Gifted Thief (Highland Magic #1)(63)

‘I’ve done no such thing.’

I turned my head, addressing the older Sidhe who was still staring at us. ‘Leave us.’

He didn’t need telling twice. He pivoted on his heel and ran off.

‘Cul-chain,’ I said in the most dulcet tone I could manage, ‘be more polite.’

The Bull’s expression tightened. He bowed, however. ‘Yes, Miss Adair.’

‘Taylor,’ I said. ‘Until Clan Adair is resurrected, call me Miss Taylor.’

He bowed again. I clapped my hands. I could get used to this.

‘How did you do it?’ he asked. ‘How did you do the teleportation?’

‘Beats me,’ I shrugged. ‘I’ll let you into a secret – I didn’t think I’d get any Gifts. When I didn’t get a fever, I was sure of it.’

‘That’s not what I meant.’ There was a dangerous glow in the back of his eyes. The Bull still hated me probably more than ever now. But his fear was greater than his hatred. With my knowledge of his true name, he’d do whatever I asked even if that meant slitting his own throat. ‘How did you bring me along with you?’

I frowned. ‘Eh?’

‘I know other Sidhe who can teleport but they can only bring themselves and the clothes they are wearing. They can’t even hold a cupcake and bring it with them.’

No wonder he didn’t seem concerned when I grabbed hold of him in his room. Thanks to Bob’s machinations, the Bull already believed I could teleport before I did so – but he didn’t think I could include him on the trip. Interesting. ‘You will tell no one about this.’

The Bull nodded. Then there was a tiny twitch at the side of his mouth.

I smiled. ‘I almost forget. It’s like Simon says, isn’t it? I have to say your name to force you to do my bidding. Cul-chain.’ I rolled the word around my mouth like a tasty treat. ‘You will tell no one about this. And you will order your Clan to keep quiet too.’

He snarled. He also said, ‘Yes, Miss Taylor.’

I circled round him. ‘Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? Why did I become your ward?’

‘Aifric commanded my Chieftain. I either agreed to take you in or lost several key lands to the north.’

I rubbed my chin. ‘But why you?’

He looked defiant. ‘I’m the Bull.’

‘I don’t understand.’

He set his jaw. ‘Your mother was engaged to me.’ I sucked in an astounded breath. He ignored it. ‘But because I am the Bull, she grew unhappy and left. I assume he thought that because you were her child, I would take good care of you.’ He looked at me. ‘I swore to keep you alive.’

‘Because you’re the Bull, she split up with you?’ I asked, puzzled. He rolled his eyes at the same moment I realised what he meant. ‘Ohhh. You’re not called the Bull because you’re a big guy. It’s because you think of yourself as a stud.’ I looked at his body derisively.

‘I was younger then,’ he spat. ‘I was a different man.’

He’d have to have been very different for anyone to want to shag him. I stared at him in mock horror. ‘My goodness! You could have been my real father after all!’

He hawked up a ball of phlegm. Before he could do anything with it, I wagged my finger. ‘I don’t think so, Cul-chain.’

He swallowed it back down. Eurgh.

‘So,’ I said, ‘you wanted to kill me because of my aura. And because you want the Foinse to fail. Is that correct, Cul-chain?’

Yes,’ he mumbled.

‘Speak up.’ I nudged him gently with my toe. ‘Is that correct?’

He cleared his throat. ‘Yes.’

‘Was my father really evil?’

‘Yes.’ His gaze was unwavering.

‘If I asked any other highborn Sidhe, would I get the same answer?’

‘Yes.’

‘What about the lower classes?’

He looked away. ‘They’re na?ve.’

‘Why do they think differently?’

‘He manipulated them. There are stories suggesting that it wasn’t him. Or that he was possessed by a demon.’ His expression made it clear how unlikely he thought that was.

‘Very well. From now on, Cul-chain, you will not seek to harm me. You will ensure no-one in your Clan seeks to harm me. In fact, you will not seek to harm anyone.’ I smiled. ‘I wasn’t lying. I really am a pacifist. I might have an imaginative interpretation of the word but I’d never have let you fall.’

His eyes spat fire. ‘Evil bitch.’

I shrugged. ‘Evil bitch who’s now your boss.’ Not that I thought he needed reminding. ‘You may leave now.’

He turned tail and ran. As I watched him go, my hard demeanour softened to something more genuine and far more troubled because from the moment, the Bull told me his true name, I’d been able to see a strange halo round him. It was a sickly yellow and it followed him as he spun out of the library door. The aura of the grey-haired man who dropped the pile of books was more of a chocolate-brown colour.

I had no way of interpreting what each hue meant but apparently I could add aura reading to teleportation as one of my gifts. It was a damn shame it wouldn’t be of any use without a colour chart.