“Lore a’mighty, woman,” he whispered between rapid fire kisses.“Ye’ve made me as strong and mighty as a Highland stag.”
She cradled his face between her hands and smiled.“I was so afraid you were going to die.”
He reached up and brushed his thumb across her tear-soaked cheek.“I just needed a wee rest to catch my breath, and yer loving touch to awaken me.”
“Thank you.”
The bewilderment in his eyes made her smile.
“For what are ye thanking me, love?”
“For being you.”She didn’t know how to explain it.They had only just met, and yet, now that she had fully embraced all the magical intricacies of the Highland Veil, fated mates, and whatever Mairwen and the people of Seven Cairns were, it was as though a fog had lifted.She finally saw everything clearly and remembered it as though she had known it all her life.And it was as though she knew Grant almost as well as she knew herself.She shrugged.“Thank you for being you.”
With a smugness that somehow made him endearing rather than infuriating, he pushed himself up to his feet and helped her stand.“And where are yer wee pups, m’lady?”
“Pups?”He’d just escaped death’s door and was asking her about the puppies?“I-I don’t know,” she stammered with a shake of her head.“I was worried about you.”
“With their mama,” Emily said, pointing out the dog sitting beside a basket, washing her babies.“And they’re all fine.Mama dog is grateful to both of you.”
“Are you really all right?”Jessa touched his cheek.The angry wound was gone, replaced by a silvery thread of a scar that made him even more handsome.
He caught her close and held her as if fearing she might disappear.“I am better than all right, my love, and I am grateful, as well.”His embrace tightened around her.“My spirit tried to leave here, but ye held fast, and then ye healed me.”
Emily cleared her throat.“Mairwen and Griselda, is there not someplace else we can be?Like helping with cleanup or something?”
“We need to hie ourselves to the kitchens and set some water to boiling,” Griselda said.“Himself and the goddess be wanting a fine hot bath, I’m thinking.”
Even though a bath sounded wonderful, especially one with Grant, Jessa felt guilty about even thinking of such a luxury while everyone else was busy putting everything back together.“Everyone has enough to do right now.A bath is too much to worry with.All we need is a pitcher or two of hot water and a basin.”
“It shall be done,” Griselda said, “and I shall settle the pups and Brownie-dog in a corner of the pantry if that be all right with ye, my goddess?”
“That’s fine, Griselda.Thank you.”Jessa heaved a great sigh at the woman’s insistence on addressing her as a divine being, but didn’t correct her.She’d been called worse, and now that Grant was alive and well, a bone-aching weariness had settled over her.
Grant pulled her arm through his and tucked her to his side.“Come, m’love.Let us survey the Morrigan’s destruction whilst Griselda tends to our water.She’ll send Mrs.Robeson or Molly to find us once it’s ready.”
Jessa paused long enough to wave at Emily.“We’ll talk later.Okay?”
Emily gave her a smile that settled heavily on her heart.Soon, she would never see dear Em again—or at least—not for a while.Not until the goddesses granted Mairwen’s request.If they granted it.She tried not to think about it.Head suddenly swimming, she stumbled to one side and caught hold of Grant to keep from falling.
“Jessa?”He caught her by the shoulders.“Are ye injured?Ye healed me, but what about yerself?”
“I’m just really tired.My adrenaline must be bottoming out.”She pulled in a deep breath and looped her arm through his once more.“I’m fine.Come on.Let’s make sure no one else is hurt and see how badly the keep was damaged.Has anything like that ever happened before?”
“No.But I am worried about ye.Ye’ve gone peely-wally.”
“I was accused of that in Glasgow.What exactly does that mean?”
“Sickly.Pale.”
An apt description because she felt sickly and pale but wasn’t about to admit it.It had to be the drop in adrenaline after so much terror.Inhaling all that smoke probably hadn’t helped either, but if she kept busy and powered through, everything would reset, and she would be fine.“We’ll check the kitchen first.A lot of heavy stuff could’ve fallen from the rafters.”
He glared at her in a growly yet protective way that sent a surge of contentment through her.She patted his arm and laughed, her weariness already lifting.
“Ye laugh when I look at ye with a sternness that means ye should do as I ask?”
“You make me happy when you look at me that way.It makes me feel loved.”
His sternness melted away, replaced with a soulfulness that stole the air from her lungs.“As long as my soul exists,” he said softly, “I will love ye with a fury that burns hotter than any fire that exists in this world or any other.”
