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Edging back against a pile of pillows, Violet raised herself to sit The kitten, she noticed, had not been banished with the others and continued to hop about and chase its tail

“I do not understand”

“You reentle hand

It ath could treat her with such tenderness Would he continue thus now that he’d captured his brother’s killer?

“Aye John Miller poisoned your brother” She had dreaether the bits she knew of Finn to try to understand how he’d known to find the man at Caladan “I’m sorry you lost your kin”

She had never been fortunate enough to have a sibling, but she i It was a how quickly her heart had become entwined with this man’s His pain was her pain

“Your father has brought theHe worked to create deadly poisons so that he could one day return to Caladan and take vengeance on your sire” He shook his head “Apparently, he only caus by accident, and my brother was thirsty after a strenuous hunt He asked Miller for a drink, not knowing the container carried a foul brew Miller grew scared when Fergus began to suspect the drink was tainted When Fergus accused him of sorcery, Miller stabbed him”

Violet’s heart ached for Finn She squeezed his hand

“But Fergus is avenged,” Finn said, clearing his throat “Miller will harm no one else You needn’t worry about him”

He lifted a lock of hair froesture she recalled froether A touch thatto cli arms—arms that had saved her earlier

Before she could thank hi her from such a deadly menace, Finn continued

“Do you recall what happened before the outcast arrived at the mill?”

Warht rail she wore Precious little linen separated her frohland warrior

“Of course” She wondered how long she’d been recovering from her bout with the toxin “My memory is perfectly fit”

Finn’s grin soothed her, assuring her his memory of that time was just as pleasurable as hers

“Good Because I considered what happened that night to be a pledge, of sorts”