Page 17 of Her Scot of Bygones (MacLeod Dragons #2)

–Hazel–

I WASN’T SURE what to expect as Lucas and I made our way out of the tunnel onto Sutherland territory in our current era, because Evan told me in a dream to be prepared for anything. What I didn’t expect to find was a tall, handsome highland warrior with dark chocolate brown hair tinted with auburn and pale gray eyes waiting, looking at me with such adoration my heart leapt into my throat.

“Evan?”

I whispered because I couldn’t quite find my voice. He had changed so much, but was still the same in every way that mattered, and all our moments together came rushing back when our eyes connected.

“Is it really you?”

“Aye, lass,”

was all he managed with a warm smile before I raced into his arms like I had as a little girl, and we were embracing each other like the long-lost friends we were.

At least until a low growl resounded behind me that sounded more animalistic than human. Evan put me behind him and held his sword at the ready when Lucas edged close, his dragon eyes flaring, clearly ready to fight.

“Dinnae do it, MacLeod,”

Evan ground out as the men circled.

“Ye dinnae have the right o’ it but ye will if ye but hear me out.”

“Hear ye out?”

Lucas growled, shaking his head, overly possessive right now.

“Nay, ‘tis no hearing ye out when ye thought nothing of taking my fated mate in yer arms as if she were yers.”

The next thing I knew, Lucas went at him, and their blades crashed together. While it was safe to say Evan fought well as their swords crossed in rapid succession, Lucas was an exceptional warrior, and he nearly nicked Evan several times. Despite being fueled by rage and jealousy, his movements were precise and well-orchestrated. Yet Evan managed to stay on the defense, even as Lucas drove him back and the men continued battling.

There were a lot of situations a modern-day woman could find herself in, but this one took the cake. Not in a good, yummy way either, but a ridiculous way, and I made that clear, finally finding an opportunity to intercept Lucas when Evan whirled away.

“Stop it, Lucas,”

I exclaimed, holding my blade at the ready, surprised by how effortlessly my dragon eyes flared to life. Even so, my heart pounded at the fierce look in Lucas’s eyes. The pure battle lust.

“Stop! You promised me, and I need you to keep that promise.”

I softened my tone and gentled my eyes.

“More than ever, I need you to be steadfast and dependable right now.”

“’Tis not a good time for that,”

he said roughly, clearly fighting his emotions because he partially lowered his blade as I lowered mine, allowing me to edge closer.

Even better, he gave me a chance to make him see reason.

“But it is a good time.”

I rested my hand on his chest because I knew it would make him focus on me, and I was right. Despite keeping his eyes narrowed on Evan, he didn’t sound so vicious when his troubled gaze flickered my way.

“’Tis really not the time, mate.”

“But it is.”

I stepped in front of him slowly, so he had no choice but to lower his sword altogether and made sure his eyes remained on me.

“Evan only embraced me because I went to him, not the other way around.”

My inner dragon flared in my eyes again, making things perfectly clear to him and his inner beast.

“I went to him because he’s my good friend. One I forgot to miss until now.”

I shook my head, certain I was right.

“That’s it because I’m in love with you and he’s in love with someone else.”

“Aye,”

Evan said softly but urgently.

“And ‘tis best we speak of it away from Sutherland and MacLeod ears lest there’s an enemy amongst us.”

“An enemy amongst the MacLeods?”

Lucas muttered, calming beneath my touch. Beneath the look in my dragon’s eyes, and the certainty that I spoke the truth.

“Impossible.”

“Are ye so sure?”

Evan wondered.

“Sure enough to risk yer fated mate?”

“I would never risk her,”

Lucas seethed, his dragon eyes flaring at Evan before I steered his chin back to me and locked eyes with him again.

“He means us no harm, Lucas, and we need to listen to him.”

I made it clear I would go whether he came with me or not. I trusted Evan that much.

“Not just for my sake but her sake.”

He frowned.

“Who’s sake?”

“Lilias’s,”

I said softly.

“My sister.”

I wasn’t sure how the details got all turned around, only that they had. I shook my head.

“She was never part of a love triangle, but she was loved a great deal.”

I glanced from Evan to Lucas.

“The three of us were good friends, but Evan always loved Lilias the way you loved me.”

“’Tis truly best we speak of this where I know our words cannae be overheard,”

Evan pleaded, sheathing his blade, making it clear he would no longer fight back if Lucas attacked.

“Otherwise, ‘twill be Lilias who suffers.”

“And I would never forgive you if that happened,”

I said to Lucas, removing my hand from his chest and biting back emotion. This wasn’t the time or place for it.

“I’m not sure why you don’t remember her joining the three of us as kids yet, but she did.”

I blinked back tears and kept my gaze with his, praying he did as he’d promised and trusted me to lead the way.

“I remember my sister now, only I had no idea she was my sister at the time, and I wish I had. Wish I could give her a big hug for all she’s suffered since.”

It seemed seeing my glassy eyes was all it took because he sheathed his sword and did what he did best, wrapping me up in his big, strong arms, and comforting me.

“Aye, Sutherland,”

he grunted, speaking to Evan over my head, the warning in his voice obvious.

“Take us where ye will, but if ye put my lass’s life in peril, I willnae hesitate to cut ye down.”

“I would expect nothing less.”

Evan gestured for us to follow and headed into the woodland.

“This way. Mayhap ‘twill jog yer memory, MacLeod.”

Despite Lucas muttering under his breath he thought that unlikely, I knew he felt the same sense of recognition I did as Evan led us deeper into the forest before heading down a pathway between towering moss-covered boulders. The chilly air smelled of one storm retreating and another coming. Of potential snow as autumn leaves danced down around us, and the way grew steeper. Interestingly, my leg wasn’t cramping in the least, and I imagined I could thank Lucas for that.

“Nay,”

he said into my mind, his tone as soothing as his touch had been last night.

“’Tis your inner beast surfacing more by the moment that takes your discomfort away. ‘Tis her you should thank for she’s as much a part of you as I am.”

Somehow, I knew he was right, and I was thankful, eager to meet her when she surfaced. Become her. And it was the oddest sensation. I could only pray it didn’t happen in such a terrifying way as it did for Aspen at Sutherland Castle, because being tossed off a battlement sounded horrific.

“’Twill never happen,”

Lucas swore.

“Because I would be there. Always.”

We both knew that might not be true, but I appreciated his saying so because it brought me comfort. Everything about him did.

“This way,”

Evan said, vanishing into a cave at the bottom of the path.

“’Twill bring us to a spot that rests betwixt both territories that’s long evaded detection from both clans.”

“How is that possible?”

Lucas said, distrust in his voice, yet we continued following Evan into a cave with a pathway as tight as the one we had just left.

“’Tis our territory, then yours. Simple as that.”

“One would think, but it has never been claimed by either, nor do they have knowledge of it.”

“How can you be so certain?”

“Because ‘tis protected by MacLomain magic,”

he said, ducking under a low overhanging rock before vanishing.

Before Lucas had a chance to caution me against following him because anything could be waiting to ambush us on the other side, I followed Evan, shocked by where I ended up.

“Och, I knew he couldnae be trusted,”

Lucas exclaimed, right behind me. His eyes narrowed on our surroundings, and he unsheathed his sword, protecting me even though I’d made it clear I could protect myself.

“’Tis the forest that tried to take you from me.”

“Or pull me back to it,”

I said softly, taking in the woodland area cushioned by cliffs with my hazel tree toward the center, and blinked back tears. I wasn’t surprised to see Lucas lower his sword when poignant memories came flooding back for him as well.

“I can’t remember the details, but that tree is how I traveled back to you.”

I wrapped my fingers with his.

“And where we shared our first kiss years later.”

“Aye,”

he replied, his voice gruff with emotion.

“I remember this place now.”

He blinked as if waking from a dream.

“All the moments we shared.”

His brow furrowed, and the corners of his mouth tugged down.

“I dinnae understand why it upset me so much before.”

“Likely because ‘twas her way back to the twenty-first century, taking her away from ye.”

Evan sighed.

“I was there many times when it happened, and ‘twas never easy for either of ye.”

I went to unsheathe the blade he had given me, only to find it gone.

“What on earth?”

“It’s returned to normal,”

Lucas exclaimed, surprised to find the Viking sword sheathed at his back again.

“Might he be talking about the blade I gave ye years ago, Hazel?”

Evan wondered, bemused.

“He is.”

I remembered him giving it to me now.

“I assumed you sent it to me somehow.”

“I think the Viking blade had more to do with it, but aye, mayhap partially.”

Evan strode to the rock wall behind the hazel tree, reached into a crevice, and pulled out the sword he had given me.

“This was where ye hid it when ye traveled to the future.”

He handed it to me with a warm smile.

“Though ye cannae bring it outside of this place until peace is found betwixt our clans, ‘tis yers always, lass.”

“Thank you.”

I met his smile, remembering even more now, but unsure how Lucas would take it.

“You chose these stones because I loved the way this place looks sometimes at twilight.”

I gazed at the surrounding cliffs.

“The way the forest seems to ignite with a purplish violet because of how the vanishing sun hits the rocks. It’s enchanting.”

“Ye always thought so.”

He glanced from Lucas, back to me.

“I wanted ye to have yer own sword after Lucas taught ye to battle in this verra location. ‘Twas a sight watching ye two, especially during those special twilights.”

“Aye,”

Lucas said softly, gazing at me with such love, warmth spread through me.

“It ignited ye in that verra shade and ye were a vision.”

“It did, didn’t it?”

I glanced down, remembering the simple linen dress I’d worn and how it seemed awash in purple.

“The dress,”

I whispered, shocked. My gaze rose to Lucas.

“My father wanted me and my sisters to wear different color dresses to his funeral. Those were his last wishes, and we’ve since learned there’s something to it that only he seemed to understand. I'm starting to think it was to help us find our way back to our fated mates.”

I couldn't help but smile in reflection.

“My dress was purple.”

“So he knew about us?”

Lucas assumed.

“Knew we were meant to be together?”

“I’d say so,”

I marveled, meeting Lucas’s smile because this seemed like confirmation that we could be together.

That is, until Evan shared the last thing we wanted to hear.