It was unsurprising that Damon was still upset or that Rodrick was not of a mind to stop his brother from pestering Willow. Damon was war chief, second just below Keegan himself, and Rodrick’s words would mean little to the man when he was still so out of sorts because of Melissa’s capture.
Lord, what has gotten into ye, brother? Ye are usually so at ease about everything.
Keegan stalked toward the table where Willow sat just as the tension between the two of them hit a peak.
“Ye should be in a cell. And ye have not a single air of guilt about ye. Does kidnappin' and likely torturin' a lass not surprise the sister of Laird MacCallum? Did he teach ye how to rape and plunder like the best of his warriors?”
No one in the room said a word, too afraid of Damon’s wrath when he was in so foul a mood. Well, Keegan was not so terrified of his younger brother, and of anyone, the man would beforcedto listen to his Laird.
“Enough, Damon.”
Keegan’s voice penetrated the length of the hall with all the power of a cannon blast. He was still several paces away from them, and as his brother and Willow looked in his direction,Keegan noticed two things. His brother appeared more annoyed than guilty for disregarding direct orders, which would not do. And Willow seemed…resigned to it all.
Without anything else to go on, it seemed to the laird that Willow was used to such behavior, such animosity being thrust at her with no one to step up and put an end to it.
Odd. And the lass said that her brother would not be interested in the exchange…
After a moment, Damon’s countenance abruptly changed, and the surprise of being caught in his actions played over his features.
Closing in on them, Keegan watched—the fury in his blood boiling over—as Damon turned back to Willow, jabbing a finger in her face as he whispered something too low for him to hear. But Keegan could guess.
Reaching his brother, Keegan grabbed Damon by the nape of the neck and hauled him back from Willow, allowing him to tumble to the floor as he shoved him away.
“Ye have gone against a direct order, Damon.” The laird glared down with the fury of the sun. “And I daenae like to repeat meself.”
Hauling himself up off the floor, Damon scowled, his brow down low over his similarly colored eyes. The malice behind thoseirises was something that Keegan had never seen before, and at once, he was reminded of how much his brother cared for Melissa.
It was not simply that Magnus had taken a clansman prisoner or claimed another warrior. This was family, and both of them knew how family fared against Magnus’s blade. Melissa was an innocent trapped with a fiend, and behind all that wrath that swam through Damon’s blood was fear. The two of them—Damon and Melissa—were thick as thieves, after all, and it was evident that Damon was far past being distraught about the loss.
He was broken.
“Och, brother,” Keegan warned, his heart fighting his logic when it came to setting an example of Damon. “Daenae make me do this. I know ye grieve, ye rage, but ye need to stop.”
“Melissa’s captor. The man who has stolen her from us has his own blood right here—in our hands. If he willnae pay for takin' her, then his kin should be tasked with it!”
Keegan could see the unshed tears clinging to Damon’s eyes. He would not allow them to fall. The laird’s heart broke for the pain his brother suffered, and in truth, he had considered as much when this proposal to steal Willow had been hatched.
But he simply couldn’t bring himself to harm her. The moment he’d seen her in the carriage, Keegan knew that despite his rage, injuring Willow would never be permitted under his watch.
“Go to yer chambers, brother. I willnae see yer face in me hall.”
Damon recoiled, his jaw dropping before he quickly snapped it shut again. “Ye willnae permit me to enjoy me dinner?”
“Ye willnae be allowed to dine with us tonight. Should ye need food, ye can take it up with the kitchens. Though they willnae be permitted to do anythin' extra for ye.”
It was a child’s punishment, sending Damon off to his room without supper. But should the man continue to act like one, Keegan would be forced to treat him as such.
Damon stormed off, not saying another word but swiping both a loaf of bread and a bottle of ale from the table before exiting. Keegan sighed. This was becoming so damned tiresome. He needed this exchange to progress. Melissa needed to be returned home, or the kind soul that was his brother might never be seen again.
Silence hung over the room until Keegan pulled his head up from his hand, having rubbed the palm over his eyes and scruff. As he looked over the room, he knew that he must say something.
“Return to yer feastin'. And let this be a reminder to ye about disobeying yer laird.”
A chorus of “Yes, me laird” rang out through the room, the assembled going back to the meals. Keegan turned around toface Willow and found her still seated at the table behind him, awe painted over her features.
“Why…why did ye do that?”
Her voice was quiet, and there was no mistaking the hurt behind the confusion in her tone.