CHAPTER SEVENTEEN –Willow–
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
–Willow–
THE LAST THING I wanted to do was go anywhere near Dugal Sutherland ever again, but when Broderick told Sloan he would be meeting him along with King Robert at the border, I spoke up, sensing this was important.
“Of course, Sloan will go and speak on yours and Clan MacLeod’s behalf, ” I assured, squeezing Sloan’s hand. “And I’ll be right there with him.”
“Nay,” Sloan groused, frowning at me, his dragon eyes flaring. “You’ll do no such thing.”
“But I will because we’re in this together.
” Getting the hang of it, I flared my dragon eyes right back.
“Not just that, but we were right to worry about being here, and I think we lost sight of that. Right to worry as long as we have targets on our backs. Not just for the sake of Aspen and her precious babies but for all the innocent women and children who call this castle and its surroundings home.” I narrowed my gaze in challenge.
“Tell me I’m wrong. I dare you, but know this, I’ll be more than a little disappointed in you if you do. ”
I felt his heart and his desperate need to protect me warring with my logic, but I knew even before he did, he would agree I was right.
He wouldn’t be the man I knew if he didn’t.
While a part of us both knew it last night on a level we didn’t want to admit, staying here and waiting for the battle to come to us wasn’t our style, nor was risking so many lives. Not just short-term but long-term.
“We needed the night to rest and reload,” I said softly, feeling his thoughts sync up with mine. “Now we’re stronger and thinking clearly, so let’s go do what you do best and see if we can’t end this battle with words before things get any worse.”
“You ken the king is going to want you to shift, right?” he said, clearly pained. “That ‘twill be the only way we can prove your gem isnae the one in the pact.”
I swallowed hard and nodded, fully aware, trying to embrace courage rather than fear. “I know.”
“And you know the gem could be whole now, like the tattoo,” he went on, the worry in his pale green eyes palpable, his counsel now at odds with what he’d said earlier about the half-gem being our leg to stand on.
Yet I understood he was being diplomatic and making sure I understood all the possibilities, and I appreciated it.
I needed that side of him right now to keep me grounded.
“I know,” I replied, praying it was my dragon's magic deceiving everyone. “But I also know the gem in my tattoo was whole once before and not over my dragon heart.” Yet, I still wondered about what Chara said, thinking maybe my inner beast was protecting someone else, possibly others, wondering if it wasn’t Aspen’s unborn children, and I said as much, looking from my sister back to him.
“I think my dragon would do anything to protect them.”
“Why not try shifting now, Willow?” Hazel suggested. “It might put your mind at ease.”
“Or just as easily do the opposite,” Chara warned, pointing out the obvious.
“Not only will it make it far more difficult for you two to separate in the end if you have to, but there’s every chance the Sutherlands would sense it.
If they did, ‘twould be yet another rung in their counterargument to the king, given Willow’s second shift happened on MacLeod territory at MacLeod Castle, no less. ”
“Mother’s right,” Broderick said. “’Tis just what Dugal and Elspet need to say ‘twas our magic influencing the outcome all along, and our magic that only made half the gem appear. ‘Twould give them all the ammunition they need for the king to honor their request for her to stay at their castle.”
“If the king were so easily swayed by the Sutherlands,” Sloan murmured, his wheels already spinning like I knew they would once he thought with his head rather than his heart.
He gave Broderick a knowing look. “But we both know, in the end, King Robert will respond best to logic, and with me in his ear, I may be able to sway things in our favor. So that is where I must go.”
“And I’ll be right there with you every step of the way,” I reiterated, still nervous but more certain by the moment this was the best course of action, and I sensed he felt the same.
Meanwhile, however, I had another concern to address.
“Has anyone checked on Ellie?” I asked. “Because I’d say she’s more vulnerable now than ever since everything’s escalated.”
“Aye,” Chara confirmed. “Adlin’s protecting her just like Storm promised he would, so we need not fear.”
I arched my eyebrows. “So she’s heard from Storm, too?”
“So it seems.” She nodded at me with reassurance. “And she wants you to stay vigilant and pay attention to what your inner beast tells you, but it seems you already are, so ‘tis good, aye?”
“It is,” I confirmed, wondering at the quizzical way she eyed me, but was learning Chara did that when her magic was at work.
“Good.” Chara offered me a soft smile and a look of approval before glancing at Sloan. “Then mayhap ‘tis wise you take the brief window you have left here before you head north to spend time as you see fit.”
“Aye,” Sloan agreed, looking at me with unmistakable desire. “And I would imagine that’s back in our chamber as we didnae have much time before—”
“No,” I said softly but firmly, cutting him off because I knew that was the wrong direction to go right now.
We might never leave if I ended up back in his bed.
“If it’s okay with your chieftain and his queen, I’d really like to meet your clan and see the rest of the castle before I have to leave again.
” I offered Broderick and Aspen a small smile.
“Beyond hidden hallways and private war chambers, that is.”
“I think ‘twould be a fine idea, lass,” Broderick confirmed, trying to offer Sloan all the comfort he could while silently agreeing this was the best course of action.
“After all, I truly believe they will be your clan and family in verra little time, and I would have them know you if ‘tis your wish.”
“It is,” I confirmed despite the tightening of Sloan’s jaw before he agreed because he was outnumbered. Not just that, but he wanted to put my wishes first, no matter how much, like me, he craved being alone together.
So after we finished eating, I finally got to fulfill a dream and see the MacLeod’s great hall.
It was everything the Sutherland’s wasn’t, full of massive tapestries depicting dragons roaring over turbulent seas or flying into blazing sunsets.
They didn’t falsely lure people with everything they weren’t, but subtly kept true to themselves, and I loved it.
“That’s them, isn’t it?” I marveled, awed as I gazed at an enormous tapestry with an elegant dragon navigating stormy skies, and the masculine face caught in the clouds gazing at her through fiery eyes.
I fondly recalled the many times Sloan spoke of them, revering them as all MacLeod dragons did.
“That’s Torra MacLomain and Colin MacLeod.
” Quoting his own words, I went on. “And that tapestry is a tribute to your ancestor Torra MacLomain and the considerable strength she brought to this clan when she found love with her soul mate, Colin MacLeod, seen watching over her always.”
“Aye,” Sloan agreed, his voice rough with emotion, making it clear in the loving way he looked at me that he intended to do the same. “Just as I will for you, my fated mate, once all this is behind us.”
“And I you.” I winked at him. “Because it works both ways, and don’t you forget it.”
After that, I finally got the whole tour, meeting Clan MacLeod, and it was everything I dreamed it would be.
They meant everything to me, from the oldest to the youngest, to all those in between, as did the castle.
Sloan remained by my side the whole time, making it clear I was not just his but theirs, and it made me love him all that much more.
He was well-liked, but then this was Sloan, who, at his core, was a peacekeeper, wanting everyone to get along and accept each other for whatever lot was theirs in life, and it was clear in his every action.
While I received curious, if not envious, looks from some of the younger, prettier women Sloan might have discreetly enjoyed at one time because he was no novice in bed, I wasn’t jealous because I didn’t need to be.
I’d enjoyed my fair share of men, too, because one way or another we’d both felt shunned, but it was all in the past now.
No matter what came of this, his dragon-hating ex, Lorna, was firmly in his past, and he was my future.
Or so I prayed, because as time went on and I met his people, the more certain I was we were doing the right thing.
Whether they were selling wares at their carts, smiths wielding their irons, grooms seeing to horses, women tending their gardens, or children having fun, I was as beholden to them as Sloan was.
As I felt the love of his clan swell in my heart and the pride they took in not just their castle but their land, king, and country, the more I realized there was nothing I wouldn’t do to ensure their safety.
I said as much to Sloan after we said our goodbyes, biting back tears as I embraced my sisters tightly.
“I get why you put me before all of that, them, because of how strongly we feel for each other,” I said as I sat in front of him on his horse, and we headed north a short time later, “but we both know that can’t happen again.
” I looked over my shoulder into his eyes so he could see I meant it.
“We’re not those people, Sloan, and we both know it. The clan comes first, we come second.”
“Aye,” he agreed gruffly, wrapping his arm more securely around my waist as if desperate to hold onto me for as long as he could. “I know, but I willnae lie and say ‘tis easy to accept.”
“It isn't.” I sighed and leaned back against him, wrapping my arm over his, hardly believing we were headed back toward those vile people, but there was no choice, and I saw that clearly now, just like he did. This needed to be faced head-on to keep things from spiraling out of control even more than they already had. As it was, we’d received word that a few men had lost their lives.
Broderick sent a small retinue with us, including King Robert’s messenger, who were just up ahead in case we ran into trouble. Sloan was the king’s man, so he was to be protected.
“’Tis quite the leap, aye?” Sloan said, his voice changing, coming down an octave, something he did in our youth when he was trying to soothe my nerves.
“From flying planes to this. ‘Tis impressive either way, whether your dragon appreciated it or not. Did you prefer the big commercial airliners, as you call them, or the smaller private jets?”
I smiled at his attempt to calm me.
“Honestly, I preferred my 2-seater plane,” I said.
“Although I always liked the speed of the bigger planes, I preferred the freedom and agility of my little one. It was just me and the sky and wherever I wanted to go.” I shrugged.
“Within a certain distance, of course, because it only holds so much fuel, but you know what I mean.”
“You do realize flying a plane that only seats two may symbolize you and your other half,” he pointed out.
Based on his thoughts, he was doing his best not to nuzzle my neck because it was too risky. If he did, he'd be compelled to inhale my scent and give in to his need to steal me away. Give in to his inner dragon, who had been flailing against what we were about to do every step of the way.
“And something tells me you preferred flying your two-seater plane alone,” he went on. “Or at least you thought you were alone.”
“I did prefer flying it alone,” I admitted, seeing it so clearly now I’d embraced my dragon.
“I found not just a certain thrill in it but much-needed solitude.” I couldn’t help but smile in reflection.
“And you. It was the only place I let myself think about you, no matter how angry or hurt I was. It was my outlet, and I could fly however I wanted to let all my feelings out. Well, as much as you can in that type of plane.” I snorted.
“Honestly, to get all of those feelings out, a stealth bomber would have been better.”
I was about to go on when the retinue up ahead stopped, and I realized we must be close to the next leg of our journey.
Now, all I could do was pray it kept us together rather than ripped us apart.