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“Aye,” said Maira, calming enough to see things clearly now. “I thought my weapons meant the most to me, but now I’m not so sure.”
“I saw you with little Ricker in your arms. You have a natural ability to always want to protect others. Even without your sword, you saw to protect the boy with no thought of yourself.”
“I want to protect Jacob as well,” she answered, rubbing her eyes. “But I don’t know how to do that.”
“Well, I don’t think leaving him in the woods down on a bended knee giving his heart to you as you rode away is a way to protect him, do you?”
“Nay, I suppose it isn’t.” Maira thought of her actions and now regretted it. “I think I made a mistake, Imanie.”
“Do what your heart, not your head tells you, Maira. That is the only way to be true to yourself. That is what makes a person strong.”
“You’re right, Imanie. Thank you for talking with me. I think I know now what I need to do.”
She was pulled out of her dream when the door to her room burst open with a loud bang against the wall. Her eyes sprang open in alarm and she jumped off the bed, grabbing her dagger that was still attached to her waist belt. Her reactions were those of a warrior, always ready to defend. Steadily, she held the dagger out in front of her with both hands.
“Who goes there?” she shouted, no longer feeling frightened. The blood coursing through her made her feel brave and alive, just like it should be.
The silhouette of a woman stood in the doorway holding a lit candle. The woman brought the candle closer to her face for Maira to see her identity.
“Maira, it’s me, Morag,” said the girl, stepping into the room.
“Morag!” Maira dropped her dagger atop the bed and sighed a breath of relief. Rushing across the floor, she threw her arms around Morag in a big hug.
“Ye sure seem happy to see me, Cousin.” Maira’s action seemed to baffle Morag. Maira wasn’t one to normally hug anyone.
“You have no idea how happy I am,” explained Maira. “Where is Father?” She glanced out the door, scanning the darkened corridor. “You sure made good time. I didn’t expect to see Father for at least another few days.”
“I’m here with Branton only,” Morag explained. “He took our wagon to the stable.”
“Branton?” Maira’s brows dipped and she started to get the feeling something was wrong. “Wasn’t my father at Whitehaven?”
“I dinna ken,” Morag told her as Maira released her from the hug. “We never made it to Rothbury so I never had the chance to send a messenger to Whitehaven.”
“What do you mean?” asked Maira in a low voice, feeling suddenly cold. “The plan was that you and Branton were to send a messenger to find Father and bring him back here to help me escape the wretched High Sheriff.”
“Maira, we met up with ruffians on the road and had to turn back. Thank the Heaven’s there were only two of them. Branton bravely fought them both off, and left them in a heap on the road.”
“He did?” Suddenly, Maira felt as if she was being insensitive. The closer she looked at Morag, the more it verified that there had, indeed, been a struggle. Morag’s gown was dirty and torn. Her hair was loose and disheveled. Morag always cared about her appearance, almost as much as their finicky cousin, Willow. She wouldn’t be walking around looking like this unless something was amiss.
“We had to throw our trunks off the cart so we could make better time,” Morag told her. “Oh, Maira, I was so frightened. I wished ye had been there to protect me.” Morag fell into Maira’s arms, almost dropping the candle. She wept bitterly, making Maira feel as if she had failed at doing the only thing at which she excelled. She should have been there to protect Morag and she wasn’t. Now, she realized it had been selfish and foolish to send her cousin on a trip with just a young boy along for protection. At the time, Maira thought she was protecting her by sending her away. But now, she realized her mistake. She should have kept Morag near and paid close attention to her safety. Her foolish mistake almost got her cousin killed.
“I’m so sorry,” said Maira, wrapping her arm around the girl’s shoulders and leading her to the bed. “Now give me that candle and lie down and get a good night’s rest. Everything is fine and, in the morning, things will be even better.”
“It is nearly mornin’ now,” said Morag with a yawn. “Maira, we traveled for days. I swear I didna get any shut eye at all because I was so afeared. If ye had been with us, I wouldna have had to worry.”
“Stay here and sleep,” she told Morag. “I had no idea it was already so close to morning. When I return, I’ll bring you some food and wine.”
“Return? Where are ye goin’?” asked Morag with another yawn. “Maira, please dinna leave me.”
“I know you’re tired but there is something important I must do.”
“What could ye need to do that is more important than stayin’ with yer cousin in her time of need?”
Maira sighed. She couldn’t leave without explaining things to Morag. She’d always been the protector of the four cousins and she wouldn’t let the girl down. “I need to talk to someone, Morag. It’s something very important. Can I trust you with a secret?”
“Secret?” Morag’s half-closed lids sprang open wide and she sat up straight in bed. “Maira, ye are goin’ to tell me a secret? Aye, I’d like to ken.”
It was probably a mistake to tell Morag anything since she had already proven she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. But Maira was distraught and had no one else to confide in besides the servants. What she had to say was something that only another girl her age could possibly understand.
