Page 16 of First Light

CHAPTER FIVE

Carys and Duncan were back at the Four Crowns pub in town, sitting in a corner booth and waiting for someone.

“You said you’d take me, and the minute I agree, you drag me back into town.” Carys was annoyed and starting to feel like Duncan was leading her on a wild-goose chase to try to run her off. Maybe he’d been right and she should have laughed in his face and driven back to Edinburgh.

What are you doing, Carys?She was unhinged. This was stupid. This was an absolute ridiculous situation, and when she finally found Lachlan, she was going to give him hell about making her trot off into Duncan’s delusions to find him.

She looked around the dark pub, which smelled like beer and… oddly, moss. “Why are we back here?”

“We need a favor.” Duncan grimaced. “From Dru.”

“The bartender?”

“He’s that as well,” Duncan muttered. “He can take us, but we’ll need to bargain with him. Don’t say anything, and don’t tell him your name.”

Wow. So Duncan was…reallyinto the fairy tale thing. “What are you?—”

“Duncan Murray.”

Carys turned and saw the lithe figure of Dru walking through the growing crowd at the bar. It was Thursday afternoon, but they were far from alone in the afternoon rush.

“Dru.”

The tall man slid gracefully into the booth across from them and smiled. “And Carys Morgan.”

“You know my name.” The man’s beauty was startling all over again, his lips full and pink like berries she wanted to bite. The dark stubble on his jaw begged for her touch.

“Not from her, you don’t,” Duncan said. “So don’t be getting ideas.”

Dru smiled. “I asked about the American visiting and asking questions about Lachlan. People here are so friendly and forthcoming.”

“So you might guess why we’re paying you a visit.” Duncan’s voice was a borderline hostile growl.

Dru pulled another bottle of whiskey from seemingly nowhere, and three glasses were on the table in a blink. “Do you need my help, Duncan Murray?”

“You know I have leverage.”

Dru’s eyes narrowed. “Are you saying that you want to trade one of your favors? For her?”

“Don’t make this complicated, Dru.” Duncan lowered his voice even more and switched to Gaelic, which Dru apparently understood and Carys didn’t.

The two men went back and forth for several agonizing minutes while Carys grew increasingly impatient. She hated not knowing what was going on, and all of this reeked of insiders keeping secrets.

She hated that.

Carys hated cliques and secrets. She abhorred gatekeepers and insiders. Her father used to tease her about it, calling her his “very American daughter.”

“Enough.” Carys broke into their hushed conversation. “Either tell me what you’re talking about or I’m leaving.”

Dru’s eyes lit up. “And who are you to dictate the terms of this negotiation, Carys Morgan, stranger to two worlds?”

Duncan blinked. “What are you talking about?”

“She’ll know when she knows.” Dru turned to Carys and poured a finger of whiskey in her glass. “Drink with me and I’ll know you. See that you don’t get lost in the shadows tonight.”

She eyed the glass with suspicion, then turned to Duncan. He gave her a slight nod. Dru poured another finger of whiskey in Duncan’s glass, then in his own.

“We have an agreement then.”

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