Page 63 of Fragile Oath

DAVIN

Despite only givingme three weeks to find my evidence, the lairds had decided to rob me of the very first day by requesting my presence back in the Assembly room to answer their unending slew of inane questions. It was all the more frustrating because I wanted a chance to talk to MacBay outside of all of these proceedings, but there was hardly time now.

I wondered if that was intentional on his part.

If it was, though, MacBay gave no sign. He only sat across the same table I was at yesterday, flanked by Jameson and Wilson. The three of them made up the chosen leads for the investigation, while a scribe sat at the end of the table as a neutral third party to record the meeting.

My father and I sat opposite the men with two empty chairs at my left. For hours, I answered the same questions, all posed slightly different from the last. It was a true exercise in patience to respond with even a modicum of respect, especially when it felt like a way to stall for time.

My fists clenched beneath the table as I gave yes or no answers, only able to expound briefly before Wilson interrupted or picked apart the few words I uttered.

“Yes, I was in my rooms all evening,” I repeated with dwindling patience.

“And you didn’t leave until morning?” he asked for roughly the thousandth time.

I took a deep, calming breath, in through my nose, out through my lips. “As I said.”

“I’m sure you appreciate that we have to be thorough,” Wilson remarked disdainfully.

“And I’m sure you can appreciate that I am not eager to repeat myself.” I said flatly.

Wilson opened his mouth to argue but Jameson smoothly cut him off.

“The laird is being more than cooperative, even though you have taken hours away from his own investigation. So, if we could move forward more expediently, it would be most appreciated.”

A look was exchanged between him and MacBay before the latter gestured for the questioning to continue.

Before Jameson could speak, though, the doors to the room swung open, revealing Galina’s slender form in the frame, followed slightly by my much more diminutive mother. Galina’s eyes immediately darted to mine, holding my gaze for several heartbeats before she finally looked away.

I sat up a little straighter in my chair, watching her in my periphery as she floated across the floor in an elegant gown that seamlessly blended Socairan modesty and Lochlannian fashion in a way that honored both. It was a perfect outfit to sway an Assembly who couldn’t quite decide if they wanted to hate either of us.

Her hair was braided up in its usual fashion, tucked around a small, jeweled circlet. She hadn’t been precisely disheveled in our days on the road, but neither had she looked like herself, the way she did now. Pristine and composed and preternaturally gorgeous.

It was hard to look at her, even harder not to.

Then, of course, she took the empty seat just next to me, sliding just a hair closer than I expected her to, bringing with her a slight earthy aroma of lavender and rosemary. Trying to take shallow breaths before I was accosted by an unwanted wave of memories, I inclined my head in a greeting. She returned it with a sideways glance, her neutral court expression never shifting.

“Lady Galina, what perfect timing,” Jameson greeted her.

“Yes, I believe we met at the ball, just a few weeks ago,” Galina said to him and Wilson before carefully turning her attention to the final man at the table. “Laird MacBay, it’s lovely to see you as well. I do hope that we aren’t taking too much of your time away from your wife. Laird Gallagher informed me this morning that she is ill.”

MacBay’s expression was impartial when he responded. “She is. And I’ll return as soon as my duties here allow it.”

“Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help in the meantime,” she said, folding her hands neatly on the table. “I do have some small knowledge in herbs, so I’d be happy to send a salve or a tea.”

She had worded it so carefully,in the meantime,making it clear that she wasn’t trying to offer a bribe or coerce him into treating the proceedings differently.

MacBay blinked, appearing genuinely taken aback that she would grant assistance under the circumstances. “I will, Lady Galina. Thank you for such a kind offer.”

“Of course,” she dipped her head demurely.

I was once again reminded that, unlike nearly every other member of my family, Galina was uniquely skilled at politics, and she had not come unprepared.

Once the greetings were out of the way, the questions shifted to her. She wielded her manners like a weapon, carefully responding to each inquiry in a way that was both polite, but somehow questioned the intelligence of the interrogators.

The lairds started with the details of our relationship, where she skirted admirably around the truth.

“You hadn’t seen him when he visited Socair, but you were willing to risk an Unclanning, something I understand to be an extreme punishment for your people, to come back here with him?” MacBay asked, his tone markedly softer than it had been with me.

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