Jane closed her eyes and swallowed. Her heart pounded with fear as she looked at him, and his eyes narrowed as he observed her fear. “What would ye like tae say tae me? Speak yer mind freely and without fear. Ye can tell me everything.”
“Kenn,” Jane started softly, seeking support from the gods. “He’s a traitor, Darach.”
Darach stared at her in silence for a moment and then laughed. “Surely that is nae possible. He's my most trusted man after my brother. What makes ye think that? Maybe ye’ve mistaken something he said. I ken he can be a little difficult.”
Jane sighed, ignoring the splitting headache that had started at the back of her skull. “‘Tis the truth, my laird. The expedition is a trap, and he means tae hand yer dead body over tae William of Orange.”
“Surely nae,” Darach shook his head once more. “These accusations are vile and unfair, Jane. Have ye any proof tae support yer words? This is nae a thing I can consider without tangible proof.”
She took a step closer to Darach in her desperate need to persuade him. “‘Tis the truth. I can only speak the truth, Darach. Kenn McTavish speaks falsely. His account of his escape from my faither’s dungeon is untrue. His tale about how he hatched his plan is untrue. His details about the plan are more falsehoods.”
“Have ye had something tae drink?” Darach's brows drew together, and his eyes darkened. “Ye should hold a civil tongue in concerning my advisor. I had thought ye would nae hold the prejudice of yer faither against the man.”
“This nae prejudice! I have a gift, Darach. Or a curse, I dinnae ken, but I have the ability tae realize if someone is speaking the truth.”
Her head exploded into a series of tiny stings and aches. The pounding rose and grew louder until she heard Darach's voice call out at her.
“What is this curse ye speak of?”
“I am what they call ‘a daughter of truth’. I ken the word of truth from falsehood when people speak them… all except ye.”
“Ye give a very strange accounting that I cannae decipher, Jane. What are ye speaking about?”
Jane's teeth snapped together in a snarl as another blinding headache arced through her skull. She staggered back and closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she could no longer tell what the look on Darach's face meant.
“I need nae witness tae verify my claim. I am unable to speak false because I am a Nicnevin.”
“A witchling?” His eyes widened in a mix of shock and fear, his voice coming out as a hiss. “Ye cannae be!” he roared.
“Kenn will betray ye; this is what ye need tae hear. Leave everything else.” Tears were streaming down her face, and when she moved toward Darach, he stepped away. His eyes were haunted and fixed on her. His hand covered his mouth that was agape with shock.
I am losing him.
“Nay! Ye betray me this way?” Darach demanded as he backtracked from her. “How could ye stand there and give false witness tae events ye ken tae be untrue? May God consign all witches tae hell for their sins and attempts tae sow seeds of discord! Ye have betrayed me, Jane. Ye have betrayed the feelings I had for ye. How could ye nae tell me?”
“Darach, please, hear me,” Jane pleaded and felt tears streaming down her cheeks from and for a love that was dying before and inside her.
“The words of a witch are poison, and ye acknowledge ye are one herself? Ye ken what a witch did tae me! Her curse ruined my whole life!”
“‘Tis nae true. None of it is true; I am nae witch! My intention is for yer good. I want tae save yer life, Darach, please!”
Jane rushed to hold onto him, but he refused to meet her gaze, abruptly removing her hand from his tunic.
“Naething yer ilk ever does is for anyone's good.”
A cry rippled from her chest as he moved away from her.
“Nay!” she cried as he headed toward the door.
Maybe he was in a state of shock. A woman he’d trusted with his very life had betrayed him in the cruelest fashion possible, but still she couldn’t process this was truly happening. Jane flew to his side, her hands reaching for him. The tears now slid freely down her cheeks.
“Dinnae do this, Darach!” she begged. “Please, it is yer life that is important tae me. Banish me, take me tae the dungeons—I dinnae care. But, please, believe what I’m telling ye and take care of yerself and all those men ye’re leading tae death.”
Darach’s eyes were still wide with disbelief, and as Jane watched him pull away, she started to tremble from her emotions, her arms outstretched to him.
“Jane, ‘tis time ye go home. I dinnae want ye here.”
“Ye cannae do this. We mean something for each other,” she said brokenly.