Free Highland Seer by Willa Blair

thought, perhaps that was not a bad idea. He could use a wee dram or three right now.
    “Stop yer pacing, Donal. Ye’re making me dizzy.”
    Jamie’s tone sounded as mild as ever, but Donal could see in the set of his shoulders the discussion with the MacKyrie still aggravated him. Donal muttered an oath.
    “Ye ken I willna leave without the laird’s signature on the treaty. Toran sent us to do a job. I’m determined to do it. The lady will bend, given time and no other incidents like the one in the hall this morning. What were ye thinking?”
    “What was I thinking? Better ye ken what I’m thinking now. This is a lost cause. We’ve got five clans agreed on the treaty. Toran willna miss a sixth. This one is farthest away—too far and too damaged to be of much use, if ye ask me.”
    “This clan controls a key pass through the mountains.”
    He gestured toward the windows on the outer wall. “There are other ways through these peaks. Other clans that make whisky. This one is no’ unique.”
    “What’s stuck in yer craw?”
    Donal stopped his pacing and turned to face Jamie. His friend watched him with a quizzical lift to one eyebrow and a hint of his habitual grin.
    “The MacKyrie is determined to see me stay. I’ve no interest in doing that.”
    “Dinna lie to me,” he scoffed. “I’ve been too long acquainted with ye for that to work. I’ve seen the way ye look at her, and she at ye. When ye’re in the room, I can scarce get her to focus on the pearls of wisdom I’m droppin’ at her feet.”
    Donal waved away Jamie’s nonsense. “Ye’re seeing things, Jamie. Perhaps Aileana didn’t do as good a job patching ye up as we thought after that Lowlander skewered ye with his arrow. Or ye had a head wound she missed.”
    “Why can’t ye bend a little and agree to stay for a while? She’s only asked for a year.”
    “Or more.”
    “That’s no’ yer entire life. She’s bargaining for ye, can ye no’ see it? I’m sure we can get her to agree to six months or less. It’s no’ like she’s askin’ for ye to stay forever.”
    If only Jamie knew what he risked. Six months could easily become forever if Donal failed to keep himself under control. And dammit, Ellie had shown herself determined to get under his skin. As had Jamie, though in a very different way.
    His hands clenched into fists as he glared at his friend. “I’m to be a pawn moved about the board for the sake of a signature on a piece of paper?”
    Jamie’s eyes widened. “Nay, of course no’.”
    “Ye say that now, but I saw ye considering her request. Ye’re still considering it or we wouldna be having this discussion.”
    Jamie sat up straighter.
    Donal knew his barb had hit home.
    “It’s my job to consider everything the laird asks for, especially as it could benefit Clan Lathan.”
    Donal crossed his arms over his chest. “And how does my absence benefit clan Lathan, do ye think?”
    Jamie shook his head. “I havena said it does. But yer presence here could.”
    Or it could result in a war between their clans, not that Donal could admit to Jamie how Ellie had tried to entice him to stay. “Ach, I’ve had enough of this foolishness for today.” Donal headed for the door. “Make as many deals as ye like, Jamie. Just as long as ye leave me out of them.”
    He stormed out the door, headed for his room. As he passed a window, the thought of fresh air changed his mind. He headed downstairs out into the bailey, intending to saddle a horse and ride. Aye, perhaps all the way back to the Aerie.
    Damn, snow had started falling. The afternoon was too far gone for him to make it through the mountain pass before dark, and it would be too dangerous after dark, especially if snow drifted up in the pass. Besides, he would not abandon Jamie and the others. He had no business even thinking about leaving the glen. Leaving them. Leaving Ellie.
    Stymied, he headed for the stairs to the battlements. A surprise inspection of the guard would