Page 28 of First Light
Duncan frowned until he noticed her watching a family of traders with light brown skin and brightly colored clothes that appeared to be Middle Eastern.
He smiled. “Well, not everyone in Scotland these days looks like me, do they?”
Carys smiled. “True.”
“I think they’re from the south.” He nodded at the wagon selling beautifully worked copper pots lined with tin. “Many traders from Anglia will make their way north to sell their goods, and most things from the continent go into London first.”
“Makes sense, I guess.”
Carys was startled to see a grubby-faced boy run past with a cartoon character on his shirt, which he quickly covered up when he saw Carys looking. His cheeky grin had her eyes going wide.
“Did he have a?—”
“Superhero shirt?” Duncan nodded. “Aye. Everyone here knows the Brightlands exist. They’re not ignorant. There’s a bit of a black market for anything that comes from there. I could make a fortune in millet if I wanted to import designer denim jeans I bet.” He smirked. “But I have quite enough millet.”
He led them through the bustling yard and toward a stone edifice with red-painted double doors and spoke to the guards in English.
“Duncan, Laird of Murrayshall, for Lachlan, son of Robb.”
The guard smiled. “Laird Duncan, welcome back to Sgàin Castle. Lachlan is hearing audience in the North Hall with his father today. Would you like to be announced?”
Duncan cleared his throat. “I’d prefer to speak to him privately if that can be arranged.”
The guard turned to Carys. “And your compan— Gods alive.” The man’s face went pale when he looked at Carys. “My lady.” His face flashed through a dozen expressions in the space of a moment. Shock. Fear. Happiness. Confusion. “My lady?”
Duncan jumped in. “Sir, we need to speak to Lachlan.”
Carys looked between the men, trying to keep her head down, but it was impossible to miss the look of shock on the guard’s face. Was it so unusual to see someone from the regular world here? They hadn’t reacted to Duncan that way.
“We need to speak to Lachlan,” Duncan repeated.
“Of course.” The man looked at Carys again with wide eyes, then turned and opened the door. “You know the way, Laird Duncan. If you could…” He trailed off, looking at Carys again, then back to Duncan. “They’re in the North Hall.”
“We’ll find him.” Duncan put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “I appreciate it, and please be discreet.”
The guard nodded. “Of course.” With one last look at Carys, theman closed the door, leaving Carys and Duncan in a round stone chamber that branched into two corridors lit by glowing blue lamps.
“What is going on?”
Duncan took Carys by the hand and turned left. “We’re going to find Lachlan, that’s what’s going on.”
Her heart was racing, and despite the strangeness of the journey to get there, despite the unearthly world they were in, the castle, the guards who looked like they were a historic reenactment, all she could think about was seeing Lachlan again.
She looked at Duncan and felt grateful. Despite everything, she was grateful. “Listen, Duncan?—”
“This is the part where you start to hate me.” His voice was brusque. “Just so you know.”
A twisting knot of dread landed in her belly and quelled her excitement. Hate? Why would she hate him?
They walked swiftly down the corridor, Duncan dragging Carys behind him. As they walked, voices speaking in English grew louder, the sound echoing from various directions. Carys was completely turned around until Duncan abruptly turned right, walking straight through an archway guarded by four more guards who shouted at them.
“Lord Duncan?—”
“Not a fucking lord here or anywhere,” Duncan growled. “I’m here to see my brother.”
“Lord Robb is entertaining emissaries from the Northern Islands today and?—”
“Don’t care.”