Tales of the Executioners

Chapter 4: Jamie - Blood of Betrayal, Part 4

Androu strolled through the door, his long hair neat and his face as cleanly shaven as Jamie's. He nodded to his brother-in-law and poured himself a goblet.

Jamie was oddly grateful that Androu didn't speak. He'd had too much information in too short a time and needed a break from it. "I thank ye fer this morning conversation, but I would see Father if I can, and speak ta him. Things went ill at Dunbar, and I ken not what plans may be laid, only that we must be vigilant."

Caitrin choked, a hand to her throat. "Ye cannae think ye could fight anymore, Jamie? Not like this? Ye wouldn't survive the day without shelter. Ye must remain home, now."

Jamie scoffed. "I will see what Father has ta say of such things."

Eagan set aside his empty goblet, his eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Yer father, lad? Didn'a she tell ye? He's dead."

Jamie's heart throbbed. His breath tightened into a knot. First his wife, now his father? What in the hell had happened while he was away? Had they both died of sickness, weeks, or even days before an immortal fae waltzed into their castle, one who could have saved them? Such ill luck seemed laughable, if he was able to laugh without crying.

Caitrin wrung her hands. "I dinnae, not yet. It seemed too cruel a stroke, after tellin' him of Margaret's passin'. I thought perhaps ta give him some time."

"Time?" Jamie cried. "Time fer what?"

Caitrin looked away. "Ta adjust. There's so much ta get used ta."

He motioned her good intentions away. "How did it happen? How did Da die?"

"Was the English," Eagan said.

"The English?" Jamie slammed his fist into the table, hard enough to make the goblets jump. "What have those devils ta do with it?"

"They knew he was a traitor, lad, or a rebel if ye prefer that word. They hung him, in the town square. He died well."

Jamie gaped. "Traitor? How could they have known?"

"There was testimony, lad."

Testimony? Did he mean... "Someone betrayed him? Betrayed us?" Jamie dropped his hands to pace in a furious circle, his mind racing over every face he could conjure, imagining the contents of their hearts. What man did they know who could do such a thing would do such a thing? Not one of the household. No. And not someone from the clan. They were all behind it, all in support

He stopped pacing and looked to his sister, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. Something in her posture seemed wrong. Guilty. It wasn't to spare him that she had kept this from him, it was becauseBecause why?

His eyes flicked to Androu, to the man's quiet, cold face. The way he sipped from his goblet, unconcerned, unmoved. His joke came back to Jamie, "One step closer ta being Laird, aren't I?"

If Da is dead, that would leave only me, and there was a good chance I would die in battle.

He scowled at his brother-in-law. "If Father was truly found guilty of sedition, how does it come that he alone was killed? How is it that his daughter and her husband, that his household, a household of traitors, still lives? Did the English allow such a thing? 'Tis not in their nature. I have seenI have heardall would be killed!" He stepped closer to Androu. "Or did ye kill him?"

Androu scoffed, and Eagan answered, "Aye, 'tis true enough that they have been known ta take the whole family. But this time they did not find the rest of his household ta be traitors. Androu provided his testimony, and professed his loyalty ta them. In reward, he was made laird in yer father's place. They send their agents from time ta time ta check his loyalty, o' course."

As Eagan's words filtered through as Jamie understood their meaning - he saw the corner of Androu's mouth twitch. A smirk?

"One step closer ta being Laird, aren't I?"

Except now he was Laird.

With a roar, Jamie upended the table, sending the contents to the floor in a shattering crash. "Ye snake! Betrayer! Judas!" With another cry he bounded over the mess and slammed Androu into the wall, one hand around his throat. "With the fae touch comes new strength, I pray only 'tis enough ta choke the life from ye!"

Caitrin shrieked and tried to rip him away but, fully fed and fueled by fury, he shook her off. Androu kicked and fought, nearly breaking free before Jamie slammed a fist into his face. Blood sprayed from a broken nose, and Androu choked.

Then Jamie was torn away and left stumbling. He straightened, ready to knock Caitrin aside, but it was Eagan who stood before him, eyes hard stones. "Aye, fierce ye may be lad, but fierceness knows its place. 'Tis not now."

"If not now, then when?" Jamie roared. "He is a black heart, a traitor, a-"

Caitrin stood at her husband's side, trying to stem the flow of blood from his nose. "He did as he must," she barked. "Da knew-"

"He knew he had a Judas fer a son-in-law and little better fer a daughter!" Jamie jerked his clothes straight. "I cannae stay under the same roof as snakes. Fer the sake of my sister I will go and leave ye alive, Androu. You can keep the lands, and the titles, all the things ye wanted enough ta stain yerself with my family's blood. But ken that should I ever lay eyes on ye again, my sister will be left ta mourn while hell opens its gates ta welcome ye."

Androu didn't flinch, only looked back with cold, steely eyes. "Aye, do as ye see fit, Jamie."

"Brother-" Caitrin started, but Jamie didn't wait for her to finish. He stormed away, footsteps echoing over the cold stone floors toward his chambers. His bag was nearly packed when Caitrin appeared in the doorway, hands fluttering nervously.

"Jamie, ye cannae mean ta leave us."

"I can, and do."

She stepped closer to lay her hand on his arm. "Truly? Ye are the only family I have left."

He pulled away. "Whose fault is that? Ye were here, Caitrin. Did it happen as they said. Did it?"

She dropped her eyes. "Aye. They came ta investigate, they said. They had reports, Jamie. Da knew what it would come ta. He knew they'd kill us all. Androu if he hadn't given testimony, sworn his loyalty-"

"Did ye see him hanged?"

She drew a sharp breath and Jamie repeated the question with more volume. "Did ye?"

"Aye," she said at last, her voice a whisper. "We all did. We had ta, ta appear loyal." Jamie swore and she added, "Androu did it ta save us."

"He did it ta get the title and nothing more. We both know he's been waitin' fer a chanceIt doesn't matter. Ye want ta stay with such a man, a man who as good as murdered yer own father, then ye deserve what ye get." He broke off at the hurt in her eyes, but did nothing to soften it. That she could remain Androu's wife nay, even continue to love him after what he'd donewhat did that say of her?

"Ye cannae leave without our master's permission."

Jamie scoffed. "Nay. No man owns me."

Eagan's voice chimed in behind them, "Not man, lad, but something more."