To Be a Spy

Chapter 25

Rowen paced her room, still trying to place the other voice she had heard. With a sigh, she stopped and blew out the candle on her desk. She crawled into her bed. One of the things Rowen had mastered as a spy was the ability to clear her head. She did this now, letting the problems and worries slid from her mind. She replaced them with a picture of a tranquil lake. Not a whisper of wind disturbed the smooth glass of the water. She felt her muscles relax and peacefulness surround her, then drifted off to sleep.

She knew it was a dream, and yet... It was so lifelike; so convincing. Time had passed. Rowen stood on the edge of the cliffs over the sea, staring west. She was trying to forget what lay behind her; the past and England. Days and weeks had passed and still there had been no word.

The glare of the setting sun caused her to shield her eyes. Eyes that were red from the many tears she had cried for the life she might have known. And William? Was the unknown better? Which did she prefer; that he had died or that he lived and did not come? Was she forgotten? Did his life keep moving when hers had stopped? Where his days full of happiness? A tear slid out of her eye and traced a path down her cheek. The wind blew, drying it like it had never fallen. Eyes wide, she glanced down at the sea crashing for below. It sent white spray up to her, like hands, reaching, pulling, beginning her. She took another step the edge. There was an appeal; an undeniable urge. But underneath it all was the fear. There would be the thrill of the free fall, but then the reality of impact. Swallowing hard, she backed away from the cliff. No. Never. Even if Will was gone, there were other people who relied on her.

When she awoke, she had only the vague recollection of something. The harder she tried to remember the fainter it became until it vanished, like fog as the sun rises.

She took a deep breath and got up. There was someone outside her door. She could hear them shift their weight now and then. Who would stand outside for door? Probably someone trying to kill her. For the first time in quite a while, she smiled. This was going to be fun. She yanked the door open, startling the two guards on the other side.

"Who be you and why be you outside me room?" They exchanged nervous glances.

One cleared his throat. "Me lady, we be told to guard your door."

"Told? By whom?"

Both spoke at the same time. "Lord Donngal."

"Lady Briana."

Rowen forced a smile. "I see." The men looked at each other and nodded. One drew his sword and slashed at Rowen's head. She ducked, spun, and kicked out his knees causing him to crumble to the floor. She snatched his sword arm and twisted it behind his back. He let out a cry of pain and loosened his grip on the blade. Before it reached the floor, Rowen caught it. Wide-eyed, the other guard stared at her. With all her strength, she brought the hilt against the man's head, wincing at the thud. Her other attacker turned and fled, Rowen close behind him. When she was only a step away, she flung herself on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. The unexpected weight threw him backward. His sword flew by her left ear and clattered against the floor.

Rowen whispered, "Get up. Walk back to me room. If you try and escape..." She gestured with her stolen sword. The man nodded a few times and rose to his feet without a sound.

The unconscious man was still lying there when they returned. "Take him into the room." The man hesitated, then did as she said. Inside, she threw him a coil of rope and motioned to a chair. "Tie him." Again, there was a pause, then obedience. Rowen pulled out another chair. "Sit please." Edward had always stressed being polite during interrogations. It flustered people; made them rethink who was bad and who was good.

She could see the fear and uncertainty in his eyes. "Now what be your name?"

"Marcán, me lady."

"A good strong name. Now, Marcán, tell me, who sent you to kill me?"

"I canna tell you that, me lady."

She stifled a sigh. The question had been asked too soon, now she would have to work harder to get him to tell her the truth.

"Have I offended you in any way?"

"Nay, me lady."

"Was there some careless comment that I said to one of your kin or friends?"

"If you have, I dona know of it." His glance fell on the unconscious man.

With a sinking heart, Rowen realized her mistake. "That man. He be your brother?

Startled, Marcán looked at her. "Aye, me lady."

"Listen, I didna want to hurt him."

"And we didna want to harm you. The safety of our families was threatened, she said we would never see them again if we didna kill you." Her face remained without emotion as the use of the word 'she'. So her cousin, sweet Briana, was behind this. It came as a small shock. Rowen had begun to suspect something after she had overheard her conversation in the woods. But murder? That was farther than she had thought her cousin would go. But the situation at hand needed to be taken care of first; Briana could wait.

She made a quick decision. "Marcán, I be thinking I have to let you go."

"Dona think me ungrateful but might I ask why, me lady?"

"You be me people. If I fight you, who will fight with me?"

Mouth opened, he stared at her, then he straightened. "I will fight with you, me lady."

"What?"

"I was told you didna care for the Irish being English raised and all. But I was misled, I see that now. I be begging your radon, me lady, for trying to harm you."

"Me apologies to you as well, for harming your brother."

A faint smile appeared on his face. "No worries, me lady, he has a hard head."

Proving his point, the other man moaned and jerked in his bonds. "Ah, me head!"

As she cut him free, she said, "Even with a hard head, I dona envy the headache he will have when fully awakens."

It took a few minutes for the injured man to get past his pain to understand what was happening. The brothers had a hurried discussion. At the end of it, they had come to the same agreement; they would stand by Rowen. The next problem was how to explain why Rowen was still alive.

They ended up using Marcán's idea. It was simple. They would stay as close to the truth as possible. He would tell Briana that Rowen had escaped after knocking out his brother. Most likely her cousin would visit her and tell her that it was her brother's doing. Her treachery sickened Rowen. How long one had to stoop to backstab one's own kin!

She looked at the two men. It was nice to have someone on her side for once. At the back of her head, she knew they could betray her. But there were risks in everything. She took a deep breath, it was time to go to breakfast. No doubt it would be interesting.