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Douglas sat forward and rubbed his hands together in front of the fire “I’ve met the scholar ye speak of, but I doubt Nikolai had the ability to overpower him”

Leo inhaled loudly “You’ve met him? You’ve met Talliano? How can that be?”

“Talliano? I cannae recall his nao, said they were interested in the history of the area, and we had nae reason to be suspicious of their motives”

Leo shuffled to the edge of his seat, a heavy frownhis brow “What makes you think Nikolai lacked the skill necessary to compel his friend? You have witnessed the way he ic to force her to marry him”

Douglas gave a frustrated wave “Aye, but ye need to be infected in order to have the ability to play with people’s heads Nikolai was nae suffering with it when he came here the first time”

Ivana’s head shot up in surprise “But you redient in the elixir is hae to Talliano’s notebook, your mine is rich in iron Why would they need to find a cure if Nikolai was not suffering from the affliction?”

Lachlan glanced at Isla whose e Neither of them had any memory of these visitors from beyond their shore

Douglas appeared so of it, just thought all those froe habits But now, after all that’s happened to Isla, I know the scholar was the one suffering from the affliction”

Both Leo and Ivana jumped to their feet

“Talliano was a creature of—” Leo gulped as he struggled to contain his surprise “Talliano was a creature of the night?” He dragged his hand down his face “You are certain of this?”

Douglas craned his neck to look up at the marquess “Aye, I remember the man hid in the shadows ht Nikolai was his student, or so he’d had us believe”

The guests stared at each other with an odd look of wonder and confusion before dropping into their seats Lachlan suspected that the apprentice, Nikolai, must have contracted the disease from his tutor

“Isla roup, although it was Isla who captured his attention She appeared a little agitated, struggled to sit still in the chair After all that had occurred this evening, he could hardly bla disturbed “They took water from the well near the cairn, which one would assu potion”

“The Picts are an ancient people who lived on these lands over a thousand years ago They often placed their burial grounds next to springs … or wells” Isla clutched her sto at the corners of her ested she was in pain “The wells are said to … to have been blessed The flow of holy water worked to heal the spirit, to cleanse the soul”

While the marquess appeared interested in Isla’s explanation, his wife seemed more concerned with Isla’s restlessness “When did you last quench your thirst?” Ivana’s broere drawn together, al in the middle “You are not well”