Page 26 of Her Scot of Bygones (MacLeod Dragons #2)

–Lucas–

I WANTED NOTHING more than to keep Hazel in bed until my seed was firmly planted, but the next day came, and with it, concern for Evan. Granted, we slept a great deal of the day away, yet still, he was the first thing on our minds when we woke.

“I never did get around to making your stew last night, did I?”

she said once I finally let her out of bed after a few more kisses.

“Nay, but you satisfied me just the same.”

Thankful for my aunt’s forward thinking, I pulled fresh clothes from my trunk for us both. Handing Hazel the dress, I wasn't surprised it was a lovely shade of lavender, suiting her well. I eyed her lush little body as long as I could before she slipped it on.

“’Tis safe to say you more than satisfied me.”

“Same,”

she murmured, enjoying my body just as much based on her lustful gaze before she glanced outside at the mix of weather, from dapples of sunlight to random snowflakes.

“I’d say tonight will be an even better night for stew, though.”

“Without a doubt, ‘twill be for ye will be my wife by then.”

I helped her with her plaid, frowning at her troubled expression.

“Right, lass?”

“Of course, we’ll marry, but I was hoping Evan could be there too.”

She shook her head.

“It doesn’t seem right doing it without him.”

“Then let us go see how he fares,”

I said softly, not just agreeing but wanting her to be happy.

“And if we have to wait for him to get better, we will.”

Relief flashed in her eyes, and she rested her hand on my chest.

“Are you sure?”

“Verra, because you’re right.”

I brushed my lips across hers one last time.

“He should be there.”

“Then you should probably come down to the War Chamber,”

Aspen said telepathically as we left our chamber behind.

“Is everything okay?”

Hazel asked, as concerned as I was, because we hadn’t sensed anything.

“Did he take a turn for the worse overnight?”

“Everything’s fine,”

she replied.

“Just come down.”

So we did, pleasantly surprised and more than a little relieved to find Evan sitting before the fire with Uncle Marek and Aunt Chara. Aspen and Broderick stood by the window, and Flame was in his usual spot, curled up near the hearth.

“Evan,”

Hazel exclaimed, smiling as he stood, albeit a bit slower than usual. He embraced her when she flew into his waiting arms and held on tight.

“Thank God you’re okay!”

She pulled back, wide-eyed, marveling at how much his bruises had faded overnight.

“You look so much better.”

Her brow furrowed.

“How do you feel? Are you still in much pain?”

“Verra little.”

He looked from Flame, who had trotted over to greet me, to Aunt Chara.

“Those two work miracles.”

The corner of his mouth curled up, and he patted his stomach.

“As did yer special stew.”

He squeezed her hand.

“But none of it would have been possible if not for ye and yer bonnie dragon because I saw her in my mind’s eye.”

His gaze grew serious.

“I cannae thank ye enough, my friend, for saving me. ‘Twas truly courageous.”

“Anytime,”

she said, squeezing his hand in return, her gaze just as serious.

“We will get Lilias out of there and away from Dugal and Elspet if it’s the last thing we do, Evan. You have my word.”

“Aye,”

I agreed, joining them. I clasped Evan’s shoulder, my dragon eyes flaring with purpose.

“Ye’ve my word too, friend. Whatever it takes.”

“All of us will,”

Broderick assured.

“Until then ye’re a welcome guest, Evan, for as long as ye like. Ye’re under MacLeod protection now, so consider this yer home.”

“Many thanks, m’laird,”

Evan said.

“’Tis truly gracious of ye, and I accept yer offer for as long as Dugal remains chieftain.”

“Then here’s hoping he’s not by the time this is all said and done,”

Hazel said.

“Because as much as I would love for you to stay here indefinitely, I know how much you love Sutherland Castle.”

Feeling his inner turmoil as much as I did, she squeezed his hand again in comfort.

“As much as you love my sister, who is still trapped there.”

“Aye,”

Evan said softly, shaking his head.

“She doesnae deserve the life she suffers. My only consolation is the joy her wee one brings her.”

“Yet another reason to do away with Dugal and Elspet.”

Hazel looked at Aspen.

“Speaking of trapped sisters, any word on Willow considering today is already yesterday’s tomorrow…”

“What is it?”

Wearing a quizzical expression, Aspen cocked her head in question when Hazel trailed off.

“It’s just ironic, is all,”

Hazel murmured, narrowing her eyes.

“Considering Willow has said that very thing to me when she tried to help me let go of the past. She would say yesterday is gone, and today is already yesterday’s tomorrow, so let go and loosen up. Our past is behind us.”

“That is ironic.”

Aspen arched her eyebrows.

“If that isn’t strange enough, I happened to hear her slip up one time and name her Scottish hero. The one inspired by Storm’s letters. She claims she never said it because she didn’t buy into any of it, but I remember. He was her Scot of the Morrow.”

“How telling, given Sloan told Elspet Willow could be coming as soon as the morrow.”

Hazel eyed Aunt Chara and Aspen.

“That’s a pretty medieval word for a little girl to come up with.”

“’Tis,”

Aunt Chara agreed.

“And you two don’t think she’s really coming today or tomorrow?”

Hazel said.

“We don’t,”

Aspen said.

“We think it might be a riddle or maybe some sort of magical keyword. What we all feel with certainty is that Sloan was telling the truth about the two of them connecting.”

“Yet Sloan is promised to another,”

I reminded.

“’Tis true.”

Broderick gave me a look.

“But ‘twas not an arrangement that necessarily involved love.”

“Nay,”

I agreed, recalling how dutiful Sloan had been years ago when his father arranged it, always willing to sacrifice for king and country.

“This particular marriage was a favor to the king himself, was it not?”

“’Twas,”

Uncle Marek responded, reminding us of the details.

“She’s the daughter of one of his favored warriors and eager to climb the ranks. A marriage to a MacLeod of Sloan’s status, belonging to a clan so favored by the king, would be a climb indeed.”

“So this wasn’t a love match,”

Hazel confirmed.

“Nay.”

I perked an eyebrow at Broderick.

“Yet they have something because she’s around on occasion?”

“Aye, ‘tis something.”

He pointed out the obvious.

“And whatever that is has kept Sloan volunteering more often than not to do the king’s bidding or be by his side.”

“Which, yet again ironically, has led him straight back to this pact and Willow.”

Aspen’s pointed gaze went to me.

“I couldn’t help but notice you don’t have the Viking blade anymore.”

“Nay.”

I shook my head.

“The last I saw ‘twas in Flame’s mouth en route to Sutherland Castle.”

“And the last I saw, it was hidden in a trunk in Sutherland Castle, where I left it,”

Hazel added.

“Then ‘tis likely right where ‘tis supposed to be,”

Aunt Chara said, a soft, knowing smile curling her mouth as she gazed outside.

“After all, more fated mates discovered each other and true love was found, ruling out yet another sister descending from the Sutherland’s sorcerer, aye?”

“Aye,”

Hazel and I agreed.

Aspen looked out the window and smiled as well.

“Then I would say it’s time for another marriage, and it seems fate or perhaps a magical spell cast on us years ago agrees.”

When she gestured that we join her, we were astounded by what had appeared beside her aspen tree in the distance.

“It’s our hazel tree,”

Hazel marveled, tears springing to her eyes.

“It is,”

Aspen said softly.

“And interestingly enough, it’s on the same side of my aspen as it is in the tapestries of the four trees our father created at Sutherland Castle before evidently traveling to the twenty-first century and having us.”

“It’s true then, isn’t it?”

Hazel asked just as softly, reveling in the mystical moment.

“He’s somehow behind all this.”

“If nothing else, I’d say you've more than established that on your journey back to Lucas.”

Aspen wrapped her hand with Hazel’s and gave her a look with less hatred in it now, when it came to their father.

“Him leaving those special boots by the tree for you when you were young, and then you following him back in time, speaks volumes.”

“It does.”

Hazel eyed the tree with a mix of awe and sadness.

“Do you really think he’s alive still? That we’ll see him again someday?”

“I couldn’t say,”

Aspen murmured.

“But based on what happened to me on my journey and Lucas receiving that letter from Evan, who we now know didn’t write it, my gut says yes. Whether or not Chara felt Evan’s essence attached to it, I would guess our father wrote it, helping you three come back together. From the sounds of it, he’s more than capable of utilizing the magic needed to make the letter seem like it was actually from Evan.”

As if her words prompted it, Flame tossed back his head and howled, then cocked his head at me and Hazel as if wondering why we were still standing there.

“I tend to agree.”

Aunt Chara smiled at us.

“Especially when we were promised another wedding today.”

She gestured outside.

“Might it not be at your tree, then?”

“’Twould seem fitting.”

Evan grinned at Hazel and me.

“And nothing would make me happier than seeing my closest friends married at last.”

“Are you sure you’re up for it?”

Hazel worried.

“We can wait and—”

“Och, ye’ve been waiting far too long already,”

Evan interrupted, shaking his head.

“Some fresh air would do me good.”

“I agree.”

Aunt Chara noted how Flame had already headed outside.

“As does your other healer.”

“I know, but maybe it’s too soon, Evan,”

Hazel argued.

“because it’s a bit of a walk and—”

“Enough, lass.”

I chanted her into a fur cloak, scooped her up into my arms, and smiled, giving her no room for argument.

“It seems I need to steal ye away to the verra end and so I will.”

“Yet again, you give me no choice.”

Seeming to accept Evan was okay when he nodded and his dragon eyes flared with reassurance, Hazel met my smile and said what I’d been waiting a lifetime to hear.

“And I can honestly say, I don’t want a choice when it comes to spending forever with you, so you best steal me away every time.”

And so I did, right down to our hazel tree and into forever.

Not just that, but we got a bit more than we anticipated when the final piece of the puzzle leading us back to each other fell into place.