Breen looked at the way Bollocks looked at Kiara. Adoringly.
“Clearly.”
“Why don’t I take him along with me when I leave the Judgment? Then he can come play with the littles, and some of the other dogs, romp about outside.”
She smiled at Breen. “You have the gift for living things, as I do. I’ll know when he knows you call him back to you. Until then I’d enjoy him. And so would the littles.”
“You’re making all this very easy for me.”
“And sure why wouldn’t I?” Kiara’s hair gave a cheerful bounce as she turned. “I’ll let you know when I need to leave, and Bollocks and I will go have a fine time. And if I don’t see you before, I’ll see you at the Welcome.”
When she left, Bollocks laid his head on Breen’s knee. “I think we’ve made a friend at the Capital.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Kiara hurried back to her own room. She needed to put her case away, then make full certain she looked her best. Aiden O’Brian would be at the Judgment, and she wanted to add a bit of scent before she went down to take her seat—beside him.
Still, she called out greetings to any she saw on her way, and even stopped to gossip a bit with a friend over a mutual friend’s recent public row with a lover.
She laughed to herself as she stepped into her room.
Shana rose from Kiara’s reading chair.
“Well, so there you are. I haven’t seen a sign of you since yesterday— when I saw you and Loren slip away together. So were you—”
“How could you?” Fury snapped and sizzled in the words. “How dare you?”
“What—what! What is it?” Horrified, Kiara dropped her case to rush to the closest friend of her lifetime. But as she tried to embrace her, Shana shoved her away.
“You did her hair? Did you think I wouldn’t find out? Doing her hair, inviting her to the pub, chattering with that one from away she brought with her.”
“I—well, why shouldn’t I do her hair, or give her an invitation?”
“She was rude to me! She was cruel.”
“No!” Sincerely shocked, Kiara pressed her hand to her throat. “Oh, Shana, I’m so sorry. I’m more than sorry. I … She seems so pleasant, does Breen, I can’t imagine— What did she say to you? What did she do?”
This time when Kiara reached out, Shana let herself be hugged. “She thinks to steal Keegan from me, to put herself above me.”
Slowly, stroking Shana’s lovely waves in comfort, Kiara drew back. “But, Shana, you told me you’d put Keegan off, that you preferred Loren, as Keegan thought more of his duties than of you. That when he wished to pledge to you the last he was here, you realized he wasn’t for you.”
If the lies she’d told her friend bit back at her, Shana shrugged them off and viewed them as truth. “I’ve changed my mind, and why shouldn’t I? She’s no right to him, and no right to speak to me as she did. And you, doing up her hair? How can you say you’re my friend?”
“I didn’t know, did I? And … But, Shana, what of Loren? You’ve been with him and no other since … before,” she said carefully. “You told me he’s said he loves only you, and has asked for your pledge twice now.”
“Loren isn’t taoiseach, is he?”
“No.” Sorrow filled Kiara’s heart. “No, he isn’t. Here now, let’s sit.”
“I don’t want to sit!”
“I do.” Because she needed a moment. She knew how to soothe or joke Shana out of a temper or mood, but this felt different.
“You know how long I’ve wanted Keegan, and how I gave myself to him anytime he flicked a finger. That he would brush me aside for such as her? I will not have it.”
“But you refused him.” Even as she said it, Kiara found the lie, and the sorrow grew. “I’m so sorry.”
“I don’t want your sorry.” Hands fisted tight at her sides, Shana whipped around.
And Kiara knew the signs. Her friend was caught in one of her rages, and little could be done until it burned itself out.
“What you’ll do is whisper in ears, you’re good at it and have many ears eager to listen. You’ll say how ugly she is inside her smiles and quiet manner. How she looks down her nose at the Fey and uses her powers to hide it.”
“Shana, I could not. These are terrible lies.”
“They are truth! They are my truth! You will say how she insulted me, and the taoiseach.” Pacing now, skirt swirling, Shana built the lies. “She wants to rule over the Fey, and will bewitch Keegan to get her way. And having her way, will offer Talamh to Odran. He is her blood.”
“Stop!” Appalled, and fearful with it, Kiara leaped up. “This is your anger talking, and you must stop. To say such things against another? Shana, this is wicked.”
Shana strode away to the window, stared out. Then her shoulders slumped, and she began to weep. “Not anger, hurt. Oh, I hurt so, Kiara. When I saw Keegan again, I understood I’d made such a terrible mistake. I only want to right it. And she said such hard things to me.”
“There now, there.” Moving to her, Shana held her, stroked her. “We’ll make it better, we will. I know it. A misunderstanding, that’s all it is. Keegan declared his love for you, and that won’t have changed, not a bit. His pride may be stung a bit, but you’ll fix that right enough. And you’ll be gentle with Loren when you tell him.”
“She’s in the way, don’t you see?” Shana lifted her tear-streaked face to Kiara’s. “Keegan thinks he needs her, for Talamh.”
“She is needed. And if you had hard words with her, we’ll fix that as well, won’t we? I’ll help you fix it. There’s a kindness in her, Shana.”
Shana jerked away. “I’ve seen the truth. If you are my friend, you will shun her, and tell others to do the same.”
Yes, she thought, she knew how to soothe Shana when her moods whipped so fast and hard, but this was different.
“I am your friend. You are a sister to me. But my parents have asked me to make both Breen and Marco welcome, to be a friend to them while they’re in the Capital. You can’t ask me to go against my parents’ wishes.”
“Do as you like then,” Shana said in a tone so cold it might have frosted the glass.
“Shana—”
“You’ve shown me who you are.” Shana stormed to the door. “I won’t forget it.” And slammed it behind her.
Minga came to escort Breen and Marco to the Judgment. Though she smiled, Breen felt hints of worry.
“Kiara’s needed with the children,” she began. “But Brigid would be happy to take our fine boy here to her if that’s all right.”
“Oh, sure. Thank you, Brigid. You go on with Brigid now, and you can play with the kids. I’ll call you when we’re all done.”
He went off happily as Minga led them in the other direction.
“It will be crowded, as this Judgment is very important, but there are seats for you. If at any time you wish to leave, this is permitted. Any may witness the Judgment, any may choose not to.” They walked to the main floor, where people crowded the entrance hall and voices buzzed. She continued on until they reached a wide archway with its doors opened.
More people crowded there, and inside a windowless room lit by torches and candles.
A huge room, Breen noted, with rows of benches almost like church pews. Portraits lined the walls, and with some shock she saw her father, her grandmother. Keegan.
“The taoisigh, all who have sat in the Chair of Justice, who have delivered the Judgment.”
Minga worked her way through the crowd of people to the second set of benches on the left. “The council and their families sit there,” she explained, and gestured to the right. “These first seats are for witnesses. You may be called to bear witness, as you watched the battle, and it was your vision that warned us of what was to come.”