Chapter Thirty-Three
Brynja
Brynja shot up in bed, shocked at what she’d just seen.
Duart Castle was under attack. Men were everywhere, and right in front were Sholto and Dugan, the latter yelling for Connor Grant.
She jumped out of bed, wiping the sweat from her brow. Hildi lay in the bed next to her, fast asleep as though nothing had happened. She was nearly back to her old self, something that pleased Brynja verra much.
But nothing had happened. It was a dream.
She paced a bit, not wanting to awaken Hildi, but she had to do something. There was no possible way she could lie back in that bed and fall asleep, with such a horrid nightmare fresh in her mind.
Brynja grabbed a blanket, donned her wool hose and opened the door as quietly as she could. How she needed Hagen, but she could not knock on his door and awaken him either, especially with his two cousins in the chamber with him.
She was about to head down the stairs to the hall when the door at the end of the passageway caught her eye, beckoning her. That’s it. She needed to go up.
So up she went to the parapets, hanging on to the door when the wind caught it so it wouldn’t bang shut. She closed it quietly and turned, surprised to see Hagen sitting on a stool there.
He broke into a smile and held his arms open for her, and she flew into them, allowing the soft kisses he rained all over her face and neck, tucking her into his heat.
“Lass, why are you here?”
“Nightmares,” she said, leaning her head on his shoulder as he settled her on his lap.
“About what?”
“Are you sure you wish to know? Mayhap I ask you what you think of Lia’s words before we talk about my nightmare.”
“All right. You mean her words that we are a special power together? And alone we’re nothing?”
She peeked up at him. “The special power together part. Have you heard of anything like that before?”
“Nay, never. And as you know, I have cousins who are seers and all kinds of odd things. But their powers are all separate. None are tied to anyone else. Do you believe her?”
She sighed. “I believe everything that wee lass tells me. Lia is quite unique. She knows things, predicts things. Disappears and no one knows how she gets across the water sometimes. They say she is a guardian angel, and I believe it.”
“Guardian angel and protector of bairns. Those are two amazing titles.”
“She’s saved many bairns already.”
“And my father, with your help.”
They said nothing for a while, staring out over the land, the sea, and the clouds. The breeze had finally died down, and the night was quiet, a beautiful crescent moon winking at them.
“The water? What makes that sound?”
“Fish jumping. Sounds like they are having a party.” He chuckled, “What think you of us being together forever?”
She lifted her head to look into his eyes, brushing some of his wild hair back. “Your hair is sooo long.”
“It is. I rarely touch it, just wash it.”
She cupped one cheek and kissed the other, rubbing her lips across the short stubble with a giggle.
“I like the idea of us being together forever. You comfort me, yet excite me at the same time. You encourage me, but appreciate me too. Most people only see a foolish lass with odd braids. That’s what I love most about you. ”
He arched a brow at her, a smirk on his face. “What?”
“You see me for who I am, not something I’m not.”
“I do love you for who you are, Brynja Nyberg. The Norse half and the Scottish half. Which half said they love me?”
She giggled like a wee lassie. “Both halves love you. We are perfect together, are we not?”
“I think so. And you surely won my father over by using your hands on him.”
She gave his arm a playful slap. “Did I need to win him over?”
“Nay, he already liked you. Now, about that nightmare.”
“I would dismiss it, but after Lia telling us we are special, it makes me wonder.”
“Tell me, then we can decide together. I think that’s best.”
She took a deep breath and leaned her head back on his shoulder. “I was near a battle, and it was huge, men dying everywhere. And I only recognized a few people.”
“Who?”
“Sholto and Dugan. They came for Connor. Your father came out and fought with Dugan again. That’s when I started crying, but then Sholto yelled to Dugan. Told him he was going to Iona for the bairns.”
Hagen said nothing, closed his eyes, kissed her slowly, his lips warming hers, sucking on her bottom lip before stopping. “I was afraid that was what you were going to say.”
“How would you know that?”
“I had the same nightmare.”