Chapter 20
Keir sat by Graeme’s bedside, his hands still shaking.
The healer worked while the others helped the villagers in their attempts to put Caldershore back together, but Keir stayed in the makeshift infirmary until they heard the news.
He’d expected that Noah would be in a bed, too, but after they had dropped Graeme off with the healer, Noah had slipped away and was nowhere to be seen.
“I only came tae this village a wee while ago,” the healer told him. “Some lass gave the town a whole load of money and instructions tae hire a healer, apparently. It’s nae really enough, but they’re a resilient group of people. I could do much worse.”
Keir smiled slightly, remembering Elin’s determination to help Caldershore what felt like a lifetime ago.
She’d done it again since. The villagers had told them how the strange blonde woman had thrown herself into saving them, and from the next bed, Stephen the tailor had told Keir that his lover was a miracle. Keir hadn’t responded.
“How is he?” he asked, looking down at the sleeping Graeme.
“It’s the toss of a coin now, sir,” the healer replied. “If his wounds dinnae get infected, he’ll live with nothin’ but a few nasty scars and bad memories. But if they do… well, I dinnae have much hope for him. I’ll do me best, but I dinnae want tae give ye false hope by pretendin’.”
“I appreciate that,” Keir said.
The curtain to the room drew open and Theon and Briana entered. Keir stood, and Briana smiled at him as she passed. The healer took her aside to discuss the pregnancy, and Theon turned to Keir.
“Ye did well today, wee brother. Better than I would have in yer stead,” Theon said.
Keir shook his head. “Nay. The battle was won because ye and Briana showed up.”
Theon put a hand on his shoulder. “Ye’re yer own man, Keir, and a strong one at that. We followed ye, nae the other way around. Ye’re a MacKenzie just as much as I am, and this was yer victory through and through.”
The words went straight to Keir’s heart.
He stared wordlessly at Theon for some time, a somewhat childish part of him almost wishing to break down into sobs.
Theon had never made him feel lesser, but the rest of the world had.
He had accepted, long ago, that he would always be nothing in his brother’s shadow.
But now, for the first time, he truly understood the truth.
He was Keir MacKenzie. And that was more than enough.
The brothers exchanged a brief but tight hug. When they parted, Theon said, “I’ll keep watch over him. I’m stayin’ with Briana anyway. I think I saw Elin by the fountain, by the way.”
Keir nodded and headed for the door. There was something important he had to do.
Elin sat by the dry, charred fountain, watching the birds that flew past in the sky and wondering what she would do now. She’d come with the others back to Caldershore to make sure Graeme was all right, but she was sure they would not take her with them to their new camp, not after everything.
Perhaps she would stay here and help them rebuild the village, or perhaps she would travel elsewhere, back on her own once again.
She heard him before she saw him, his footsteps as familiar to her as her own breathing. Without looking at him, she said, “Ye’re nae as stealthy as ye used tae be.”
Keir chuckled, and Elin finally looked at him.
He was… breathtaking. Everything about him.
Not just his looks, but the aura that shone from him, the power and passion and intelligence that radiated from every pore.
She was half-blinded by his light, and she wished he could see it as clearly as she did.
He sat down next to her on the fountain’s edge, their legs brushing together as he did so.
“Graeme will likely live,” he said. “Assumin’ he doesnae end up with an infection. We’ll just have tae hope until the worst is over.”
Elin breathed out a shaky sigh of relief. “I’m glad,” she said. “What will ye do now?”
“What we always do. Regroup. Heal. Find a new place tae build for a while until it’s time tae move on again,” Keir said with a shrug. “Me brothers and I are nothin’ if nae resilient. Though we’ll have tae be extra careful with Briana’s bairn on the way.”
A lump formed in Elin’s throat and she tried her best to swallow it down.
“I… I’m sorry. I’m sorry yer safe place is gone because of me.
Ye neednae fear what tae do with me. I’ll leave as soon as I ken Graeme will be all right for sure.
After everythin’, I understand ye willnae want me tae be near ye, but I just need—”
She was interrupted as he slipped an arm around her and pulled her close. His other arm surrounded her, and she rested her head on his chest, the sound of his heartbeat punctuating his embrace. Elin’s own heart stuttered as she tried to understand, but all she wanted was to surrender to his warmth.
“I’m sorry,” Keir murmured into her hair. “I let me fear speak for me. I couldnae believe a woman like ye would ever choose me. I blamed ye for me own guilt, me own shame. Ye’re the one who needs tae forgive me, nae the other way around.”
Elin pulled back, her eyes brimming with tears. “What? Nay. Ye’re wrong. It was me own fault. I’m the one who—”
“Shhh,” Keir said gently, running a hand gently up and down her arm.
“Shh. If it makes ye happy, perhaps we both had blame tae share, or perhaps I’m just a fool, but it doesnae matter.
None of it matters, nae really. All that I care about is that ye’re safe and that ye’re here with me now.
I never want that tae change, never again. ”
Her tears escaped, trailing down her cheeks. “I dinnae understand.”
“I was afraid,” he told her. “Afraid of what I felt for ye. Afraid ye’d choose Grant or anythin’ else over me.
I’ve never loved a woman so strongly, never felt me heart and soul drawn tae anyone the way I do ye.
I never believed I was worthy of ye, but now I realize I was allowin’ me own doubts tae drown out yer voice. ”
She was sobbing now, her heart a tumult of countless emotions. “Ye love me?” she whispered.
“More than the sun and the moon and the stars combined. More than the sea or sky. More than anythin’ this world has tae offer.” He tilted her chin up, a question in his eyes.
“I love ye as well. Like I’ve never loved anyone,” she breathed. “Ye’re more worthy than any man I’ve ever kent.”
Their lips touched, and it tasted like coming home.
She closed her eyes, molding against him, leaning into the kiss with everything she had. They were together now, both of them, and nothing would ever draw them apart again.
When they separated, he took her hands in his. “Would ye marry me?” he asked. “I’ve nae lands, nae title, nae coin tae offer ye, but would ye be me wife still?”
Elin touched his cheek. “Keir MacKenzie, ye’re offerin’ me more than any person ever could,” she told him. “Of course I’ll be yer wife. I dinnae want anythin’ but ye.”