”Dee…”

Glenna’s mouth hung agape in bewilderment. She had never expected someone this gentle and graceful to be so animated by rage and hate.

Deirdre’s eyes were beet red, but she reined herself in as much as possible. “Sorry, that was sudden and impolite, but I’m not sorry for what I meant. Whether Brendan lives or dies has nothing to do with me! Nothing! I won’t and will never see him!”

Declan scowled. A long while later, he said, “I understand your rage against Brendan, but why… did you say he abandoned you in Cillian’s hands?”

“What? He didn’t do that?’ Deirdre laughed mockingly. “On that day of the abduction, Cillian called him and told him to come to get me. Do you know what he did? He just took the ride all the way back to Neve! The only reason I’m alive is that I raked my head to find anything to help me survive! He didn’t care if I lived, so why should I care if he dies?!”

“You think… he didn’t care?” Declan sounded thrown off, as if he was on his back foot. He took a fe