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Authors: Hannah Howell
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his back, Gregor lay on his side facing her. “Why
are ye searching for your sister?”
“How do ye ken that?”
“Ye told me.”
She obviously became far too talkative when gripped by a fever, Alana decided and grimaced. It
was also clear that she had revealed enough that it was foolish to try to hold fast to her secrets now.
Since she and Gregor were united in trying to escape the Gowans, it was better if he knew the whole
truth anyway.
“Aye, I am looking for my sister, my twin sister Keira,” she said. “We have heard nothing from her
since her husband died several months ago. Weel, nothing but some very alarming rumors. Her
husband had been cruelly murdered, her lands had been taken by a vile mon, she had been wounded
badly and fled, or died, or was being held prisoner. Dark tale after dark tale.”
“Did none of your people go to her keep to find out the truth?”
“Two. When the first did not return, another went. He returned but only lived long enough to tell us
that Keira was not being held captive, that rumor said she had been wounded but had escaped, and
that the devil himself held fast to her lands.”
“And so ye set out to find her?” Gregor rose from the bed before he gave in to the strong urge to
take her into his arms.
Alana stared at him as he got out of the bed. He wore only his braies. As he stretched, she watched
the muscles in his broad back and long, well-shaped legs flex and felt as if her fever had returned.
She had to bite back a soft protest when he began to dress. The man was such a pleasure to look at,
it seemed a sin to cover all that beauty. She forced her wanton thoughts aside and put her mind back
on the matter of the search for Keira.
“My brothers Artan and Lucas decided to go ahunting for Keira. I wished to go with them. Keira is
my twin, after all. She would wish me to be at her side, especially if she was hurt. No one would
heed my wishes, however. So I slipped away and followed my brothers, intending to join with them
once we were far enough away from home so that they couldnae send me back.”
It was not the full truth, and she felt a little guilty about that. Caution was necessary, however.
People clung to a lot of superstitions concerning twins. Sometimes people still set the second born
out to die or killed the child themselves. Learning just how close a bond there could be between
those who had shared a womb only added to those unreasonable fears. Although Alana could not
sense such foolishness in Gregor, she reluctantly admitted that she was too great a coward to test it.
Gregor built up the fire and set the pot of stew over it to warm. “And ye lost your brothers’ trail?”
“Aye, although I believe I could have found them if the Gowans hadnae arrived.”
“Considering the danger they may be riding into, are ye truly surprised that they didnae wish ye to
ride with them?”
He had turned to face her again and was giving her one of those manly looks, the one that said she
had behaved like a witless female driven by emotion and not wisdom. It made her teeth clench.
Alana took a few deep breaths to calm her rising temper. Considering the trouble she had stumbled
into, he probably thought his opinion justified. It was tempting to point out the fact that he, a big strong man, had stumbled into the same trouble, but she bit back the words. She recognized what
the hard set of his jaw meant. Arguing with him would gain her nothing more than a throbbing
headache.
“Keira is in trouble. ’Tis my duty to be with her.”
Although he could understand her need to help find her sister, Gregor still thought she had acted
recklessly. He had the feeling she did, too, but he would probably be ten years dead before she
admitted as much. There was nothing to gain in arguing the matter, anyway. He was more interested
in who she was and what she planned to do once they had shaken free of the Gowans.
“Do ye have the strength to dress
are ye searching for your sister?”
“How do ye ken that?”
“Ye told me.”
She obviously became far too talkative when gripped by a fever, Alana decided and grimaced. It
was also clear that she had revealed enough that it was foolish to try to hold fast to her secrets now.
Since she and Gregor were united in trying to escape the Gowans, it was better if he knew the whole
truth anyway.
“Aye, I am looking for my sister, my twin sister Keira,” she said. “We have heard nothing from her
since her husband died several months ago. Weel, nothing but some very alarming rumors. Her
husband had been cruelly murdered, her lands had been taken by a vile mon, she had been wounded
badly and fled, or died, or was being held prisoner. Dark tale after dark tale.”
“Did none of your people go to her keep to find out the truth?”
“Two. When the first did not return, another went. He returned but only lived long enough to tell us
that Keira was not being held captive, that rumor said she had been wounded but had escaped, and
that the devil himself held fast to her lands.”
“And so ye set out to find her?” Gregor rose from the bed before he gave in to the strong urge to
take her into his arms.
Alana stared at him as he got out of the bed. He wore only his braies. As he stretched, she watched
the muscles in his broad back and long, well-shaped legs flex and felt as if her fever had returned.
She had to bite back a soft protest when he began to dress. The man was such a pleasure to look at,
it seemed a sin to cover all that beauty. She forced her wanton thoughts aside and put her mind back
on the matter of the search for Keira.
“My brothers Artan and Lucas decided to go ahunting for Keira. I wished to go with them. Keira is
my twin, after all. She would wish me to be at her side, especially if she was hurt. No one would
heed my wishes, however. So I slipped away and followed my brothers, intending to join with them
once we were far enough away from home so that they couldnae send me back.”
It was not the full truth, and she felt a little guilty about that. Caution was necessary, however.
People clung to a lot of superstitions concerning twins. Sometimes people still set the second born
out to die or killed the child themselves. Learning just how close a bond there could be between
those who had shared a womb only added to those unreasonable fears. Although Alana could not
sense such foolishness in Gregor, she reluctantly admitted that she was too great a coward to test it.
Gregor built up the fire and set the pot of stew over it to warm. “And ye lost your brothers’ trail?”
“Aye, although I believe I could have found them if the Gowans hadnae arrived.”
“Considering the danger they may be riding into, are ye truly surprised that they didnae wish ye to
ride with them?”
He had turned to face her again and was giving her one of those manly looks, the one that said she
had behaved like a witless female driven by emotion and not wisdom. It made her teeth clench.
Alana took a few deep breaths to calm her rising temper. Considering the trouble she had stumbled
into, he probably thought his opinion justified. It was tempting to point out the fact that he, a big strong man, had stumbled into the same trouble, but she bit back the words. She recognized what
the hard set of his jaw meant. Arguing with him would gain her nothing more than a throbbing
headache.
“Keira is in trouble. ’Tis my duty to be with her.”
Although he could understand her need to help find her sister, Gregor still thought she had acted
recklessly. He had the feeling she did, too, but he would probably be ten years dead before she
admitted as much. There was nothing to gain in arguing the matter, anyway. He was more interested
in who she was and what she planned to do once they had shaken free of the Gowans.
“Do ye have the strength to dress
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