I’m fine, baby.
Do I need to come down there?
Fuck no.
I dusted myself off and found that, in truth, I really was okay. More than okay. I felt completely normal.
I looked over at Kade, to see he was the only one of the men not laughing. He stood with arms crossed. His eyes locked on mine.
I nodded, picking up the hammer and toeing the line once again.
You got this, love,Isla encouraged.
This time, as I began to spin, I ignored the number of rotations, the timing of the release, the feeling in my chest, and the weight of the hammer. This time, I didn’t think about how I felt at all. I simply allowed myself to become part of the transference of energy between the hammer and the air molecules that would keep it from flying. Then at precisely the right moment, I released the hammer from my grip. After that all I had to do was increase the gravitational field between the hammer and the ground beneath it.
Of course, all of this happened within seconds, without me leaving the spot where I was standing, and I had no control of it whatsoever.
The hammer rocketed through the air, screaming past where Connall’s toss had landed, imbedding itself into a limestone wall at the far end of the field.
I turned to a sea of green and blue tartan and the whites of a dozen sets of eyeballs.
“Looks like proper games are afoot, boys!” Brodie Gunnach yelled to the roar of all present.
Isla
“HOLY CRAP,” MUM breathed. “Did you see his hammer?”
“I sure did,” Cat said. “And Arric can undress in front of me anytime.”
“Behave,” I growled as I stood, my hand tented over my eyes, and watched until it was practically out of sight before focusing back on my man and grinning from ear-to-ear. His tattoos glowed, and I felt the warmth of mine settle in my heart. He met my eyes briefly, smiling, then was pulled back into the throng of the men.
“Oh my word,” my auntie Charlotte crooned. “You done found yourself amaaaaaan.”
I laughed, nodding. “I sure did.”
Charlotte was mated with Niall MacMillan who was in the crowd of men, along with his brother, Max. Max’s mate, Grace, was sitting beside Charlotte just behind me and Mum. They had driven in from Edinburgh for the games and planned to stay for a month or so more.
I loved having my whole family together. We were really just missing our Icelandic side. My mother had two sisters. Charlotte and Sophia. They were a special trifecta with powers that, when combined, could raze a city block. My mother had the ability to control fire, Charlotte ice, and Sophia earth. We didn’t get to see Sophia much, as she was working in the remote arctic to try to reverse the effects of climate change. She was a world-renowned researcher as far as humans were concerned, but to us, we knew she was working on a level to heal the earth humans wouldn’t be able to comprehend.
“Okay, men,” Uncle Kade bellowed. “Arric is the one to beat!”
The men clapped Arric on his shoulders, perhaps a little harder than need-be, and he laughed, obviously loving every second.
“Oh, Max is up,” Grace squeaked, standing behind me and grasping her hands at her chest.
Max rubbed his hands together before picking up the hammer, retrieved by my brother, and glancing toward the stands. He smiled at Grace, then took his swing. It didn’t even come close to Arric’s, or Connall’s for that matter.
I can’t wait to see what else you can do with your hammer later.
Arric peeked up over the crowd and raised an eyebrow.You better watch it, baby. I’m commando under this skirt.
Kilt, love. Get it right.
He grinned before focusing back on his fellow brethren.
As the ‘games’ continued, we began to get restless so decided to head back to the house and prepare supper for what were sure to be a gaggle of very hungry overgrown boys.
“Come on, baby girl,” Mum directed. “Let’s go.”
