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“The people say that the Gallagher clan took over a few years ago, very quietly. They tried to resist but couldnae, and the clan leaders were busy fighting a war at the time, thus they couldnae even reach us,” Billy explained, and Flynn nodded, already expecting such an answer.
Myles had clearly taken advantage of the situation, and now, he would have to pay for it.
“Are the people happy under the Gallagher rule?” Flynn asked, once again thinking about the needs of his people first.
“Nay!” Billy exclaimed. “They say Myles is a corrupt man and takes a greater amount of crop than he should. He is both unjust and unfair, and they wish for nothing more than to be part of the MacKie clan again.”
“I think we will need to pay a visit to Myles Park. I cannae let such a thing go unpunished.”
* * *
“Flynn Dawson, I didnae expect to ever see ye again in my lifetime,” Myles said, his words dripping with unfathomable sweetness.
Flynn had never felt more hatred towards a man than he did for Myles right now. It was surprising, since he hadn’t felt such contempt even for Laird O’Donnely, and he was the one who had waged war against Flynn’s clan. There was something about Myles that forced Flynn to dislike him as soon as he laid eyes on him.
“I never wished to see ye either, Myles, but necessity drove me here,” Flynn replied, turning to take a look at the old man’s study. The room was as claustrophobic and dark as the Gallagher castle, and Flynn wished for nothing more than to leave as soon as he could.
“Necessity? Is something the matter?” Myles asked, acting innocent.
Flynn could not help but notice how he drew out each word as if testing it on his tongue before saying it. It almost felt as if Myles was nothing more than a stupid, old man, but Flynn knew better. Behind his façade of simple-mindedness, Flynn could sense a rather cunning mind, and he was never wrong about people.
“Ye should tell me that, Myles. What would bring me here?” he asked, pacing left to right in the study, unable to sit still due to the anger that was still coursing through him.
“If I had known, I wouldnae ask ye.”
“Well, since ye dinnae ken, I will tell ye,” Flynn replied, closing the distance between them and slightly lowering to hover over the man, effectively trapping him in his chair.
He noticed how Myles’s eyes widened, and it was evident he was scared. Flynn was glad to see the terror in the old man’s eyes, since he could kill him with one hand alone.
“Wh—what is it?” Myles stammered.
“I went to visit me villages at the northern border today and noticed they nay longer were under the MacKie clan but rather were under the Gallagher clan. Care to explain?”
“What are ye saying? This makes nay sense to me,” Myles replied.
Flynn smacked his hand loudly against the handle of Myles’ chair, causing the man to flinch at the noise. “Dinnae lie to me, Myles. I hate liars.”
“I think yer mistaken, Flynn. How can lands that belong to yer clan become a part of my clan? That is simply not possible. I think ye need to get some rest to make sure yer mind is fresh enough to work again, and ye won’t make such nonsensical claims again.”
“We both ken I am nae making any nonsensical claims. Ye cannae escape this situation by lying, and nae, I won’t sympathize with ye just ‘cause yer old. So, tell me the truth now,” Flynn insisted, making sure he sounded firm and aggressive.
“I am telling ye, Flynn, yer mistaken,” Myles repeated, continuing to lie.
“I am mistaken?” Flynn asked softly, a smile on his face.
“Yes.”
Flynn grabbed the old man’s neck angrily, applying just enough pressure to stop him from breathing but not enough to kill him. He had already known the man would certainly not tell him the truth this easily. This was a rather sensitive matter, after all.
“Flynn, sto—st—stop, ple—please,” Myles stammered once again, and Flynn’s hands left his neck, effectively moving away to give the man room to breathe.
“Now, I will ask again, Myles. How are me lands and villages and crops suddenly a part of yer clan now?”
“I cannae believe such a thing, Flynn. I am telling ye it seems to me as if yer mistaken indeed. I would never betray ye or the MacKie clan. We are neighbors, after all.”
“Explain to me this, Myles,” Flynn said, his words deliberately soft. “If I am so mistaken pertaining to the entire matter, why did the people of those villages tell me that ye took over them a few years ago and forcefully made them a part of yer clan?”
“They said that?” Myles asked, surprise registering in his expression, but Flynn could see it was all fake. The old man was simply trying to distract him and somehow make him believe that he was not lying.
