Epilogue
Ireland
The Cemetery
The Next Day
It was a fast flight, and they were able to reach the cemetery in decent time. Granted, Elizabeth knew her husband was taking the scenic route, but she didn’t mind that at all. A vacation was all about slowing it down.
And finding joy.
So, after touching down, they stopped a few times along the way to look at the scenery and to buy a few things.
Oh, and most importantly, to pet some sheep.
Sue her.
The white woman in her had to be near the animals as much as humanly possible. That, too, was in her DNA.
As they flew there, she did some research on the Connaught family, so she could know where she came from, and who she was.
They died off not long after Cathal, as famine came, and took their lives.
The Granndach family survived, and that was the ONLY reason she had been born.
And why she walked through the blood and destruction. While Ceit had placed it on one part of the family, she never realized her son, Callum, would be part of both families.
Even until his death.
Maybe her life was tied to Ceit and the curse, but now, she was able to live her truth.
Elizabeth was far from perfect.
She never claimed she was, but now, she could live with the fact that people made questionable choices—and they could lead to good things.
She was sure that Duncan didn’t expect to change history when he opted to ‘keep’ Ceit’s son, but he had. If she’d gone back to Ireland, she and Callum likely wouldn’t have survived the famine.
They would have died, and in the process, there never would have been an Elizabeth LaRue.
She never would have been born to do the job she did, and to save the people who needed her most. The slightest alteration in history, and everything would have changed.
His choice to be cruel had a good outcome.
One day, her kids might do the same, and it was all because a gay man opted to do something sketchy.
And a money-hungry one opted to kill his daughter.
The domino effect seemed bad then, but it all worked out. Like with the choices she’d made with Devon Slater, she had to believe they, too, would work out.
Fingers were crossed.
As they pulled up to the cemetery, she saw the dilapidated state of it.
The only reason Gabby had been able to find this place was the Irish records were impeccable.
Now, she would meet her ancestors and bring Ceit home.
As they walked into the cemetery, it was filled with Connaughts.
So.
MANY.
As she wandered around, Ethan was by her side, and together, they navigated the rows of dilapidated stones.
It kind of made her sad. The state of them were atrocious, and it was clear they were forgotten once the family had died out.
And that sucked.
“I think that’s it,” Ethan said, as they approached it.
How did he know?
Not far away was a familiar name. It was the one she saw in the photograph.
‘Granndach.’
And it gave her comfort.
It wasn’t lost on her that it was the only one with that name in the family cemetery. He was with his dad.
Getting down, she began peeling the moss from the stone, and using some tissues to wipe away the grime from the centuries that passed.
There was no doubt that Cathal’s family had money when they laid him to rest. Too bad that money couldn’t save them from the famine that came.
The words on it were in Gaelic, and she could see the dates of his birth and death.
It made her laugh.
“He shares a birthday with my father. The universe is funny,” she admitted.
Yes, yes, it was.
Ethan stood silently, giving his wife time to come to grips with all of this. She’d run to find herself, and she absolutely got her wish.
She was found.
“Hey, great plus granddad. You don’t know me, but I’m your fourteenth-ish removed granddaughter. Because you fell in love, before you died in battle, I’m here over four hundred years later.”
Ethan gave her this moment, holding the flowers they’d picked up for the trip. When he went to see his mother, she joined him, and this was his way of being there for her.
“First, I found Ceit. Oh, and she loved you until the end of her life. To this day, she is haunting a castle, waiting patiently for you to find her. I bet you didn’t want to stop and ask for directions.”
Ethan laughed.
He couldn’t help himself.
“One time I get us lost, and you hold it against me. Really, Elizabeth?”
She giggled.
Honestly, she couldn’t help herself.
“Anyway, I’m bringing her home to you. Take care of great plus grandma for me.”
Taking a little spade that they also picked up on the way there, she began digging a little hole. It wasn’t too deep, but no one came here.
Clearly.
Who was going to come and steal Ceit’s heart?
As she dug the hole, she had peace over this decision. The necklace was priceless, but it had to be here.
With Cathal Connacht
Callum Granndach
And now, Ceit Granndach.
Putting the necklace in the hole, protected inside a small box, she covered it back up.
“Here you go, great-great-great way too many great grandma. You’re back with the man you loved—and not only your lover but your son.”
Ethan handed her the flowers, and she put them on the ground.
As she sat there, she spoke to them.
“When I came across the pond, I was broken, and now, I understand more. I didn’t know who I’d become, but I know now.
I’m part of you guys, and so are my children.
I’m only sad my daddy couldn’t see this.
He always wanted to know who his ancestors were.
It turns out he was warrior stock, and so am I. ”
No one would ever argue that.
Elizabeth continued.
“We came from tough people, and I’ll remember that.
You did what you had to do, and now, I’ll do what I have to do.
I’m not giving up. I’m going to keep fighting because walking through blood and bowel is my destiny—not a curse.
I see that now. My lineage survived by some miracle when Duncan made the choice to keep Callum.
I like to believe it was because he suspected Ireland would struggle, and people would die.
He was saving our bloodline. For that, I’m so grateful. ”
As he listened to her talk, Ethan was proud of her.
She’d found herself.
And she’d found her past.
What he knew was that everyone should know where they came from.
EVERYONE.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked, as she split the flowers between the two graves, so they were both given some. No one came here, but now, she’d change that.
She knew.
“Ireland is the motherland. I think Ceit should be buried beside Callum and Cathal. I think I’m going to pay to have her moved here.
She’d want to be with them, not in a crypt in Scotland.
Putting a fingerbone here doesn’t seem like enough.
Her whole being should be with them. Mother.
Soulmate. Son. That was Duncan’s land—not hers. ”
He kissed their joined fingers.
“That’s a good idea. I think Duncan and Cieran would approve.
After all, they had their own love story—exclusive of Ceit’s.
They can live their eternity out there in the castle.
Then, everyone gets their happily ever after.
You gave them that, Baby. You made a team who helped solve it, and you finished it up. ”
She agreed.
“I just wish they could have just had their lives. What’s crazy is everyone thought the Darragh family ended with Catherine and her child. Oison only had two children before his death. His daughters. When it was really the Granndach bloodline that died—in a way.”
It was crazy how history had been wrong.
The truth always came out when you poked it long enough, and the dead hadn’t let it die.
They’d kept hope going.
All they wanted was the truth to be spoken.
Their history.
Their story.
Their truth.
And it was hers now, too.
No longer did Duncan have to pretend. He was a gay man who loved with his whole heart.
Ceit had loved and never betrayed the one she gave her heart to.
They were both strong people.
Together, they stood there for a while, taking it all in.
When the mist rolled in, she looked around, feeling like they weren’t alone.
That’s when they saw them.
Ceit was there, and beside her were two very handsome men, if she did say so herself. One of them looked like her father.
That made tears fill her eyes.
“Are you seeing them?” Ethan asked.
Elizabeth nodded.
“They are together again. Mom, Dad, and son. Thank you for what you did, so that I could exist, and I could keep the Connaught and Granndach lines alive.”
Ethan couldn’t believe his eyes. Cathal and Callum looked very familiar.
“Uh, they look like Charlie,” he said. “From his pictures on our wall.”
She was aware.
“The genes are strong in the Connaught family, clearly,” she said.
Genes didn’t lie.
As they stood there, Ceit blew her a kiss, and put her hand over her necklace that hung between her breasts.
Elizabeth nodded.
“Be at peace, my blood. I have this from here on out. I promise that no one will forget any of you or this story. You have my word.”
Cathal took Ceit’s hand, and kissed her knuckles. Then, Callum smiled, and followed them as they turned and walked into the mist.
Well, holy shit.
The dead liked Ireland, too.
As they watched, Ethan was curious.
“What do you want to do now?” he asked. “We can stay here a bit, or…”
She stopped him because she knew what she wanted to do. There was no question.
“I want to go home.”
That surprised him.
“To the US?” he asked.
That amused her.
Instead, Elizabeth shook her head.
“No, to Ravensmire. I still have some healing to do, but I will say that this journey…it helped. Now, I know who I am. I said I was lost. Looks like I’m found. I’m also on vacation, so…”
All around them, the rain began falling. It tickled their skin as they stood in that cemetery among the dead.
Their people.
HER people.
Gently, he kissed his wife. When he broke it, he stared into her eyes.
“We’re both found. We found each other again.”
That they did.
It looked like everything happened for a reason.
“Let’s go plan a wedding. The time for death is over. The time to live is now.”
All around them, they heard her laughter. This time, it wasn’t crying, but instead, joy.
And they heard one last thing from Ceit in that mist in an Irish cemetery.
‘Ye curse is broken. Good on ye, granddaughter.’
Oh, and it was.
The Defiant Curse was no more.
And that was the truth.
It was a new day, and with it came a stronger, found woman.
Elizabeth was ready to speak her truth and face the reality of it all.
She was born to be this person.
It was time to live.
AGAIN.