Page 24 of The Bells of Triumph
“He kens. I dinnae ken how,” Flora told Seamus, “but someone told Campbell about our plans. He kent that we would come and has blocked us from even making it to Glenkirk Castle.”
Seamus didn't answer her. He just kept staring at the trees as if they could tell him something about what was happening.
“We have to get out of here,” she whispered furiously. “If Campbell kent that we were coming, then he could have set this whole thing up. We have just walked into a trap. He could attack us at any moment. We cannae stay here.”
“It was nae him.”
Flora blinked, her head jerking back at his declaration.
“What?”
“It was nae him. Campbell would nae do this.”
“He would nae block the road to stop us from getting closer to him?”
“Aye, he would do that if he kent that we were coming. But he would nae use trees to do it. He would use his guards. It would be his men standing here, ready to fight us, if this was Campbell. Nay, there is something else going on.”
“What do we do then?”
“We clear a path and keep going.”
Though it took them longer than she would have liked, they did exactly that. The sun had started to climb through the sky, disappearing behind clouds every now and then, by the time they made it to the fortress.
Flora strung her bow, though she kept the arrow angled to the ground and loose as her eyes scanned the towers. To her surprise, she got hung up on a familiar face standing at the top of the ramparts, his own bow and arrow drawn. It took her a moment to place the man, but once she did, she was tapping on Seamus' shoulder.
“Look to the left. I ken that man. He was one of the rebels who left with Finn.”
“Are ye sure?” he asked as he turned to look at the man.
“Aye. But I dinnae understand. What is Finn doing here?”
Seamus' shoulders stiffened.
“I dinnae ken, but I intend to find out. I will go forward alone. The last thing I want is for Finn to think that we are approaching as an enemy. If he has truly taken over this fortress himself then I dinnae wish to be seen as a threat.”
“He may see ye as that, even if ye do go alone. I dinnae wish for ye to walk into the firing range only to be shot before ye have the chance to speak.”
“Finn would nae do that. He is nae that kind of man. Even if I were Campbell approaching, I think he would still give me the chance to speak first.”
Seamus gave the signal to the rest of the group to stop behind them and then swung down from the horse, leaving Flora sitting in the saddle alone. She hated how cold and empty it felt to slide forward and take the reins almost as much as she hated the ball of nerves that sat low in her gut. Since when did she see Finn astheir opponent in all of this? She didn't know, but she didn't like it.
“Ye can walk up, but I will follow ye out there. At least so that I can cover ye with my bow, should ye need it.”
She left no room for argument in her words or the sternness on her face.
“Flora, there really is?—”
“I am nae going to let my husband walk into anything alone. Ever. So dinnae ask me to.”
The look of amazement on Seamus' face was not what she had expected, but he gave her no more argument.
The world felt still and silent as Seamus walked the way to the castle gates. Flora could all but hear her heartbeat. She raised her arm, taking her bow with her. The string that held the arrow grazed her cheek in cold familiarity. It wasn't the first time she had guarded Seamus with her bow, and she doubted it would be the last.
“I would like to speak to Finn,” Seamus shouted up to the guard. “Tell him his allies are here.”
She couldn't hear the guard's response, but it was only a moment later before he vanished into the castle. The minutes crept by while they waited for Finn's response. She was starting to think that he would refuse them, turn them away at the door and send them on their way, but then the castle doors opened.
Finn emerged from behind the doors, covered in weaponry. The same guard Seamus had spoken to had returned to his post and brought three more with him, all carrying bows and quivers of arrows. Half a dozen other warriors stepped out from the castle and took up positions on either side of Finn, their hands already on their swords, as if they fully expected to be attacked. Flora could almost hear the sound of the rest of his men readying for battle, as though they were not all fighting on the same side.
