His head bounced forcefully off one of the steps and all heard a crack. He rolled the rest of the way down to lie lifeless at the bottom of the steps.
Odran walked down the steps to stand over the lifeless man, his eyes staring wide up at him. “You should have heeded my warning. No one harms my wife and lives.” He turned to his wife but she was already halfway up the stairs and he wondered if she finally realized just how much of a ruthless warrior he was.
Chapter 23
Odran’s mind was on his wife as he discussed the situation with his da while his warriors surrounded Cowan’s men so they would have no chance of retaliation. He worried more of what she thought of him than facing a possible battle. Concerned as he was, she had to see what the curse had done to him, his family, the clan as a whole and understand it was the way life would be for them. It was a never-ending battle to survive the evil that had been cast upon them. He had told his wife many times that he never regretted marrying her and he didn’t. He couldn’t bear the thought of life without her. What he did regret was that she would have to share in his suffering and that troubled his heart.
“I am relieved to know that Elysia is safe and unharmed and I say good riddance to Cowan,” Fergus said. “He started more trouble than he was worth. He rallied the other clans against us with lies for his thirst for power, not caring about the cost it would take to quench it. His death could very well bring some much needed peace to the area. It’s how the other clans might react that concerns me. They’ll fight with us over who will be appointed the new chieftain.”
“There is nothing to fight over. Cowan had three daughters, Crissa being his oldest. She carries his firstborn grandchild. She will wed the man she loves and he will be appointed the new chieftain,” Odran said.
Fergus smiled. “One of your faithful warriors.”
“Who will make sure peace prevails between our two clans.”
Fergus nodded, pleased with the suggestion. “Who is this warrior?”
Odran waved Finch over. “Find out who the father is of Crissa’s bairn.”
Finch drew his shoulders back. “I’m the bairn’s father, and it’s actually all your fault.”
Odran’s brow narrowed. If it had been anyone else who dared to accuse him of such nonsense, his response would have been harsher, but Finch had been a faithful friend and warrior through the years. “My fault, you say?”
“Aye, I met Crissa in the woods when I traveled back and forth with messages from your da to you. She escaped there often, her da heavy-handed with her being the oldest daughter.”
“Did you know who she was when you first met her?” Odran asked.
Finch shook his head. “How could I? Cowan kept his daughters practically locked away. He had plans to arrange marriages for each one of them that would benefit his clan. It was when she appeared one day with a bruised eye that she confessed all. By then we had become friends and…”
That he let his words drift off told Odran what he had already surmised. “And lovers?”
Finch nodded. “Foolish of me, I know, to become so intimately involved with the enemy, though I didn’t know that at the time. But I never made mention of anything that went on here and Crissa never asked.”
“Do you love her?” Odran asked, though he knew his response. Where Bram only thought of himself when it came to the endless women he poked, Finch cared about the women he poked, only not enough to remain in a faithful union.
Finch sighed and shook his head. “I do have feelings for her, but not having seen her since your return home, I really can’t say that I’ve missed her.”
Odran surmised why that was. “Onto another woman?”
Finch nodded, “A woman who pokes for the sheer joy of it.”
Odran laid a firm hand on Finch’s shoulder. “I cannot order you to curtail your straying ways, nor do I think it would do any good to do so. I do, however, expect loyalty from you when it comes to the Clan MacBridan.”
“Never would I betray my clan, Lord Odran, on that you have my solemn word. I would die first.”
“Your death is not necessary, but you will sacrifice for the clan,” Odran said. “You will wed Crissa and become the new chieftain of the Clan MacFarden.”
Finch stood stunned for a moment, then he hurried to speak. “I will serve you well, my lord, as Chieftain of the Clan MacFarden, and I will make certain the Clan MacFarden serves you well and remains loyal to the Clan MacBridan.”
“Make sure of it, Finch. You wouldn’t want to face me in battle,” Odran warned and Finch visibly shuddered. “Before you go see Crissa and assure her all will be well, bring Stiles to me. I will need a new man to take your place.”