Chapter Nine
Four Hours Later
Afternoon
Back At The Castle
Okay, she had to admit it. It was amazing what a little retail therapy could do for a girl when she was in the dumps. Along with Gabby, Michael, and Graham, she’d not only found fun things for her kids, but she’d also gotten herself some new clothes.
And shockingly, none of them were jeans, boots, and a blazer.
Apparently, you could teach an old dog new tricks, because while here in Scotland, she wasn’t feeling badass.
What she wanted was to find that other piece of her, so she could be whole again.
Maybe it was being girly.
Maybe it was feeling feminine.
Maybe it was being the opposite of who she was.
All Elizabeth knew was that she wanted to see where this journey would take her. For now, it took her into countless boutiques where gorgeous things lived.
Now she got why Callen liked to shop because she had a good time spending money.
Oh, and why Ethan liked nice things.
It was probably also why Chris always looked good outside of his scrubs.
Money could buy some happiness because she wasn’t feeling nearly as bad as she had been—and that was also thanks to the company she was keeping.
Along with shopping, friends made the difference.
Give her a small Scottish village full of shops any day of the week. Now, Elizabeth was able to find her own style, and it was definitely new to her.
Oh, and about her hair…
She didn’t get it dyed red, but instead, she shook it out, letting her curls do what curls did. If it gave her away while shopping, no one said a word.
And that was nice too.
Finn had been right about one thing. This place was magical. She was able to walk down the street and not have to feel like a prisoner.
The people here in Scotland didn’t give a shit who she was, and that was three days beyond refreshing.
So, she did some damage.
Oh, and from the looks of it, Graham and Michael did too. They took turns watching her, while the other man went off to buy things too.
They didn’t show her what, but the bags were FULL.
Well, good for them.
Retail therapy for the win.
Before now, she never liked shopping and let the men buy her shit.
Now, she was going to make this a regular thing. From the soft wool sweaters to the flowy skirts that made her feel like she was a hippy in the seventies, Elizabeth was in her feminine era, for sure.
As they drove back to the castle, Gabby and Finn meeting up with them later for dinner there, she was in a much better state of mind.
“You look…dare I say it, Mom, happy.”
She laughed.
“I mean, I’m better. I see the cliff and don’t want to jump from it.”
Graham laughed.
Oh, he’d done just that not long ago, and the only thing that saved him was literally the man beside him.
“Too soon, Mom. Too soon.”
She realized what she said and laughed.
“My bad.”
He winked at her.
“Anyway, I’m looking forward to later. Do you know how long it’s been since I cooked food for people I love and had a glass of wine?” she asked.
Michael could venture a guess because he knew how busy she’d been for the last year or so.
“A long time?”
She nodded.
“A long damn time.”
Well, that was going to change. Tonight, she was going to get into that kitchen that Callen and Chris designed and make dinner for them.
She’d promised.
“Don’t forget, I’m on dinner duty. I feel the need to cook for my sons.”
Oh, they wouldn’t.
Michael loved when Elizabeth cooked. She made the best food, and it had been a while since she had time to do it.
“What else do you want to do?” Graham asked. “Because this is your journey. Tell us, and we’ll make it happen. While here, we want you to rest, relax, and find yourself.”
She smiled.
That was exactly what she needed to do. Coming here hadn’t been a mistake, after all. If she wanted to ever go back to work, she had to find her balance again.
All work and no play had nearly killed her.
“I think I want to figure out what the fuck is going on at the castle,” she said, as she could see it looming up in the distance as they drove up the mountain.
Were they surprised?
No.
Were they surprised it was day two and she wanted to do it?
Yes.
Someone was finding her footing, and that was, after all, all that mattered. It appeared you could take the girl out of investigator mode, but you couldn’t take the investigator all the way out.
Some of it always lingered.
“Just as a heads-up, there is no way you’re keeping Gabby from helping. She is wild about things like this. So, get ready for the ride.”
That made her happy.
“There’s no pressure on me,” she said. “If I can’t help figure this one out, she can have at it when I’m gone.”
That posed one question.
And they knew it.
“How long are you staying?” Michael asked.
They knew what she told the waitress, but now, they wanted a timeline—so they could see how long they had to help her.
She laughed.
“Want to get rid of your mother already, Son?” she teased. “Because that felt like that kind of a question. If it’s about you getting down and dirty with your man, I can ignore most things—like I did last night.”
Graham flushed a shade of red NOT found in nature, and with good reason.
If she was serious, he was the sound that she heard.
That made Michael laugh.
“Oh, someone has good ears,” he joked.
Graham was horrified.
“This is awkward.”
She just snorted.
“That wasn’t the answer to the question, now was it?” she asked.
Glancing up in the mirror, Michael was honest.
“You could move in forever, and I’d be happy,” he stated. “I love having you here. I like our family of three. Hey, free babysitter for one day when we have kids.”
Oh, she hoped they did just that. Michael would be an amazing father.
At that comment, Graham grinned.
“I mean, there’s no one more I’d trust my children to,” Graham admitted.
That touched her heart, and she leaned forward to kiss both men on the cheeks.
Graham winked at her.
“For the record, you had me at ‘next time let’s get tattoos’,” he stated. “I love me some ink. I’m getting my husband to put my name right on my favorite part of him,” he said.
“My ass?” Michael said, grinning.
He laughed.
“Uh, sure. Your ass,” he joked when he meant his OTHER favorite part of him.
Elizabeth sighed.
“Thank you for helping me through this,” she said. “I love you both for it. I feel…human again. Am I back? No, but I’m on my way. Like Finn said, this is a journey, and I’m letting Fate drive the bus. Hopefully, it’s not off the cliff.”
Yeah, that was what they all hoped.
Then again, they’d be there to catch her if she fell.
“As they drove up to the gate, it opened, and they parked in the courtyard in front. Michael wanted her not to see the car in the garage.
Not yet, anyway.
What he did know was that Ethan was somewhere on the property.
They saw him exit hours ago on the security cameras, and when they went off to buy Ethan’s things, they took turns checking on their phones to see where he was.
The last spotting of him was when he took Hamlet out of the barn, hours ago.
“We’ll carry your things in,” Graham said. “Why don’t you take a walk? The grounds are peaceful in the afternoon. The sun sets early, and you have a view.”
She blinked.
“Alone?” she asked.
Michael turned in his seat.
“I mean, we can go with you if you want the company by your side.”
She stopped him.
“No, I was caught off guard as to being able to do it alone. Normally, I’m under lock and key.”
He patted her leg.
“One, the grounds are safe. The wildest animal here is a fox or two. Second, you are vicious. I’ve seen you defend yourself. You can hold your own, and lastly, you own this too. This is home. Go enjoy it.”
She looked…happy.
Part of the problem was Ivan had her locked down so hard she felt like she couldn’t breathe. Michael could see that it had been killing her.
While he got that the man wanted her to live, was it really living if you were suffocated?
Knowing Elizabeth, she’d rather fight for her life and enjoy it than be a caged animal.
“Here, you can spread your wings. My only suggestion is DON’T GO IN THE LAKE,” he said, laughing. “Lesson learned on my behalf.”
Oh.
Hell.
No.
There was no way she was doing that.
Call her crazy, but not that crazy. The second they told her there were remains in there, that became a no-go zone for her. This was a big place.
There would be more places she could explore.
In fact, there was nothing she wanted more than to explore, be safe, and have freedom.
“This is wild. Here, I avoided this place, and now I know I should have come sooner. I can’t believe that I can wander.”
Yes, yes, she could.
Ethan was somewhere on the lands, and he hoped they crossed paths.
He was betting that would be the catalyst for the rest of her way back to being whole.
Elizabeth needed to see that someone would rescue her.
That someone was him.
Getting out, he helped her from the back seat by offering his hand, and she took a deep breath.
The air smelled…fresher here.
Now, she could just exist and heal.
“Snow is coming tonight,” Graham said. “It’s misty, and I can feel it in my bones. Just be back before it’s dark, Mom. Nothing will get you, but it’s going to be cold tonight if we have to come find you.”
She laughed.
“Okay, son. I’ll be back when the streetlights turn on.”
Yeah, if only they had those in the woods.
Before she left, Michael kissed her on the forehead.
“Go explore your kingdom.”
Well, that was an offer she couldn’t refuse. Heading away, Michael watched her. Already, she was walking with her shoulders up, and didn’t appear to be as heavy as she was when she showed up.
“Where is he?” Graham asked.
Michael shrugged.
“I saw that a horse was taken out. He’s riding, and honestly, Ethan needed this too. He’s been carrying a lot of pain also. At some point, they’ll cross paths. Fate is driving that bus. Everything that has happened here has been for a reason.”
Yes, yes, he believed that.
Gabby came and found her soulmate.
D’Artangnan came back to save Graham’s soul from completely dying.
Now, Elizabeth was here to find herself, and Ethan had followed.
These were all proof of the magick here.