Page 45

Kieran looks at me with interest. “Wow. I can’t say I ever expected to hear Anders and barista in the same sentence.”

I pull up a seat beside Jamie. “Neither did I,” I admit honestly. Emotion swells in my throat. “Thank you for giving me a seat at your table. All of you.” My gaze holds Wulfric’s. When I look upon my little brother, I no longer feel envy or contempt.

Kieran elbows Wulfric, and my brother coughs to clear his throat. “It is… it’s good to have you back, brother.” His smile is warm and sincere. “And it is wonderful to see Jamie again. Thank you for putting up with my brother.”

Jamie grins. “My pleasure.”

“I am sitting right here,” I grumble, but when Jamie squeezes my hand, I smile with more ease than ever before.

I can’t believe I’m at this table, surrounded by the family I thought I had lost in one world and a family I’ve found in another.

The gods themselves have blessed me with a second chance at happiness, and this time, I will be the father Jace needs, the most supportive brother in the world, and the lifelong companion my mate deserves.

It’s late by the time we’re ready to go. Jace fell asleep, so I carry him as Jamie and I walk back to our boat. “To think, one day he’ll be too big to carry,” I say, chest aching at the thought.

Jamie laughs softly. “Don’t remind me.”

The ocean roars, and gulls cry as we walk over gravel and sand toward our boat.

“I’ll take him if you get the boat in the water,” Jamie offers.

I snort as I carefully pass Jace over to him. The lad will be grumpier than a draugr if we wake him. “You just don’t want to get wet.”

“Of course not. These shoes are brand-new!” Jamie gives me a playful wink as he hoists Jace into his arms.

As I carefully lower the lad into the boat, a bright flash out in the water makes us wince. A portal shimmers not far from shore.

Jamie arches a brow. “Did you do that?”

“No.” I hadn’t even touched his necklace.

“Who is that?” Jamie asks, eyes wide.

I turn toward the ocean as someone rows a boat from the portal and out into the sea.

Even at this distance, I’d recognize Lyall’s golden hair anywhere.

“It’s Lyall. What was he doing in that portal?

” I’d wondered why he wasn’t at supper tonight.

What was so important that he’d miss out on dinner?

I wave at my brother, and either he sees it and ignores me or doesn’t notice.

I make for him, calling out to him as he moors his boat.

Lyall steps onto dry land and looks up at me. I freeze. His eyes are red-rimmed, as if he’s been crying. Despite his obvious distress, he still tries to smile, but it’s a mockery of his usual jovial grin. “Evening, brother. Sorry, it looks like I missed you.”

What in Hel’s name is he doing? Does he think I’m stupid?

“What happened?” I ask. “Did someone hurt you?” My gaze darts all over his body, looking for a wound, though I can’t smell any blood.

“It’s nothing.” Lyall tries to brush past me, but I grab his arm.

“Are we in danger? Did something happen?”

Lyall’s face twists in dismay. “Gods no! Would you just leave it?”

He tries to dart around me, but I block his path. “How am I supposed to believe you when you’re obviously hiding something?”

With a sigh, Lyall’s shoulders slump. “If I tell you, you must keep this between us.”

My suspicion deepens, but so does my concern. “Aye. You have my word. Now, tell me what ails you.”

“I found my mate.”

My heart leaps with joy for him, but as his words sink in, they make less sense to me.

“But you claimed Soren, did you not? So how could you have found a new mate?” Understanding makes my breath catch, and when Lyall hangs his head, anger rises within me.

“You went to find him ? The traitor who destroyed our family?”

Lyall’s head snaps up, his hands in fists. “Don’t you dare call him that! Soren never betrayed us!”

Jamie grips my arm when I try to close the distance between us. “He admitted as much! He’d used us all those years, then led his father and those hunters right to us!”

“No!” Lyall snarls, and I step back, alarmed by the sight of his fangs and claws. “He lied. All those years, he thought his father had died with his mother. He was as shocked as I was when his father raided our village.”

“Nonsense, all of it! Why would he have lied about such a thing?”

“To protect me!” Lyall’s voice echoes along the beach.

I don’t understand. Everything I’d believed so fiercely about the most tragic day in our lives has been thrown into question.

Lyall inhales, forcing his claws and fangs to become blunt on his exhale. “After the attack, we were lost, grieving, and desperate for someone to blame. Many suspected Soren once we realized it was his father who’d led the attack, but they also suspected that I’d been in on it.”

“I remember that.” A rush of anger makes me grind my teeth. “I punched a farmer in his face when I overheard him accusing you of having something to do with the attack.”

“Soren didn’t want me to take the blame for his father’s actions.

So he lied and made all of you believe he alone was in on it.

” I open my mouth to deny it, but Lyall snaps, “Think, Anders. Really think now that your mind isn’t besieged by grief and shock.

Soren grew up among us, became ulfhednar, let me claim him as mine. Why do all of that for a lie?”

My hands ball into fists. Damn it. Lyall has a good point. If Soren was planning on betraying us all that time, why go so far as to mate with Lyall?

“Please, Anders.” My twin takes my hands. “Put aside your anger. I would never lie to you about this. If Soren had always intended to hurt us so deeply, the Norns would not have chosen him as my mate. I could never believe that.”

No. No, this isn’t true.

If Soren was truly innocent, then I let my brother be separated from his mate. My actions have hurt him all these years. Gods. Can I do nothing but hurt the ones I love?

“Anders.” Jamie takes my hand. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”

I take in a breath as I hold Lyall’s pleading gaze.

I don’t know what to believe anymore, but I trust my brother.

Mayhap before I met Jamie, I would have clung to my anger and rejected Lyall’s version of the story.

For years, I’ve blamed others so I wouldn’t have to face the parts of myself I hated most. That isn’t who I am anymore.

There’s an ache in my throat as I tug Lyall close and hold him tight. “I’m so sorry.” The ocean beyond Lyall’s shoulder becomes a blur through tears of shame. “I failed you.”

Lyall shudders against me and croaks, “I finally found him, and he doesn’t… he doesn’t remember me.”

Alarmed, I hold Lyall at arm’s length. “What?”

Tears leave a wet sheen in Lyall’s eyes. “I don’t know why or how, but he didn’t know who I was. He looked at me like I was a stranger, even when I told him my name.”

Jamie shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Lyall.”

“All these years, I’ve searched for him!” Lyall dashes his tears away and paces, kicking gravel out of his path. “Only to lose him once I’d found him.”

I huff, making Lyall scowl at me. “You’re just going to give up? After all that? I had no idea you were so weak-willed.”

Lyall’s nostrils flare. “What in Hel’s name would you have me do?”

I arch a brow at him. “Isn’t it obvious? Make him remember you, of course!”

“Is that even possible?” Lyall asks.

“You’re mates. Of course it is. This is merely an obstacle on the path you must walk to be together again.”

“Anders is right.” A grin springs across Jamie’s face. “And we’ll help you!”

“Truly?” My twin looks from Jamie to me, eyes lighting up with hope.

“Aye.” I clap him on the shoulder. “You won’t be alone in this.”

Laughter tumbles from Lyall’s lips. “Thank you. Both of you.” He squeezes my shoulder, then Jamie’s. “Until we meet again. I hope it will be under better circumstances.” Lyall walks off toward the village, and I watch him go with an ache in my chest.

“I hate that I didn’t have his back when he needed me. I was so blind.”

“Hey.” Jamie turns me toward him, one hand cupping my cheek. “You were grieving. Besides, you know now.”

I touch my forehead to his, drinking in his scent until the guilt ceases to ache. “Aye. I do. I’ll help my brother find happiness, no matter what.”

Jamie grins, giving me an excited shake. “There we go! Operation Loren has just begun!”

His enthusiasm makes me chuckle. “What is Loren?”

“It’s their ship name. You know. Lyall. Soren.”

I’m at a loss. “Jamie, how will buying them a ship solve any of their problems?” Besides, I barely have enough coin to pay for it.

I don’t know what I said, but Jamie doubles over into me, laughing. His smiling mouth takes mine in a kiss that leaves me dizzy and warm all over.

“I love you so much.” Jamie’s smile is blinding, and the warmth in his words fills me with love. This beautiful man has filled my once dark heart with light.

“And I you.” I envelop him in my arms, sighing in contentment when he wraps his arms around me too. My life has taken such a drastic turn since I landed at Jamie’s feet in the ruins of my rowboat.

“Guys, hurry up!” A very cranky-looking Jace glares at us from the boat. “I wanna go home and sleep.”

I take Jamie’s hand. “Of course, lad.”

We join Jace in the boat, and I hoist the oars. “Let’s go home.”

“Right there with you, puppy dog.” Jamie squeezes my hand. “Always.”

“You guys, stop!” Jace groans, and Jamie and I burst into laughter.

With my family in the past a part of me again and the family I’ve found in the future at my side, I set sail for the horizon.