Elysia stood outside the door of Lord Fergus’s solar hesitant to knock. She had learned that her husband was with his father and she had hoped to speak with Lord Fergus alone. She had not faced Odran since she had watched him toss Cowan down the keep steps without a pause. How could she face him when she was the cause for him taking a man’s life?
She shook the disturbing thought away and silently chastised herself for not concentrating on the matter at hand—saving Bram’s life. She knocked on the door and opened it as soon as she was bid entrance.
Even though the room was large, her husband’s powerful presence shrunk it. Or was it the way his striking green eyes intimidated and captured with just a glance?
“Is all well, Elysia?” Odran asked, seeing his petite wife freeze where she stood and not drift into his arms as she usually did after being away from each other even for a short time.
Elysia regained her senses and smiled softly. “Aye, everything is well. Finch is by Crissa’s side. She will need a couple of days of rest before returning home.”
Odran waited, his arms aching to hold her and upset that what she had witnessed him do to Cowan had made her realize the power of the curse and how its tentacles reached out sparing no one from being touched by it. He hoped it hadn’t created a chasm between them that he wouldn’t be able to breach. He grew more bothered when she turned to his da.
“I was hoping to speak with you, Lord Fergus,” she said, gaining strength from the thought that this was something she could see done to keep Bliss safe as Bliss had done for her.
Lord Fergus seemed to hesitate with a response, casting a questionable glance to his son.
Odran was direct, annoyed at what his wife implied. “Does that mean you don’t want me here, wife?”
Elysia’s eyes went wide at her husband’s abrupt accusation. “Oh! No, not at all, Odran. Your da is the only one who can help me with this.”
That didn’t set well with Odran. If anyone was going to help his wife, it would be him. He walked over to her and he thought he caught a look of flight in her eyes as if she was ready to run from him.
He stopped beside her, keeping his hands at his sides when they itched to take hold of her. “If anyone is to help you, it will be me.”
Elysia shook her head. “But isn’t Lord Fergus the one who decides Bram’s fate?”
Elysia thought she saw both men’s shoulders droop in relief.
“I’ve made my decision on Bram,” Lord Fergus said, anxious to see her gone.
“I understand, but I believe there is a worse punishment you can inflict on him and will set well with the people,” Elysia said and both men looked at her as if she was daft.
Lord Fergus laughed. “There is nothing more punishable than death.”
“Aye, there is,” argued Elysia, “serving the cursed lord.”
Both men stared at her, speechless.
Elysia had thought about what she would say on her way to the keep after speaking with Bram. She had to make Lord Fergus see that this punishment was far worse than hanging Bram. “You free him when you hang him and that is no punishment. Condemning him to spend the rest of his days serving the cursed lord—if he survives—is punishment. And from what I’ve heard about the cursed lord, there are none who serve him willingly.”
She was pleased to see Lord Fergus rub his chin, thinking over her suggestion. At least he hadn’t completely dismissed it.
“My wife does make a good point,” Odran said.
Elysia was pleased that her husband sided with her, but then he hadn’t believed Bram responsible for Glenis’s death.
“Lochlann could use help with his son,” Fergus said, the idea taking root. “Rannick grows more uncontrollable since his wife’s arrival there.”
“What do you mean uncontrollable?” Elysia demanded, her worry soaring for Bliss. “Has he hurt my sister?” She didn’t wait for an answer. She turned to her husband. “You need to take me to Bliss right now. We must leave right away.”
“Don’t be foolish,” Lord Fergus said, dismissing her rash demand.
“Foolish to worry about my sister?” she snapped at him and turned to her husband. “Take me or I go alone.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Odran ordered sharply and took hold of her arm, in case she should flee. “And you, Da, will not call my wife foolish. Elysia makes a good point about Bram. Sending him to serve Rannick is a more fitting punishment. Bram can also report back to Elysia and assure her that her sister does well and that Lord Lochlann would let no harm come to her. And if he doesn’t survive his time with Rannick, then so be it… his punishment will have been served.”