Page 58 of Druid Cursed

Maggie froze, unable to believe what she’d just heard.

Beyond Wendy’s shoulder, the Ravenwood brothers appeared in the same spot they’d vanished, Kellen’s arm locked around Caedmon’s neck.

The fire illuminated the new black eye and swollen lip Caedmon sported.

Kellen looked scary in the moonlight, his expression savage, an avenging angel caught in the act.

Maggie forgot how to breathe, refused to blink in case he disappeared. Slowly, she disentangled from Wendy’s hold, wondering if this was real. If she dreamed, she didn’t want anyone to wake her up.

“Well done.” Caedmon grinned from his headlock. His blood-stained teeth gleamed black in the gloom. “Told you, Kel. Trickery. Works every time. Our little sparrow found her wings.”

Maggie couldn’t respond. Only Wendy squeezing her hand tethered her to the earth. Kellen was back. She could suddenly breathe again.

Kellen tossed his brother to the ground, his breath ragged, fists clenched.

The night around him seemed to writhe and darken.

“I love you, brother,” he said in a rasping voice, “and I forgive you, but I will need time to forget that you did not trust me enough to divulge the truth about Aibreann. ’Tis a wound that will require time to fully heal.

Truth is what we must walk, what we must breat he and meditate on ceaselessly, else the world will define what is truth for us. You have forgotten that.”

Pain slashed across Caedmon’s face, but he nodded. Slowly, he straightened. Without another word, he turned and strode away at a brisk pace, not looking back.

Wendy watched him until he disappeared into the night.

Maggie felt almost sorry for him. Almost.

Kellen turned to her, his expression immediately softening. “Maggie.” His voice cracked. “ Leannán .”

One look from him and her fractured heart mended itself. In the next breath, he had her in his arms, her mouth crushed to his, and all was perfect in the little world of Maggie O’Malley.

“Yeah, uncomfortable third wheel here.” Wendy’s voice drifted from somewhere far away, muffled by all that was Kellen.

When he finally eased up, her legs were jelly and she gasped for air. He lifted her hand to his mouth and brushed a kiss over her knuckles. “Miss me?”

“I’ve changed my mind.” She slipped her hands beneath his cloak, flattened her palms on his deliciously bare chest and pushed gently. “I don’t want two minutes or two million days with you.”

“Oh?” A dangerous flutter danced in his eyes.

“I won’t settle for anything less than forever.”

“I mightily approve of this alteration in opinion.” Kellen’s gaze drifted beyond her, to the ground, and his eyes narrowed. He strode to the dolmen, crouched, and picked something up.

When he returned to her side, a golden chain and locket dangled from his fingers.

“I have no desire to waste another moment. Maggie, my love, my heart, you are the one I have always sought, the one woman who altered my world the very moment I saw you. I cannot return to the man I was before you. I cannot promise perfection, but I vow to give you all that I am. I pledge to support you in your quest to explore independence and build your book and brew business. To be clear, I will never deign to interfere with whatever it is you wish to do.” His eyebrows drew down into his druid’s scowl.

“Unless it involves another man. That, I cannot abide, for I want you all to myself.”

Her smile widened, making her cheeks hurt. “I’d be okay with that.”

“Mo chuid den tsaol.” He whispered the words like a prayer, taking her hands in his.

“What does that mean?”

“There is a legacy surrounding the Ravenwood druids, of a true love belonging to each of us— mo chuid den tsaol. We once believed that if we waited long enough, were worthy enough, we would find these women. It means ‘my share of life.’ The reflection of our souls, both friend and lover. I had given up on that dream centuries ago.” His voice dropped to a velvet hush.

“And then you arrived. You, Maggie, are my soul, my true love. There is no other for me.”

She blinked back the burn of tears. Just when she thought she couldn’t love him more, he blew away all her expectations.

“Let us make this night the first in our journey together.”

“Only if I get to kiss your elbow, too.”

He dropped his chin, and the heat in his eyes shot shivers along every nerve. “You, leannán , may kiss me anywhere you please.” He held up the necklace, and the golden acorn gleamed in the firelight. “Will you do me the honor of wearing my mother’s locket?”

Maggie’s breath caught. His mother’s locket, Kellen’s personal symbol of family and future. For her? It wasn’t like he was asking her to marry him, of course, but more a promise of hope. What they could be. She could barely speak through her tight throat. “Always.”

Reverently, he slipped the chain over her head and settled it around her neck. It rested against her heart, as if it had been created for her. As if she had been created for it. She met Kellen’s dark gaze. “Mo chuid den tsaol.”

He kissed her again, then glanced at the fire. “Druids oft make it a practice of jumping over fire to affirm a vow, to assure intentions are pure and ward off any lingering evil. Will you jump with me, Maggie?”

“Not that I wouldn’t love to see that, but…

” Wendy slid off the dolmen and sauntered over.

“I have a flight to catch and a Ravenwood druid snake to skin for considering for even a second that killing my best friend was an option.” She gave Maggie a hug and whispered in her ear, “No matter where you are, I’ll always have your back. ”

Maggie laughed and squeezed her tight. “Ditto, diva.”

As Wendy wriggled her finge rs in farewell and picked her way across the scorched clearing, Maggie’s humor faded.

She hoped Wendy wouldn’t have irreparable damage left behind by Sorcha’s possession, and even though Caedmon’s option C plan worked out, she couldn’t blame her for being ticked off at him.

Had their roles been reversed and Wendy’s life on the altar for a druid sacrifice, she would have taken Caedmon out at the knees.

Whatever Wendy planned as vengeance…he’d best be on guard.

“I have no words,” Kellen said softly, gazing at her. He wore an expression of such wonder and yearning that she fell in love with him all over again. Oh, this man…she’d never get enough of him.

“Don’t need them.” Maggie leaned in and kissed him on the elbow. The fire waited behind them, humming its own eternal tune. “Ready to do this?”

“Since the night I growled at you in the garden.”

Laughing, Maggie twined her fingers with his, and as they leaped over the flames, all her pieces clicked into perfect place. Divorced and found true love with the druid of her dreams seven days later.

Best week ever.