Page 108 of First Light

Lachlan shouted something, and the man in the dark vest faced him. They parried with their swords, moving slowly so the soldiers watching them could follow what they were doing.

It was clearly a lesson, and Carys watched with rapt attention as Lachlan commanded the men and women. His movements were sure and smooth, clearly those of a master of whatever technique he was teaching.

So the musician is a warrior as well.

He was happy when he was singing, but Carys could see that he also reveled in this. He loved the attention on him, the admiration of the soldiers and the shouts of encouragement. It was a different kind of stage, but a stage nonetheless.

After they’d demonstrated the technique, the man in the dark vest stepped forward and spoke quietly to Lachlan. He looked over his shoulder, spotted her, and turned back to the man. He nodded and Lachlan said something to the soldiers before he walked away, striding toward Carys, whose mind suddenly went blank.

The last time she’d seen him, two nights before, he’d been lying naked beside her in bed. It felt like two years, but time had always been strange with Lachlan. The moment she met him, she’d felt like she’d known him forever. Their four months together felt like four years.

“Carys.” He reached her and stood at a respectful distance. “How are you this morning?”

His expression was distant, and Carys remembered the last thing he’d written in her journal.

“I know you didn’t kill her,” she whispered.

A flicker of anger danced in his eyes. “My name was in your book.”

“Because I had to?—”

“Did you have a reason for seeking me out today?” He cut her off, his voice clipped and cold.

She felt his rejection like a stone in her chest. “I know you didn’t kill her. Dafydd told me more about your plan to?—”

“Shhh.” Lachlan grabbed her by the arm, looked over his shoulder, and dragged her behind a stone pillar to hide them from view. “Whatever Dafydd may have told you, forget it.”

“But that’s how I know?—”

“It doesn’t matter, Carys.” His eyes pressed closed. His jaw was tight. He opened his eyes slowly and took a deep breath. “Whatever Seren and I might have planned before she died doesn’t matter now.”

“How can you say that?” She kept her voice low to match his. “Lachlan, whatever is going on between the two of us, I can’t ignore that my sister was murdered. Here.” She put a hand on his chest. “In this place, her home, where she was supposed to be safe. It wasn’t an illness. It wasn’t a random fever. She was poisoned.”

“How do you know?” He leaned on the wall, bracing his arm over her head. “Hmm? How do you really know?” He lowered his voice to barely a whisper. “There isnothingany of us can prove. People die here. We don’t have penicillin and hospitals and modern medicine. We have magic and herbs and sometimes those do nothing, even when you beg the gods on your hands and knees to save the person you love most in the world.”

She could see the pain of his grief again, and she wanted to hug him. She wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and press her lips to his skin and hold him until he didn’t hurt anymore.

“Don’t look at me like that.” His voice was rough.

“I can’t look at you any other way.” She blinked back tears. “I can hear in your voice how much you loved her.”

His chest was hard and warm beneath her palm. “I hate it when you cry. It makes me want to break something,” he whispered.

“I’m trying to do the right thing here. This grief is poisoning both of us. Don’t you see? This is why I was so depressed. This is why I couldn’t escape that… pit. And if you don’t resolve it, then nothing?—”

“If someone really killed her, you’re digging up secrets that are better left buried.” Lachlan swallowed hard. “And it’s only going to hurt you and the people who knew Seren and loved her most.”

Carys blinked. “You don’t want me to find out who did it?”

Lachlan leaned down and whispered, “I don’t want you todie. This is reckless, Carys.”

“I’m reckless? I’m not the one who crossed a fae gate and went in search of my dead wife’s twin.”

His eyes went wide.

“I’m sorry.” She dropped her hand from his chest. “You did it because you loved her and?—”

“I loveyou.” Lachlan’s jaw was clenched. “And I know you think I’m a liar.” He closed his eyes and opened them slowly. “I know you don’t believe my feelings, but they are real, and I don’t want you hurt. You should return to Scotland with Duncan. I will find you when I can.”