There was a heavy silence as they walked.

Isla’s mind was racing. How would she react if it was her mother? She wished she could be alone right now as they met. She didn’t want the others staring at her, waiting for a reaction. But what if it was an imposter? In that case, Isla would be deeply grateful for her friends being there. Caelan and Alan had made her a passable fighter--Caelan even said she was good, though she was fairly sure he was just being kind--but she could hardly fight with a baby nearly ready to come into this world.

It seemed like an eternity before they made it to the meeting room. The door was closed, but Isla could hear voices behind it. She made a quick gesture for the others to be quiet and wait.

“--just came to see ma daughter,” a woman said impatiently. “Whit do ye have against a woman coming to see her child?!”

Isla’s breath caught in her throat. She did know that voice. It was her mother.

“Yer an intruder here,” Caelan said. “Ye could be anyone. Ah’ll not just let ye go up to the Lady’s room as ye please.”

“She’s ma daughter!”

“And we’re just supposed to take yer word for that?” Griogair asked flatly. “Whit kind of guards, or husband, for that matter, would let just anyone in to see the Lady?”

“Ye have to believe me!” Mother said.

“If yer her mother, where have ye been all these years? Isla didnae ken if ye were dead or alive,” Caelan said.

“It’s not any of yer business where Ah’ve been,” Mother snapped.

Alan leaned close to Isla. "Do ye ken its yer mother?” he whispered, almost too quiet to hear.

Isla nodded, her heart thudding hard in her chest. Her mother, here? After all these years? She didn’t know what to think or how to feel.

“Are ye feelin’ all right?” Aileene asked, and she had worry lines around her eyes.

With a start, Isla realized she had both hands pressed to her baby bump. If it were me lookin’ for ma child, Ah’d hope she’d at least speak to me. But Mother had left her with Bhaltair. She hadn’t come back for her. Wouldn’t Isla do anything to protect her child? Anger and relief battled in Isla. Her mother was alive, but she hadn’t come back to Isla.

“Isla, ye cannae get too excited,” Aileene reminded her in a whisper. “If this is too difficult--”

Isla shook her head. “Ah need to see this through.” She opened the meeting room door and entered ...

Excerpt from "Spy in the Shadows"

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