We were sisters in every sense of the word.
“Just like we are with Lilias, whether she’s half dragon or not,” I said, knowing they followed my thoughts. “And if you can take any good from what Imustdo, it’s that she and our niece,Marjorie, won’t be alone at Sutherland Castle anymore because I intend to watch over them every bit as much as I have you.”
Although I sensed Tavish was about to say yet again exactly how he felt about me giving myself to Dugal, Broderick spoke first, trying to help tame his inner beast and circled back to who he prayed would ultimately save us all.
The only piece of the puzzle that even I didn’t know about.
Chapter Fourteen
–Tavish–
WHILE GLAD ELLIE was finally able to unburden her truths, not just to her sisters but to us MacLeods, because I felt the heavy weight she carried, I could say with certainty I hated where this left us. Where it left her, because based on everything I saw when she’d given us a glimpse of the future if she didn’t go to Dugal, I knew now she had no choice.
And it left me no choice but to let her go.
Or so I let everyone believe.
Could I truly risk my brother’s happiness? The health of his unborn children? His and Aspen’s well-being? Did I have the right to?
Better yet, could I risk my clan, people, and the whole of Scotland?
Scotland’s future?
The world’s future?
It was all at stake if, in the end, I didn’t let my fated mate go. Yet Broderick offered a glimmer of hope even as I knew the chances were slim.
“I wonder where your father will end up once this is all said and done?” Broderick asked, his arms still wrapped around Aspen protectively. The look he gave Ellie assured me he was asworried about her as the rest of us. Moreover, he believed she’d been Elowyn, and so he loved and cared about her like the sister he never had. “I can only assume, despite Malcolm's funeral and the dresses he asked you and your sisters to wear, and with everything that’s happened since, that heisstill verra much alive somewhere?”
“Yes, but I couldn’t say where,” Ellie confessed softly, looking at her sisters. “I’m so sorry I had to lie to you about that, too, but it was the only way.”
“Because you knew it had begun,” Willow realized, shaking her head at the enormity of what Ellie had carried on her slender shoulders. “You weren’t at our father’s funeral, though, were you?”
“No,” Aspen realized, understanding something even I hadn’t caught yet. “You urged us to go and honor our father’s wishes because it was the right thing to do, but you never went because you couldn’t risk us seeing you.” She shook her head. “Because you refused to wear pink.”
“A pink dress,” I murmured, my heart leaping into my throat because I understood that request as I’d so recently seen a pink dress on Elowyn in a vision at the campfire we shared the night before.
My dragon eyes flared, and the truth she’d been telling me all along hit me square in the chest, yet as I spoke to Elowyn, my words were meant for Ellie.Thisversion of her because it had always been this version, the woman she became because of all her hardships, that both my human and dragon loved her with every fiber of our being.
“The verra shade ye were going to wear to our wedding in yer last life,” I went on, unable to keep from reaching out and cupping her cheek where she sat in a plush leather chair beside mine, grateful she didn’t pull away when I knew she was tempted. “Because I adore that color on ye.”
Seemingly unable to respond at first, she gazed into my eyes, and we were lost in each other for a moment before she pulled away, swallowed hard, and stood abruptly. “If everyone wouldn’t mind, I’m exhausted and would like to retire for the evening.”
“Of course not,” my mother responded gently. “I’ll see ye to yer chamber, love, and we’ll get ye settled in.”
Before any of us could say anything else, my mother slipped her hand into Ellie’s and escorted her out. Although everyone continued talking and sifting through everything Ellie had shared, I hardly heard any of it. Instead, all I could focus on was my lass upstairs alone after my mother left her, once again suffering in silence.
So, I eventually stood and bid everyone a goodnight, determined to be close to her, if only in my chamber, as hers was beside mine. Yet, it seemed her sisters had some departing words for me first, and they did my heart good.
“Whatever happens—” Aspen looked at me with the kindness and strength of not just her position but her love for Ellie, and made things clear— “while we don’t truly know where all this will lead yet, know this. Broderick and I stand by you and Ellie always and will do everything in our power to see the two of you have the Happily Ever After you so rightfully deserve.”
Broderick nodded once, having my back despite how precarious this all was. “Aye, brother.”
“Same here,” Hazel said next, with warmth and hope in her tender gaze when she looked at me. “Lucas and I are with you, too.”
“Aye,” Lucas agreed.
“And I,” Evan said, knowing exactly what I was going through because he was separated from his one true love, because of the Sutherlands as well.
