Jamie turned to meet Cain’s gaze. There was maturity in his eyes. “I do not know why ye have done this,” Jamie said, “but I am grateful there will be no bloodshed for my people and yours.”

Spoken like a chief already. Cain felt his frown relax. Jamie turned his face toward the Sutherland Clan. “Clan Sutherland will call Clan Sinclair our ally from this day forward,” the boy said, each word rising in volume.

Bow to no man. His father’s words echoed in Cain’s mind, but the rules of the game had changed. To win, he must give. Cain brought his fist to his chest and bowed his head briefly. Jamie did the same, as did Kenneth.

Kenneth glanced over his shoulder at Ella and then looked to Cain. “And what of Arabella Sutherland?”

Cain swallowed hard. Even with his brothers’ stares boring into him, it was Ella he worried over. He turned to her. The breeze blew her curls about her shoulders, the muted sun shining down on them. She had risen again to sit straight, her expressive eyes narrowing.

“And for me?” she asked, guiding her horse forward.

Ye are mine. The words fought to come out of his chest as if they were buried blades anxious to slice through his sinew and skin.

Conquest takes. Love gives. Merida’s wise words overrode his selfish dictate, a dictate that had always ruled Ella’s life. But he would not be Ella’s cruel father, demanding ownership over her. He was a conqueror, but he would never have Ella’s love by taking it.

Cain moved Seraph alongside Gilla so that Ella and he sat only feet apart as she waited for his demands. “I was wrong,” he said, meeting her gaze. “There are not just two choices, Ella, one of which I took away for good.” He released a deep exhale. “Apart from death, all the other choices in the world are yours.”

He pulled the queen from his sash, along with the other piece he had retrieved after leaving the chapel. “Ye have never had your own choices. Your bastard of a father—”

“Actually, Kenneth is my father,” she said, interrupting. “I did not know until an hour ago,” she said swiftly. “I would have told you—”

“That is…good,” Cain said. He glanced at Kenneth and then back to her.

“Go on,” she whispered.

His mind stumbled over the words he had planned. He always had a strategy when playing a game, but this was not a game. In a game, the winner took the prize. The only way he could win with Ella was to give away the one thing he wanted above all else.

He cleared his throat. “Ye have never had choices, Ella, and now…ye do. Ye always should have had them.”