Chapter Fourteen
–Tavish–
WHILE GLAD ELLIE was finally able to unburden her truths, not just to her sisters but to us MacLeods, because I felt the heavy weight she carried, I could say with certainty I hated where this left us.
Where it left her, because based on everything I saw when she’d given us a glimpse of the future if she didn’t go to Dugal, I knew now she had no choice.
And it left me no choice but to let her go.
Or so I let everyone believe.
Could I truly risk my brother’s happiness? The health of his unborn children? His and Aspen’s well-being? Did I have the right to?
Better yet, could I risk my clan, people, and the whole of Scotland?
Scotland’s future?
The world’s future?
It was all at stake if, in the end, I didn’t let my fated mate go. Yet Broderick offered a glimmer of hope even as I knew the chances were slim.
“I wonder where your father will end up once this is all said and done?” Broderick asked, his arms still wrapped around Aspen protectively.
The look he gave Ellie assured me he was as worried about her as the rest of us.
Moreover, he believed she’d been Elowyn, and so he loved and cared about her like the sister he never had.
“I can only assume, despite Malcolm's funeral and the dresses he asked you and your sisters to wear, and with everything that’s happened since, that he is still verra much alive somewhere?”
“Yes, but I couldn’t say where,” Ellie confessed softly, looking at her sisters. “I’m so sorry I had to lie to you about that, too, but it was the only way.”
“Because you knew it had begun,” Willow realized, shaking her head at the enormity of what Ellie had carried on her slender shoulders. “You weren’t at our father’s funeral, though, were you?”
“No,” Aspen realized, understanding something even I hadn’t caught yet. “You urged us to go and honor our father’s wishes because it was the right thing to do, but you never went because you couldn’t risk us seeing you.” She shook her head. “Because you refused to wear pink.”
“A pink dress,” I murmured, my heart leaping into my throat because I understood that request as I’d so recently seen a pink dress on Elowyn in a vision at the campfire we shared the night before.
My dragon eyes flared, and the truth she’d been telling me all along hit me square in the chest, yet as I spoke to Elowyn, my words were meant for Ellie.
This version of her because it had always been this version, the woman she became because of all her hardships, that both my human and dragon loved her with every fiber of our being.
“The verra shade ye were going to wear to our wedding in yer last life,” I went on, unable to keep from reaching out and cupping her cheek where she sat in a plush leather chair beside mine, grateful she didn’t pull away when I knew she was tempted. “Because I adore that color on ye.”
Seemingly unable to respond at first, she gazed into my eyes, and we were lost in each other for a moment before she pulled away, swallowed hard, and stood abruptly. “If everyone wouldn’t mind, I’m exhausted and would like to retire for the evening.”
“Of course not,” my mother responded gently. “I’ll see ye to yer chamber, love, and we’ll get ye settled in.”
Before any of us could say anything else, my mother slipped her hand into Ellie’s and escorted her out.
Although everyone continued talking and sifting through everything Ellie had shared, I hardly heard any of it.
Instead, all I could focus on was my lass upstairs alone after my mother left her, once again suffering in silence.
So, I eventually stood and bid everyone a goodnight, determined to be close to her, if only in my chamber, as hers was beside mine. Yet, it seemed her sisters had some departing words for me first, and they did my heart good.
“Whatever happens—” Aspen looked at me with the kindness and strength of not just her position but her love for Ellie, and made things clear— “while we don’t truly know where all this will lead yet, know this.
Broderick and I stand by you and Ellie always and will do everything in our power to see the two of you have the Happily Ever After you so rightfully deserve. ”
Broderick nodded once, having my back despite how precarious this all was. “Aye, brother.”
“Same here,” Hazel said next, with warmth and hope in her tender gaze when she looked at me. “Lucas and I are with you, too.”
“Aye,” Lucas agreed.
“And I,” Evan said, knowing exactly what I was going through because he was separated from his one true love, because of the Sutherlands as well.
“Us too,” Willow said, and Sloan agreed. “And we’ve the Morrow at our disposal, so this is by no means over.”
“I agree.” My father, Marek, looked at me with the same support, love, and faith in me he’d always had. “There is more to come in your journey back to your fated mate, so trust that your mother and I, all of us, will stand by you both.”
“As will Grant and I,” Adlin swore as Grant nodded in agreement. “And Kenneth MacLomain, who continues to communicate with us from Sutherland Castle.”
That I knew because I had heard Kenneth’s telepathic communications along the way.
There had been a mad flurry of comings and goings from the castle, as we well knew from their attack on us earlier, but thus far, he was only witnessing a growing frustration.
They knew Ellie was here and wore the gem over her dragon heart, but Macleod Castle was a solid fortress, and nothing could get by.
So, at least I had that knowledge to give me some semblance of peace tonight as I headed up to my chamber. Standing on my balcony overlooking the turbulent sea, cold wind gusted, and angry clouds rushed by a full moon, telling me another storm would soon arrive.
While I trusted the protection the MacLeods afforded Ellie tonight, I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep.
Instead, I kept the Viking blade sheathed at my side, a watchful eye to the sky, and my dragon senses on keen alert lest she try to leave.
She had slipped away from me twice already, and I feared she might attempt to again.
Yet as I stood there in the wind with angry waves crashing below, and my dragon became solely aware of her in a way born of fated mates, I knew she was far too torn right now to do anything rash.
Far too aware of me and my inner beast, and it was making her restless.
So restless, she left her chamber, not to flee, not yet, but to put distance between us.
Following her down a darkened route I knew all too well because I’d traveled it often in her last life, I wasn’t surprised to track her back to our cottage. Nor was I surprised to find her at the cliff’s edge, staring out at the sea, silently weeping.
“I don’t know why I’m here,” she whispered when I joined her, approaching silently, but of course, she knew I was there.
Knew I had followed. Knew the tether between us would only ever reel us in closer.
She didn’t look at me, just continued staring out into the darkness.
“I’ve been so strong for so long, but for the life of me, I couldn’t slip free of you tonight.
All I could do was come here...to this place. ..back to us.”
“Might ye always and forever,” I replied gruffly because this was her home, whether in this cottage or the castle, but most especially in my arms. Before she could deny me, I reeled her into my arms, cupped her cheek, and made sure she had nowhere else to look but into my eyes. “Always in my arms, Ellie.”
Giving her no chance to counter me, I took any potential denial out of her mouth by closing my lips over hers and kissing her soundly.
I kissed her, not Elowyn, and she melted against me as I’d felt her do in countless dreams, often there with me one moment, then gone, caught in the undulating waves of slumber.
Not this time, though.
This time, I felt her warm, eager tongue wrap with mine. Felt her silky skin under my fingertips, whole and here and so incredibly soft. Felt her delicate frame against me as I gathered her even closer.
Then I felt something else.
Something that made my dragon roar to the surface before I could stop it, and with good reason. Ellie had one more secret, and it would keep her in my arms if it were the last thing I did.