Serena hiked her chin and gave a dainty and utterly indignant sniff. “You believe I’ve concocted lies to deceive you?”
“No, I do not. As I told your brother, I am familiar with the legend. But a legend is not fact. I put no value on superstitious fears. I will not be deterred.”
Noting the wry twist of his mouth, the spark in his eyes, Johanna shot Connor a glare. He stepped close to Johanna, so near the heat of his body eased the chill that had settled over her.
“My sister does nae possess a deceptive bone in her body. She might believe the ramblings of unsophisticated men who had no way to explain the ills that came their way, but she would nae attempt to lead ye astray.”
Johanna folded her arms at the waist. With a long exhale, she steeled herself against the persuasive notes of his voice. “How convenient that these misfortunes are tied to a valuable gem. I suppose you will now tell me that we must keep the stone from Cranston, just in case there’s some truth to this hogwash about a hex.”
“Not a hex,” Serena said. “A curse borne of blood, borne of evil. Our ancestors knew its power.”
A little pish popped between Johanna’s lips. “Am I to believe powerful clan warriors feared the ruby? Rugged men who braved hardships and danger, ran scared from a polished bit of rock?”
“They did not fear the stone.” Tension threaded through Serena’s lightly rolling notes. “They possessed a healthy respect for the artifact.” Her eyes hardened as she stared over her spectacles, pinning Johanna with her gaze. “As should you, Miss Templeton.”
Misery dug its sharp claws into Johanna’s belly. All this talk of curses and the occult was nonsense. But as long as Cranston believed the stone would make him more powerful, whether the advantage were derived from riches or some unnatural force, he would expect the ransom to be paid.
“So, what are we to do?” Johanna laced her fingers together into a tense knot. “Assuming that the man who kidnapped my niece knew the book contained the map, he will expect me to bring it to him.”
“Once Cranston has the map, he’ll have no incentive to negotiate. At that point, your niece will simply be a problem to be eliminated.” Serena’s pronouncement was as bland as cold porridge.
Johanna twisted her fingers tighter. “He will kill her if I defy him.”
“I willnae let that happen.” Connor touched her arm, the simple contact warm and reassuring.
Serena tapped a finger against the book, beating a rhythm as tense as the set of her arched brows. “Miss Templeton, centuries ago, the MacMasters clan was tasked with ensuring the ruby did not fall into the wrong hands. Perhaps our ancestors were superstitious. Perhaps the clan elders attributed events that brought misfortune to the stone because they had no other way to rationalize their pain. But the fact remains that Cranston is a believer. And that makes him very dangerous indeed.”
“Surely you’re not suggesting we hold back?” Johanna made no attempt to censor the accusation in her tone. “A child’s life hangs in the balance…a child I love.”
“That is precisely what I am saying. Do not take my words as a suggestion. I am warning you—providing Cranston with access to the Demon’s Heart may bring disaster upon all of us. Untold innocents who have no part in this will suffer.”
The implication of Serena’s words struck like a punch to the belly. Johanna pulled in a breath, then another. She must remain calm for Laurel’s sake.
“My niece is an innocent. She is a nine-year-old child.” Johanna could not tamp down her emotion. If Serena MacMasters believed ominous statements would hold her back, she’d underestimated Johanna’s determination.
Serena turned to Connor, her gaze silently compelling. He stood grim-faced and still. Stalking to a window, he threw open the curtains.
“Ye keep this room like a bloody tomb.” His voice was a surly growl. Behind him, a glorious vista of mountain woodlands decked out in the hues of autumn, vibrant shades of orange and red and yellow, posed a stark contrast to the gloom of Serena’s study.
He stared through the glass, his body ramrod stiff. Turning, he pinned Johanna with his gaze. “My sister is right. We must keep the stone—and the map that leads to it.”
If he’d struck her, Johanna might have been less stunned. Coming from him, the words stripped her of hope, leaving her fear bared and raw.
“To Hades with the both of you.” Johanna planted her fists on her hips and willed her voice to remain steady and strong. “I must find my niece, and I will bring her home.”
Serena’s eyes warmed, as if she felt Johanna’s misery. But her firm chin made it clear she would not be swayed. “As difficult as it is for you, you must understand—Cranston seeks to harness the stone’s power for his own vile purposes. He’ll stop at nothing to obtain it. Getting the map will be only the beginning. The blackguard will slaughter anyone who stands in his path.”