Chapter Eleven

Brenna sat at the long table in the Great Hall, not certain what to do with herself. She had been strongly tempted to permit Cameron to stake a claim, but without telling him the truth, how could she allow it in good conscience? Telling him she still had her power might lead to her banishment or worse. It was a difficult situation, and though she hated the deception, she couldn’t see a way out of it now.

“I can hear you thinking so loudly I could not sleep, sister,” said Lianne as she approached the table, taking a seat on the bench beside Brenna. She put an arm around her waist in a comforting fashion.

Though Brenna hadn’t seen Lianne in eleven years until her arrival at Balfour land, the embrace was comfortable and familiar, and she hugged her sister by putting an arm around her waist too. “Can you really hear my thoughts?”

“Not entirely, but I can sense how you are feeling, and I can get glimpses of what you’re seeing sometimes.”

She frowned. “You see my visions?”

Lianne shook her dark head. “No. I mean what you are seeing at any particular moment. I do not see everything, but I could see a stricken expression on the laird’s face followed by you running down the stairs at a frantic pace. I could feel your disquiet and unease, along with your great sadness, and that drew me to you.”

“I remember you used to have a strong sense of empathy, but your powers must’ve clearly grown over the years.”

Lianne nodded. “They have, as have yours. I wanted to come for you many times, but I was sure I’d never be successful in freeing you from Walstone. When I realized you had run on your own, I immediately set out to follow and catch up with you. I knew you would be here. I could see the land through your eyes as you reached it, and it was like a map drawn in my heart.”

“I am thankful for your gift, but I wish to be rid of mine,” said Brenna softly.

Lianne shifted on the bench, removing her arm around Brenda’s waist, but taking her hand on the table instead. “You would not wish to be without your gift. It is part of who you are.”

“It has been manipulated by Walstone and used to do terrible atrocities. I wish it were true that losing our virginity would shed us of our powers.” She blinked rapidly, genuinely desiring it were possible, for it would solve her problems, and she could easily accept Cameron’s request to be his mate.

“You were enslaved and used horribly, but that is not your fault or the fault of your gift. It is the wicked treachery of men, not this inherited talent that comes from our foremothers. You should embrace what you have, and you can use it to help the people here.”

“I cannot tell them I still have my powers.” Brenna quickly explained the situation to Lianne. Her sister was frowning when she finished. “You see why I cannot say anything?”

“I think you must be honest. There is a future here for you, dear sister, and you have only to embrace it. I’m not gifted with seeing the future as you are, but I feel strong conviction when I say your place is here, and the laird is the one who will be at your side.”

Brenna closed her eyes at her sister’s words as the vision swept over her. It was Cameron crying out her name, his body covered in blood. She shuddered at the thought as her eyes snapped open. “I keep seeing horrible visions of the future. I’m afraid Cameron will die. Perhaps if I leave, he will be spared.”

“Fate is a cruel mistress and will have her way, so I do not think sacrificing your happiness would spare anyone from such a dire outcome, Brenna, but perhaps your vision does not mean what you think it means. As I said, I am not a Seer, but I can sense emotions, and you will be deeply and contentedly happy here. I am sure of it.”

“If that’s the case, I must tell Cameron the truth.” She swallowed the lump in her throat as she imagined initiating the conversation and admitting she had lied to him in hopes he would allow her to stay. That hadn’t been her sole reason though. From the moment she’d seen him, she’d been drawn to him. She had wanted Cameron with an intensity she’d never experienced before, and now she wondered if it was because they’d been meant to be mates all along.

She shook her head in confusion, but as she looked up, Cameron stood at the top of the last flight of stairs. He appeared brooding and was clearly upset, but he wasn’t approaching. He stood with his arms over his chest and his back pressed against the stone wall, looking down at her with a mix of sadness, confusion, and open vulnerability. “I suppose I must tell him the truth, and the sooner the better.”

“I think that is for the best, Brenna. I truly believe you can be happy with him. Happiness in marriage must be a great joy indeed, so you must cling to it if you have the opportunity.”

Brenna gave her sister a look as she got to her feet, wondering at Lianne’s morose words. It hinted her own marriage had been unhappy, but it wasn’t the time to plunge into the topic. Instead, she squeezed her sister on the shoulder, made a mental note to speak with Lianne about it soon in the future, and then took a deep breath as she walked toward the stairs.

First, her feet dragged as she contemplated the task before her, but then her head whirled, and she reached out to touch the stone wall to steady herself as a vision overwhelmed her. Little Kiersten was pushing open a window, and she leaned out too far. She screamed as she saw her plunging several floors to the ground below.

With a cry of horror, Brenna started running up the stairs. When Cameron reached for her, she darted around him, not taking time to explain. She caught a glimpse of his confusion and perhaps irritation, but there was no time to waste. She continued running, hearing his footfalls behind her a second later.

Perhaps he thought she was running away from him. As long as he didn’t try to intercept her, he would soon realize that wasn’t the case. She could sense Kiersten’s demise was imminent, and she had to reach the little girl in time.

Though she hadn’t been in this part of the keep before, her Sight led her unerringly in the right direction, and she burst into the nursery moments later. A quick glance revealed the nurse was asleep in front of the fire, curled up on a pallet of hay and blankets. She was completely unaware of her charge, likely assuming the little girl would be asleep. This time of evening, she should have been, but something must have woken her.

The Sight hadn’t failed her yet, and it prompted her to enter the main room of the chamber, which revealed a fourposter bed with fur drapes and the family crest hanging on the wall. She spared little thought or attention for the décor as she rushed across the room, feeling the chill air from the open window and seeing Kiersten climbing onto the frame.

“No, child,” she screamed as Kiersten reached forward. The little girl tottered, and there was a look of sudden fear on her face when she looked back over her shoulder. It was the wrong thing to do, for it made her more unsteady, and she fell.

With a cry of dismay, Brenna felt the little girl’s léine slip through her fingers as she almost grabbed hold of her. She let out another cry, and then she whimpered slightly as Cameron shoved her aside forcefully, making her shoulder collide with the wall. He was obviously frantic, and she spared no thought for the injury beyond rubbing her shoulder as she moved out of the way.

He leapt from the window seconds after the little girl, soon gaining his dragon-form. Brenna found it difficult to breathe as she waited for the outcome, hoping he could catch the little girl in time. She leaned out the window, searching the night for signs of them.

She felt the flap of his wings and the increased breeze before he appeared in front of her seconds later. She stared in shock at the little silver dragon he held in his arms, who was squirming to get away. A moment later, she changed back, remnants of her clothing covering her frame in a torn, haphazard fashion. “Why’d you do that, Uncle Cameron? I wanted to fly.”

Cameron still seemed as stunned as she did, but he handed Kiersten to her before digging his claws into the frame of the window. Seconds later, he transformed back, his claws the last thing to disappear once he had bounded back into the room.

He seemed terrified, and she was feeling the same way. She looked up and saw Lianne entering the room, and her sister seemed equally frightened. Though she hadn’t seen what had occurred, she was likely picking up on their emotions.

“How do you know you could fly?” asked Cameron with a scowl. “It is dangerous to try that without someone.”

Kiersten shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve been doing it since I was little.”

Cameron scowled at the nurse, who’d slept through it all. “I wish you could tell me specifically how long that has been, since you are still quite little.”

That clearly offended Kiersten, and she struggled to get down from Brenna’s arms. Brenna released her, and the little girl put her hands on her hips as she glared up at her uncle. “I am four. I’m not a baby.”

“I did not say you were, dragonling,” said Cameron with a strong hint of pride, though he was still pale and clearly recovering from the effects of the moment. “I wish you had told someone sooner.”

“Elspeth would’ve made me stop,” said Kiersten decisively as she glared at the nurse. “She never lets me have any fun.”

“We will discuss fun, and how much you can have, in the morning. You must get to bed, and I will tell your father about this so we can decide how to proceed.”

Kiersten looked sulky. “You won’t let me fly anymore.”

“I do not see that happening,” said Cameron decisively. “To have the gift of flight and transition so young is quite amazing, Kiersten. I have no doubt you shall be free to explore your dragon side, lass, with sensible restrictions.” He tweaked her nose as he said the words.

That elicited a giggle from the little girl, and she seemed mollified that she would continue to be able to practice her new gifts. Or not so new, Brenna realized.

Her heart had slowly settled from the racing speed, and she and Lianne followed Cameron from the nursery a few minutes later. As they waited near the doors while he had a discreet, heated exchange with the nurse he had roused after Kiersten returned to her bed, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

With the panic of the moment subsiding, she remembered her confrontation with Cameron was still forthcoming. She would have to tell him everything, and she risked his complete rejection once he realized she had lied to him about losing her power if he took her to bed.

She could still be used against his people, and she was going to cause a difficult situation for him. Would he give her another chance, or would he banish her? She doubted very much he could bring himself to order her death, but perhaps others in the clan wouldn’t be so moved by sentiment.

That thought caused her heart to race again, and she was experiencing a new round of terror. Lianne reached out and clasped her hand, squeezing gently before saying softly, “I shall return to the bed provided to me now, Brenna. Good luck.”

Brenna nodded at her sister, waiting until she disappeared before she turned to Cameron, who’d been watching their exchange silently. “I would like to speak with you, Laird Balfour.”

He was scowling. “Cameron.”

She nodded as she licked her lips. “Cameron, may I speak with you? I promise I shall not run away this time.”

He still looked vaguely disgruntled, but he nodded and gestured for her to follow him. Brenna was happy to have his assistance, for though she had made her way to this wing of the keep purely on the strength of her vision and instinct, she hadn’t truly mapped the area, so she had no idea how to return to the other wing.

Several minutes and many steps later, they arrived back at Cameron’s room, and he opened the door for her to enter first. He closed it with a firm sound a moment later, and she shivered as she heard the key turn in the lock. There was something ominous about it, though she didn’t genuinely think she was vulnerable in Cameron’s presence. She only risked a broken heart and banishment, and that somehow seemed far worse than if he physically destroyed her.

With a deep breath, she turned to face him, noting he seemed aloof, and his arms were crossed over his chest in a stiff fashion. She cleared her throat. “I lied to you, Cameron.”

He arched an auburn brow. “How do you mean?”

“That first night when I told you my powers would dissipate if I lost my virtue…that was all a lie. It’s a myth my ancestors have embraced for years to protect ourselves against some of the predation of men. I used it to my advantage at the time, not realizing how much I would come to care for you, or that the deception would haunt me and risk whatever we have.”

“I have already figured that out, Brenna,” he said softly.

Her mouth dropped open in shock before she frowned. “But how?” She spluttered. “I…”

“When your sister said she had been briefly married, it caused a nagging awareness in the back of my mind. Something was off about it, but I did not yet realize what. It was only as you flew past me and rushed into Kiersten’s room, averting what appeared to be a disaster in your vision, that I realized you were still in possession of your powers. How could you not and react that way?

“I then realized Lianne still has her powers, for she was able to seek you out using them. I highly doubted she’d been in a celibate marriage, and you certainly have not been celibate, so it came to me that you had deceived me. I was plunging toward the earth, trying to catch Kiersten, as I had the realization, so there was little time to deal with it then.”

She bent her head, uncertain how to respond, or even how he was feeling. His words were a little aggressive, but he didn’t seem to be overly angry. “I’m sorry for my deception. I hope you understand why I offered that defense. I didn’t want you to execute me, and it would be almost as bad if you had sent me on my way, for no doubt, Walstone would have reacquired me if I were left alone to evade him and his people.”

“I understand all that, and I still want you to be my mate. Will you, Brenna?”