Another ten men came behind him, and Uncle Jamie waved them on. “Go check to see if they need any assistance on the other side of the cottages.”
“Uncle Jamie, this is my betrothed, Brynja Nyberg.”
Jamie made a small bow and said, “The pleasure is mine, my lady. There’s naught we love more than a strong Norse warrior. I’d love to take a look at your armor later, if you don’t mind. I see it protected you well already.”
Brynja looked down at the dent in her armor. Hagen bent down to stare at it, his eyes widening. “What the hell happened?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Sholto. He tried and failed.”
Chapter Forty-Two
Connor
With all the family that had arrived, and Yule only a few days away, they’d decided to start the Yuletide festival with the wedding of Hagen and Brynja. From there, they were headed into a huge three-day celebration.
Jamie, Gracie, and Kyla had arrived with various other Grants, all worried about Connor. Two ships of guards had gone home, with one ship left for the family members.
Gracie swore she was waiting until Eli had her baby.
Connor enjoyed spending time with his brother and sister. They’d sat up on the parapets last eve, and he’d shared with them his near-death experience of seeing their parents. Kyla had sobbed through the entire story.
He’d kept the secret about Hagen and Brynja’s true gift, afraid no one would believe them. In true Hagen nature, he’d refused to wait to marry Brynja, so they’d arranged the wedding, Kyla and Sela enjoying every last bit of making all the arrangements. They’d had a great, successful hunt with Sloan, Thane, and Lennox along with them, Merryn catching her first pheasant while Dyna grabbed two and Eli one. There would be lamb and venison meat pies aplenty, even a slab of boar meat brought over by Jamie, and the MacVey and Rankin cooks had helped out with extra bread.
It would be a wonderful celebration.
The wedding had begun in the packed great hall, so many bodies there that some had to stand. Connor sat off to the side of the couple as the priest rambled on. Hagen and Brynja, their hands intertwined, stood together, ready to say their vows for their marriage.
His gaze traveled fondly back to his son, besotted and smitten, but also proudly wearing his father’s sword. Connorhad given it to him earlier in front of his siblings, surprised not by his own tears, but those of Sela’s and Hagen’s. Kyla and Maeve had cried buckets, but that much he had expected.
Oh, Connor would still fight, but he didn’t need the most powerful sword. The best weapon belonged with the strongest swordsman, and Hagen had proven his worth. All of Hagen’s cousins had noticed as soon as they’d joined them, pats on his back and taunts aplenty.
Sela sat next to him, as beautiful as the day he’d met her in Inverness, a bit teary-eyed, but smiling. Kyla sat on the other side of him, Jamie on the other side of Sela, and Aunt Brenna sat in front of them, insisting that it might all be too much for Connor. She refused to leave his side, along with a few chastisements for fighting before she told him he could.
The priest’s voice carried across the hall while a group of musicians played their strings, but Connor had his eye on one spot.
There was an odd light in the healer’s chamber. The chamber was empty and the door sat open, Aunt Brenna sitting not far from the door of her chamber.
Connor couldn’t take his eyes from the small light inside, and it finally drew him in. No one else appeared to notice it but him, mayhap Sela and Kyla could if they turned, but neither one could take their eyes off the couple.
He squeezed Sela’s hand, leaned over and said, “I need something to drink to settle myself. I’ll be right back.” He hoped it would suffice. He’d told her that the battle had weakened him again, and it surely had, but Comming was done. He moved into the healing chamber, pulling Aunt Brenna with him, hoping that it would cover his absence if anyone else noticed. Kyla followed, whispering to her brother, “What’s wrong?”
But he also wanted his siblings to see what beckoned to him along with Aunt Brenna. If he was correct, it would meanas much to Kyla and Jamie to see them as it would be to Aunt Brenna to see her brother again.
It was dark, no light inside except for the one in the middle. Connor motioned to Jamie to follow him. He held the door until Jamie and Maeve came in behind him. “What’s wrong?” Jamie asked.
“Naught, just a feeling. Come in closer. I wish for you to see something.”
Once Connor closed the door, they appeared in front of them, their parents, shimmering with a glory unimaginable.
Alexander and Madeline Grant.
Kyla whispered, “Mama? Da?”
Maeve gasped, tears flooding her cheeks.
Aunt Brenna said, “Oh, Alex. I miss you so.” Then she looked to Maddie and said, “And you, my dear sister.” They weren’t true sisters, but Aunt Brenna had always said Maddie was as close to a sister as one could get.
Connor grabbed a chair, sat down, and nodded to both. “My thanks for visiting again one more time. I knew it was you when I saw the light, Da. And I wished to bring Jamie, Maeve, and Kyla with me.”
