to see me. Take me to her and see for yourself.”
Kelvan stared at him, but then said, “Take the chains off him, men. We have our entertainment for the morning. I’ll come back for the sword later.”
The men unchained him, and Alasdair stood, handing the sword back to his son before he faced Kelvan.
“Where did the spiders go?” Kelvan asked.
Alasdair retook the sword from John’s hand and asked, “Want to try again?”
Kelvan stepped away. “Nay. Give it back to him.”
Alasdair set it back in his son’s hands, the glow again lighting up the cell.
Kelvan asked, “Who are you? Why does Glenna wish to see you?”
“Because I’m Broc, Kyla’s son.”
Chapter Forty-One
Dyna
The next morning, Dyna led the group down the staircase after spending some time on the parapets, not liking everything she had learned. Avelina and Sylvi had gone with her, and while she didn’t think Sylvi had interpreted everything the same as she had seen it, she was quite certain that Avelina knew everything.
Everything.
Avelina had stopped her, conferring at the top before they went below stairs. “They aren’t going to like this.”
Dyna sighed. “Nay. But it makes perfect sense. They will have trouble accepting the truth of it, but everyone will understand. Grant has been unsettled ever since they were taken. Maeve said he hardly slept last night, and she’s beside herself with worry over the sweet bairn.” And she knew exactly how difficult it was to see your bairns be kidnapped and held away from you. There was no worse feeling in the world.
“My son will be wild and so will Drew at the mention of it.”
“Lina, we are not here to force anything. Remember that we will tell what we learned. It is up to them to do what they wish with the information.” Dyna took both of Lina’s hands in hers and nodded. “We do what we must, and they’ll decide. But I fear Kyla and Alasdair are depending on our help, however we do it.”
Logan bellowed from the gathering around the hearth. “Stop your planning and get down here, Dyna. We need to know what you know.”
Dyna said, “We’re coming. I just wished to see if Avelina saw what I did.” She approached the group around the hearth—her parents, Uncle Finlay, Broc, Drew, Merryn, Alaric, Emmalin, and Maitland. Maeve was feeding Grant in the tower.
Dyna moved over to join Derric, who came in the door. “Simone will be here shortly. I can see them on their way.”
Her father said, “I wish to hear what you two learned before Simone arrives. Then we can compare it to what they discovered.”
Avelina nodded to Dyna, giving her the opportunity to tell all. “They are all hale. Lina, if you saw anything different, please stop me. Kyla is kept in one spot while Alasdair is with Lia and John. At least for now.”
