Chapter 7.1
Roy rolled over at the sound of someone coming into his room and winced in pain. The wound he had received was serious, but clearly he would live. It was not enough to keep him down for much longer and already he was eager to get up and find out where Massoud was. Enough time had passed for him to take care of the business they had discussed and return so where was he? That he had not been here to see him was curious though not unusual.
The person darkening the door was not the maid he expected and so the slight smile faded from his face. “Angus MacDonald. I confess this is a bit of a surprise though it is good to see you. Our clans go back a long way and while you and I have had little association you are still a brother.”
Angus looked at the man laying in bed and took in his formal speech. It was spoken to let him know that their was no animosity between them. This in itself was obvious but when ever one was about to do business with one from another clan it was the prudent thing to do to restate the obvious. Blood feud’s had been started for such an oversight. Still with all this it made Angus smile. He had nothing against Roy. He knew him by reputation of course, and even would have said he admired him for his skill, but then here he was in bed with what looked like a nasty wound. Perhaps his skill was waning?
“As are you Roy,” he began. “I have not come to visit and console you in what looks like a bit of a scratch you have taken in a scuffle. I trust the other did not fare as well?”
Roy considered how much he should speak to Angus and decided the more people who knew an assassin was after him the better it would be. “It was an arrow at the tenth hour. I never saw who shot it but it would appear their aim was a wee bit off.”
“Lucky for you then,” Angus said. It was all that would be spoken on the subject. The rest did not need to be said, it was obvious. “I’ve come to give you a message,” he continued. Roy sat up a bit more doing his best not to wince at the pain that shot through his shoulder. “We have Massoud. It would appear he is in as bad shape as you, perhaps worse. We’re keeping him at Ian’s place outside of town. No one knows he’s there except you and I and Ian himself and his woman.”
Then coming close and kneeling so that he could whisper the next part he looked Roy in the eye and spoke softly, “Tis a dangerous game you’re playing. The MacDonalds will not stand in your way but I was sent here to deliver a message to you.”
Roy’s mind was racing. How did they link Roy with Massoud? How much did they know? Had Massoud said anything, perhaps when he was unconscious? The MacDonalds were a strong clan, conservative and not much given to intrigue. Typically they avoided and kind of minor revolt. For them to even have an inkling of what was transpiring was clearly a risk. Roy decided to address it head on, “And what might I ask is your message Angus?”
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