Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 30228 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30228 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
It was also the reason she chose to remain outside. She couldn’t stand the confines of the keep any longer. Besides, Purity was probably in the woods. They had talked about visiting today, but Purity didn’t want anyone to know she was there. She feared her brother would discover and think that she came there to beg Arran to marry her again.
Raven had stopped in the barn to scoop up the kitten Purity favored and when she reached the spot where they had agreed to meet, Purity squealed with delight.
“You brought him,” Purity said and hurried to take the kitten from Raven.
The kitten practically jumped out of Raven’s arms and into Purity’s to snuggle and purr against her. Then he crawled up her chest and along her shoulders, meowing as he went as if declaring Purity belonged to him. Once done, he curled himself in the crook of her arm to sleep.
“It’s a shame you can’t take him home. He favors you as much as you do him,” Raven said.
Purity sighed softly. “I wish I could, but he’s safer here and I do love to visit.”
“You don’t need a reason to visit. We’re friends now and you’re welcome here any time.”
“That means a lot to me, Raven.”
Raven could tell that smiling didn’t come natural to Purity. Her smile always looked forced as if she smiled so rarely she didn’t actually know how to smile.
“You need to name him,” Raven said. “He needs a strong name.”
“King,” Purity said, stroking the little bundle of fur. “It’s appropriate since he rules and commands my heart.”
“Like Arran?”
Purity’s cheeks turned pink and soon blossomed bright red.
“Your secret is safe with me,” Raven assured her.
“How did you know?” Purity asked, realizing there was no keeping the truth from Raven.
“The way you look at him. It’s the same look I see in Oria’s eyes when she looks at Royden.”
Purity never thought to discuss her feelings about Arran with anyone. She’d been too afraid that someone would find out and she’d be mocked for it. After all, a man as handsome as Arran would never desire a woman like her.
“It’s strange,” Purity said. “It wasn’t that I looked at him and thought myself in love, it was more that it developed over time. I’ve visited here more than you know, most people ignoring me or not even seeing me. I love visiting with the various animals since my father forbids me contact with the ones at home. Arran was the only one who acknowledged my presence. He actually talked with me, not for long, but enough that I took notice of him. Over time, seeing the good man he is and that he continued to talk with me, I simply lost my heart to him.”
“My brother is a good man, except for yesterday.” Raven made a fist and shook it. “I could have pummeled him.”
“I regret I didn’t come to your defense,” Purity said with a frown that seemed more at home on her face than a smile.
“Nonsense. We agreed if I told you to run, you’d do just that. If you’d been caught, you no doubt would be forbidden to come here again.”
Purity’s frown deepened. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to continue to visit. My father and brother discuss all sorts of things in front of me. I sometimes think they forget I’m there, then as if he remembers my father suddenly sends me away. My father and brother are extremely concerned about Chieftain Thurbane’s land being confiscated and his daughter forced to wed. He fears that more clans will fall to the King’s demand and more daughters wed to men faithful to the King. Sentries have been doubled and missives sent to other clans to see what they’ve heard or know. I fear my clan prepares for an attack.”
A chill went through Raven. It was one thing to hear her father and brother talk about such a possibility, but to know a neighboring clan prepared as well made the possibility of an attack all the more real to Raven.
“I won’t be forced to wed a stranger, especially one disloyal to the Highlands,” Raven said as if making a promise to herself.
“I think it was one of the reasons my father tried to get Arran to wed me. While he wants me wed, it’s a beneficial marriage he wants, since land equals power and is the true King of the Highlands.”
“And women are used as pawns to gain that power,” Raven said with distaste.
“You understand much for your age, more than I do and only four years separate us,” Purity said with a touch of envy.
“I’m told I’m too young to understand the way of things or that I am a lass and it’s not necessary for me to know certain things.” Raven lowered her voice as if sharing a secret. “I have this urge to learn, to know things. It eats at me something fierce. I sneak and listen to conversations, not only between my da and brothers, but others in the clan. It’s also the reason I sneak to watch Arran when he’s with a woman. I don’t want to be ignorant of things, or others making decisions for me.”