“She couldna bear a sip of either the port or the tea afore she started retching.” Coira hurried to the wash basin, rewet the rag, then folded it across Mairi’s forehead.
“Rarely would I consider a hangover a valid ailment to be healed and I’m none too sure the Fates will cooperate and allow it.” Granny stood with her hands calmly laced in front of her waist, the toe of one boot lightly tapping the floor. “But since the Highlands have graced us with a bit of sunshine this wintry morning, there is a wedding to be done.”
Mairi hung her head back over the pot clutched to her chest and retched again. She didn’t know which was worse: the hangover or the farce of a wedding that would finally bring this miserable adventure to an end.
Granny crouched down in front of her, pressed cool hands to either side of her face, and gently forced Mairi to meet her gaze. “Look into my eyes, gal. This won’t take much of a healin’ to have you feeling better.”
And Granny was right. Almost as quickly as she focused on the clear blue of Granny’s eyes, her stomach settled and the demon with the jackhammer closed shop and abandoned the job of splitting her skull. Mairi pulled in a deep breath, slid the chamber pot to the floor beside her, and covered Granny’s hands with her own. “Thank you,” she whispered. Now the only thing left hurting was her broken heart.
Granny held tight to her hand as Mairi pushed herself to her feet. “There’s my good strong gal. Now wash your face and drink your tea. A bit of willow bark will still do you a world of good.”
Mairi dipped her hands into the cold water of the basin and splashed it on her face. All she had to do was get through one day at a time—today being the worst. She scrubbed her face with the wet cloth, glancing down at her haggard reflection in the water. She looked like shit. But then she would. Emotionally, the past few days had sucked.
“There’s a bit of mint beside the basin.” Coira lightly tapped her arm with a folded bit of muslin. “Yer sister likes to wind the herb in a cloth and scrub her teeth with such. I thought ye might like to as well, considering . . .”
“Trulie always did love minty-fresh breath.” Mairi took the cloth, filled it with the aromatic crushed leaves, then dampened it in the basin. By tomorrow, she would be back to a real toothbrush and toothpaste. The thought made her eyes sting with tears. Mairi sniffed them back and scrubbed her teeth even harder. No more crying. It was what it was.
CHAPTER29
“None but the chieftain and her grandmother will attend? Are her sisters against the union?” The waves lapped and splashed against Graham’s scaly sides as he stretched his wings above the water’s surface and resettled atop the jagged column of stone jutting up from the ocean’s floor. The rocky spire crumbled and crunched as his claws clamped deep into the barnacle-covered surface.
Ronan gazed out across the darkness of the rippling waves. The weak winter’s sun would soon ride atop the sea. It was then they would recite their vows and shatter the witch’s words. “Nay. Her sisters are not against the union. Mairi insists they stay inside with the children. They will be safer within the keep. She fears what might come to pass when the ancient bonds of the curse are broken.”
Graham lowered his horned snout in an appreciative nod. “Wise woman she is.”
“Aye.” Ronan turned back to face the keep, focusing on the small stone archway at the corner of the weathered skirting wall facing the sea. Mairi would come to him through that arch. He hoped. He closed his eyes against the troubling shadows he had seen in her gaze the last time he looked upon her face. Sorrow, distrust, and disappointment had flickered in the deep gold-green of her eyes. It was his fault. All his doing. By the gods, how could he ever convince her to forgive him for causing her so much pain? He’d only meant to shield her from the worst part of him because he feared losing her more than he’d feared anything else in his life.
“Yon comes yer bride. Stand tall, man. The woman is a beauty ye nay deserve.”
Graham had the right of it there. Ronan’s heart swelled as Mairi slowly picked her way down the steep rocky hillside. Her dark cloak of rich supple fur perfectly framed the beauty of her creamy skin. The black-tipped fur shot with silver accentuated the fringe of her dark lashes, which surrounded the stormy sadness in her eyes. The icy wind tipped the arch of her high cheekbones with a tender kiss of color.
Gray walked beside her, face downcast. No smile. No joy in the drawn lines of his face. Granny carefully followed behind them, one hand clutching her heavy wool cloak tight beneath her chin, the other hand firmly grasping her crooked staff.
“This looks to be more funeral than wedding.” Graham sank lower into the sea, one claw still wrapped around the tip of the stone.
A soft mournful howl floated across the wind. Ronan turned, scanning the hillside for the source of the familiar sound.Máthairnimbly trotted down to the shore, her rich silvery fur rippling lush and thick with every movement. She stood atop an outcropping of stone; ears perked toward the trio carefully making their way down to the shoreline.
Ronan met Mairi, holding his hand out to her just as she reached the base of the cliff. She paused a hair’s breadth, avoiding his gaze when she finally slid her hand into his. He braced himself against the raw ache in his chest. He had truly lost her. He finally saw the cruel truth of it. She would never be his. Suddenly, the loss of his immortality seemed the greatest blessing of all time. At least in death, he would escape the pain of losing the only woman he had ever truly loved.
“Here.” Gray motioned them all toward a wide mantle rock jutting out over the waves. “What better place to recite yer binding vow than on the last bit of stone to capture the light of the setting sun?”
And he was right. As the sun sank lower, the shadow of evening crept down the mountain. But the crystals in the stone on which they stood still sparked with the day’s last bit of light.
Ronan led Mairi to the center of the stone. Gray stood with his back to Graham and the ever-increasing turbulence of the darkening waves. Iona the wolf watched from an outcropping of stone at the water’s edge. Granny stood close beside Mairi, the crystal tip of her staff softly glowing as though emitting a protective arc of light.
“Are ye ready?” Ronan stared down at Mairi’s delicate gloved hand and gently folded it in his. What he wouldn’t give for the chance to make everything right—make her know how much he truly loved her.
She stood taller as though bracing herself for execution. Her gaze flitted across their surroundings then finally settled on Gray. She gave a curt nod. “Let’s get this over with.”
Ronan clenched his teeth to keep from roaring aloud with the pain caused by her words.Let’s get this over with.May the gods help him. The woman truly hated him.
Gray agreed with a sharp dip of his chin then yanked his dagger free of its sheath. He extended his hand to Mairi and waited.
She frowned down at his outstretched hand then stole a glance up at Ronan. The tip of her tongue darted across her bottom lip as she hitched in a shaking breath. With a nervous jerk, she bared her right wrist and placed it in Gray’s hand. He drew the knife across her pale skin with a quick slicing motion, then nodded at Ronan’s right arm as Mairi’s blood seeped up and trailed across her skin.
Ronan extended his arm, his right hand fisted. He welcomed the slicing pain of the blade; It was nothing compared to the ache in his heart.
Gray pressed their wounds together and bound their wrists one to the other with a narrow strip of plaid. He pressed the bloody blade of the knife atop the cloth and lifted his gaze to the sky. “Blood seals the seams of souls. Blood joins the hearts. Blood makes the flesh as one. These two shall never part. For the good of all and with harm to none, this blood cleanses the wound. For the good of all and with harm to none, this blood pays the boon.” Gray lifted the knife, pointing the blade toward the clouds. He raised his voice as the wind rose in pitch, the sky darkening above the angry frothing peaks of the crashing waves. “Hear these words and bide them well across the mists of time. This union is now forever blessed by the mixed blood that binds. For the good of all and with harm to none—so let this union be sealed. For the good of all and with harm to none—let this curse be repelled.”
