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      ‘I will find out, if you wish,’ Trahern said. He guided her inside, his palm against her back. ‘But for now, you are safe.’

      The lighted torches were bright within the room, and heads turned at the sight of them. She took a deep breath, and relief flooded through her at the sight of her brother, Killian. The worry on his face dissipated the moment he saw her, and from his roughened looks, it appeared that he’d been fighting. There were signs of swelling upon his face, and a hint of blood on his lip.

      ‘Both of us are in need of food,’ Trahern called out as he escorted her inside.

      Carice pasted a smile upon her face, but she wasn’t feeling at all overjoyed. The worry over Raine distracted her from all else. She knew not if she would ever see him again. It felt as if they’d abandoned him, and she couldn’t bear to think of it.

      Killian rushed to her side, and she gripped her brother hard as he embraced her. ‘Thank God.’ Despite all her worries, being in his arms made her feel safe once more. Of all the men here, Killian understood the Ard-Righ’s cruelty and he would ensure that she had an escort to continue her journey west.

      ‘Were you pursued by your father’s men?’ he asked.

      She nodded. ‘And the High King’s men. I had to take shelter at the abbey.’ For a moment, she considered telling him about Raine, but then thought the better of it. Killian had the protective instincts of an older brother, and he would only be more worried about her if she spoke of being alone with a Norman soldier.