Chapter 32
“Ye have been such a fool. How could ye let yerself be so ridiculous?”
Willow shook her head as she rushed down the hallway toward the room where Lilith was waiting. The tears had dried up somewhere along the walk, and now all that remained was the fervent ache in her chest that reminded her of how stupid she had been.
She’d allowed herself to get her hopes up when Keegan had been clear from the start that this was a marriage of convenience.
Why had she gotten her hopes up and believed that there was more?
It was a childish mistake and one that Willow had assumed she would never make after living with Magnus for her entire life.
Her steps were too loud, a patch for the frantic pound of her blood in her ears, and Willow paused, standing in the empty hall. She turned to the stone wall and pressed her fists into it, desperate to scream.
“Damn ye, Willow,” she cursed at herself. “Ye will never learn.”
Keegan had done all of this to protect his siblings, and for a time, she thought that he might be genuine about his concern for protecting her. But Willow had been wrong. It had only ever been about his own family.
And hers had nearly gotten his brother killed.
Of course, after all that, Keegan wouldn’t think too kindly about being with her. She could hardly blame the man for seeing a pattern between the events. He let his guard down once, and his parents were killed. He does it again, and his castle is attacked.
“God,” Willow looked up at the ceiling, “what am I to do about this? How can I keep Lilith safe?”
A spark lit in her mind, and Willow looked toward the door at the end of the hall where Keegan’s room was.
Lilith was inside, but the laird had also given permission to allow them to bury Magnus.
Her sister could take his body back to McCallum castle.
But Willow knew that they would need to move quickly before Keegan changed his mind.
Willow practically sprinted down the hall and burst into the room. Lilith jumped as the surprise overcame her, and Willow went to her side, pulling her from the bed.
“We must move quickly, Sister.” Willow snatched up the arisaid her sister had thrown over a chair. “Ye will make yer way back home to bury Magnus. I will speak with Rodrick about helpin' ye to get his body ready for the journey. But ye must go now.”
Lilith shook her head in a half-wobble, clearly trying to process what Willow was saying. She reflexively took the shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders as Willow shoved her toward the door.
“I daenae understand.” Lilith furrowed her brow, not moving as quickly as Willow would have liked. “Why are ye rushing me about so much?”
“Damon is in serious condition. I worry for his survival, and I ken that if he is to perish, Keegan’s mercy for anyone associated with the battle will dry up. Ye must go now before anythin' takes a turn for the worse.”
Lilith’s expression dropped, and Willow was admittedly taken aback by the horror that washed over her sister’s face.
“I—”
“Willow!” Melissa burst into the room, and Willow flicked her attention toward the door in utter shock.
“Melissa?” She put Lilith behind her as her sister-in-law quickly approached her. “What are ye doing here?”
“I was searchin' for ye, silly. Ye must nae leave because of me brother. He is out of sorts. Daenae make any rash decision until everythin' has been given a chance to calm down. Please.”
Willow shook her head as her stare fell to the floor. “Melissa, it is kind of ye to be concerned, but I can assure ye I ken what is best for me and Lilith. We need to have things made ready for her departure with Magnus’s body.”
Melissa frowned, but she looked behind her to the door where Rodrick was now following after her. “I asked him to come. I hoped that ye might see that we both wish for ye to stay.”
There was no time for all this, and it didn’t matter what Melissa or Rodrick might say. Willow knew what she had to do, and it began with getting her sister and brother’s body out of there so that they could safely return to Castle McCallum before Keegan’s fury boiled over.
“If ye truly wish to aid me,” Willow looked between Rodrick and Melissa, “then please ensure me sister and Magnus’s body are ready for an immediate departure. She will need an escort, though, and I daenae ken who might be able to assist her.”
Rodrick stepped forward, and for as boisterous and exuberate a man as he was, Rodrick’s tone was low and almost…sorrowful.
Looking between Willow and Lilith, he said, “There is another remainin' survivor of the attack. A man called Finley has been held in the dungeons. He has been asking to see the both of ye.”
“Finley! He’s alive!” Willow sagged some as Lilith came up to her side and gripped her hand. “Och, thank God for that. He is a wise choice. He will escort Lilith back to the castle to bury Magnus.”
Willow maneuvered Lilith toward Rodrick. “Take her to him and see that Magnus’s body is brought up for transport. Aye?”
Rodrick eyed her, his reservations clear. He regarded Melissa as well, and she only nodded, gesturing toward Willow as she dropped her stare to the floor.
“I will do this for ye, me lady.” Rodrick smiled lightly. “Ye are the lady of the castle, after all, and I cannae refuse ye. Still, ye should ken that the laird wishes to question Finley about the attack.”
Willow swallowed, glancing off to the side as she considered what her loyal friend might have done during the fight. “Was he seen during the battle? Did he…did he attack many?”
Shaking his head, Rodrick turned down the corners of his mouth. “On the contrary, me lady. Yer man was seen tending to injured. He dinnae take up his sword but to defend himself, and even then used only non-lethal methods.”
Sighing, Willow was proud to hear that her belief in Finley was well-placed. He had never approved of Magnus’s methods, and he was a kind soul above all else.
“Thank ye for sayin' as much, Rodrick. Allow him to leave with Lilith, and then inform him that I command his return to Castle Brahanne when the burial is completed.”
“Aye, me lady. I will.”
Looking between her and Melissa, Rodrick bowed and held out a hand for Lilith. Her sister hesitated, turning to Willow and meeting her stare with tears in her eyes.
“What of yerself, Willow? What are ye to do about yer husband? Yer life here?”
Willow pulled Lilith into her arms, holding her tight to her chest for a long moment before pulling her back and grasping Lilith by either shoulder.
After a moment of simply smiling at her sister, taking in those lovely blue eyes, Willow shook herself, tucking a strand of Lilith’s hair behind her ear.
“Daenae fash over me, Sister. All will be quite well, and I will be along to visit ye soon.”
Nodding, Willow patted Lilith’s arms and then turned to Rodrick again.
“Take her to the stables to secure a coach.” She looked back at Lilith. “Ye will ride with Magnus’s body and Finley to the castle and complete the burial. Understood?”
“Willow, I—”
“Hush now,” Willow cut in, putting a finger to her sister’s lips before kissing her on the cheek. “Ye daenae have much time. Ye must go now before Keegan changes his mind about the burial. Go on now.”
She would not cry this time. As much as her soul ached, and Willow dreaded the future to come, she would not cry. Lilith needed her, and on at least this one thing, Keegan and she were of the same mind.
Ye protect yer family—at all costs, personal or otherwise.
Pulling Lilith in for another embrace, Willow squeezed her and then looked at her with a smile.
“All is well. It is a sad day for the loss that has been seen on the battlefield. And I, too, regret that we will never see a kind Magnus, but he chose his path. We will honor him as best we can with a burial, and then we shall each leave the past behind us. Now, please, make yer journey, Sister. I will see you soon enough.”
Lilith looked particularly distraught, and Willow understood. Still, she couldn’t allow herself to break down any more than she already had. They embraced once more, and then Lilith hurried away with Rodrick to fetch Finley and leave the castle.
Melissa watched them go, her worried eyes finding Rodrick before swinging back around to Willow.
“I understand that ye wish to move them quickly,” she closed her eyes briefly, taking Willow’s hands, “but please daenae make any other hasty decisions. Me brother is a stubborn dobber; I ken well enough. But he isnae in his right mind the now. Please, I beg ye to give him a moment to come to his senses.”
“I understand ye, Melissa. I do.” Willow raised her brows, locking down the emotions that tried to spill over as well as the truth of her mind. “I am nae goin' anywhere for the time. But it has been a long day.”
It struck Willow that this was the same day in which she’d been married and finally given up her virtue, and suddenly the exhaustion hit her that much harder.
“A long day, indeed.” The words mumbled out of her. “And, please, I wish to be given the chance to rest.”
Willow met Melissa’s stare, and her sister-in-law nodded, lending her a sympathetic smile and pat on the shoulder.
“Of course. I understand. We…we shall talk about all of this in the mornin'.”
Nodding, Willow did her best to give a grin back. “Aye. In the mornin'. Good evenin', Melissa.”
The other woman kept up her nodding and went to the door, pulling it open. “Good evenin', Willow.”
With a hushed click, the door closed behind Melissa, and Willow was left alone, sitting atop her marriage bed and silently noting that the fire had gone out.