Page 143 of Highland Queen

“Then tell them to go.”

“All right. Tomorrow. I will ask them to go tomorrow.”

“Very well.”

Macbeth studied Lulach. “How like your father you look. I loved him once. I loved him more than my own father, in fact. I never understood why he did it.”

“He had a good reason,” I said, instantly regretting saying anything.

“Did he?” Macbeth asked.

“Yes.”

“Oh. All right.”

“Then we shall see you soon?” I asked Macbeth.

He nodded. “Yes.”

Motioning to Lulach, we left the place.

Behind us, I heard Macbeth whispering once more.

“Mother,” Lulach began.

I didn’t know what to say. Macbeth had been mad in fits and starts over the years. Mostly, he kept to himself. It unnerved me to think he wanted to rejoin court life. As it was, it was impossible to dispel the rumors about him. No doubt Siward had already learned that Macbeth was not at the helm in Scotland. Perhaps that is why he was plotting once more. “Lulach, Macbeth is—”

Lulach raised a hand to stop me. “No. I don’t care about him. What you said about my father… Did Gillacoemgain have a good reason for killing Findelach?”

I stared at Lulach. Torchlight bounced off his face, accentuating the tattoos thereon. Of course, he would be curious. Of course, he would want to know the truth. “Yes, he did.”

“Can you tell me?”

I shook my head. “Long ago, I promised I would never speak of it.”

Lulach scrunched up his brow as he considered my words. “Crearwy—my aunt, Crearwy. It had something to do with her.”

I stared at Lulach but said nothing.

Lulach’s eyes took on a faraway gaze. “It’s all right,” Lulach said. “You keep your promise,” he said then took my hand. He studied the glove thereon. “Still? After all these years?”

“Yes.”

“I am sorry for it. I am sorry for all of it,” Lulach said then kissed my gloved hand and led me away.

Lulach and Fleance stayed for several days before returning north once more to Moray. I made sure every lord, lady, thane, mormaer, and clansmen knew that the prince had returned and was ruling in Moray. Maybe Siward thought Macbeth weak, but with Lulach stepping into his place, it might dissuade—or at least give pause to—any action Siward might take.

I had hoped Siward would change his mind.

But that would not come to pass.

What did come to pass was the return of Macbeth. Having left behind his court of shadows, Macbeth returned to rule alongside me once more.

And our first act was to declare war.

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