Page 86 of Highland Flame

Chapter Twenty-Three

Cam walked into the dungeon with Yvaine at his side. It hadn’t been easy to convince the guard to let them enter, since Ian MacKeefe had given strict orders that no one was to see the prisoner.

“Ye’ve got two minutes, so make it fast,” grumbled the guard. “If the laird finds out I’ve let ye in, he’ll have my head. There’s been a lot of chaos in the castle the last few days.”

“We’ll be fast. Thank ye,” said Cam, taking Yvaine’s hand as the guard unlocked the door. He headed into the dark, looking in each cell, but they were empty. Finally, he found Keithen in the very last cell.

“Keithen!” cried Yvaine, running up and gripping the bars to the cell.

“Yvaine?” Keithen was on the ground, his back against the wall. His head popped up when he heard his sister’s voice. “What the hell are ye doin’ here?” He jumped up and ran over to the door.

“Why are ye in here?” asked Cam.

“Bart, Dun’s brathair, came to town askin’ a lot of questions once he heard about his brathair’s death.”

“Why did ye say ye killed Dun?” whispered Yvaine. “Ye will hang for it now.”

Keithen looked up with forlorn eyes. “I ken I will, Sister. But at least it willna be ye. I’d do anythin’ to protect ye.”

“That’s honorable of ye,” said Cam, thinking about Yvaine’s other brother, the monk. He wouldn’t lift a finger to help Yvaine if she were drowning right in front of him.

“It’s stupid is what it is,” spat Yvaine. “Keithen, I willna let ye take the blame.”

“Ye can and ye will,” said Keithen in a gruff voice. “It’s bad enough that Violet and Red are involved in this. If Bart has his way, they’ll be hangin’ from the gallows with me before this is over.”

“Time is up!” yelled the guard from the door. “Out! Now.”

“All right, we’re comin’.” Cam leaned forward, talking to Keithen in a soft voice. “Where is Dun’s body buried?” he asked.

“Under the biggest apple tree behind the tavern by the henhouse. Why?” asked Keithen.

“Never mind,” he said, taking Yvaine by the hand. “Dinna worry. I will do all I can to clear everyone, I swear.”

“Why did ye want to ken where Dun is buried?” Yvaine asked Cam as they headed to the door.

“Dinna fash yerself about it, lass. Tonight, ye will stay at the castle, and I want ye to watch Avianca.”

“But what about ye, Cam? What will ye be doin’?”

“I’m no’ sure yet, but I ken I willna be sleepin’ at all tonight. I need to talk to my friends and come up with a plan for how to stop all this nonsense. There must be somethin’ we’re missin’ in regards to Dun, and I am goin’ to find it.”

“Nay, Cam. Leave the dead alone,” said Yvaine, but that wasn’t going to happen. If Cam had to dig up dirt on Bart to shut him up and drop the charges, then that is exactly what he was going to do.

*

“All right, nowremember, Nash. Tell Violet and Red to keep Bart in their rooms for the rest of the night,” said Cam as he and his friends stood in the dark of the night, seeing Dun’s brother, Bart, leaving the chandler shop and heading over to the tavern.

“All right, I will,” said Nash. “But I still dinna understand what we’re goin’ to do to help Keithen.”

“I’m no’ sure yet, but North and I will have a look inside the chandler’s shop. Mayhap we can find somethin’ that will help clear Keithen’s name. Gavin, ye see if ye can find the town’s healer and ask information about Dun’s health before he died.”

“That willna work,” said Gavin. “Ye’re forgettin’ the healer died months ago and the town still doesna have a new one.”

“Then find anyone who might have heard about any ailments or physical problems Dun might have had.”

“I will,” he said, heading away as Cam opened the door to the chandlery and headed inside.

“I dinna like this,” said North, following him and closing the door. “We are breakin’ in. Canna we end up in prison for this?”