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harm done to Valan because of their actions. “Nor I.”
    Yet hardness soon filled Colin’s eyes. “But even then, it didnae give him the right to do what he did.”
    “He acted out of emotion,” she reminded gently.
    A vein pulsed in Colin’s temple. “‘Tis too much of a coincidence that Valan met you after his Da had his eyes on you for so long. Then Valan told Keir of our love. He did such knowing full well how evil his Da was.” His lips thinned. “So much endless harm has come because of such, including us being torn apart for so long. To my mind, that makes him just as sinister as Keir.”
    “But he’s not and you know it.” Even though Valan’s actions had long angered her it was time to move on, to see past the pain. Or at least she was trying. Torra touched Colin’s cheek. “What would you have been capable of had the lass you loved turned eyes to your best friend?”
    His turbulent emotions became a fraction less intense.
    “Anything,” he ground out.
    Then Colin shook his head, so much pain in his eyes. “Yet he had to know the harm it would put you in. That in itself is unforgivable. Especially since he claimed to love you. I dinnae see any goodness in such actions…I dinnae see love .”
    Nor did she but jealously and hurt made people do truly awful things. “What’s done is done. You must find forgiveness, Colin. The anger you keep inside only hurts you further. And your pain is mine.”
    “I sometimes think that you possess too much forgiveness, lass,” Colin said. “But even though I dinnae ken it, ‘tis half the reason I love you.” His eyes drifted over her shoulder and she knew he looked at Grant. “But what of the things he did to the MacLomains because Grant sided with me? Do you so easily forgive that as well?”
    Torra had already shed too many tears over this. “Aye, I have or ‘twould have ruined me.”
    “Have you truly then?” He frowned, incredulous. “Even though to punish Grant and no doubt you he sought out Colin and recruited him to become an assassin. Because of him you and your clan lost your brother for three winters.”

Chapter Three
     
    Colin felt her pain as if it was his own.
    He hadn’t meant to be so blunt, but she needed to remember the cruelty Valan had inflicted upon all of them. Or did she? It was hard to know. For years, they’d been separated because of simple jealousy. It seemed so trivial. He understood she was trying to bring things together to defeat Keir but that Valan needed to be part of this was a knife in his side.
    So Colin focused on here and now, eager to clear her face of distress. He ran his thumb gently along her temple. “We will see this through, lass. If you need him alongside then so be it.”
    Torra met his eyes. “He hurt us. No doubt he did.” Her voice turned hoarse. “We both have to see this as what love can make people do. While you sacrificed yourself, he lashed out. ‘Tis the only way we can move forward.”
    Colin again cupped her neck, running the side of his thumb over her throat, wishing he could soothe the pain within. “We knew of his band of assassins and that they killed only those truly bad. ‘Twas unfortunate that he sought out your brother even if it ultimately led to all of this.” And though it was hard to push the false reassurance past his lips he’d say anything to placate her. “If you feel we need Valan then we do. He had goodness about him and a hatred for his Da that can only ever be a boon.”
    A tremble rippled beneath his touch as she looked at him.
    “Thank you,” she whispered.
    “You’ve naught to thank me for.” He pulled her head against his chest. Bloody hell, what was he to do with all of this? Before Torra came into his life, he knew nothing of love, nothing of true devotion. Now…well, now he was truly lost.
    Colin remembered the moment he met her as though it were yesterday.
    And what had led up to it.
    He and Valan had met at a Sinclair celebration a year before