Aiden nodded, knowing Malcolm was right but unwilling to admit the extent of his pain. “Aye, but first, we need to deal with what’s left of Flynn. His body… it cannae stay where we’ve left it.”
Malcolm nodded, his jaw set in determination. “I’ll take care of it, Aiden. Ye can count on me.”
As they reached the castle and approached the side door, Aiden’s steps became heavier and slower as the rush seeped from his muscles and exhaustion finally caught up with him. Malcolm pushed the door open and helped Aiden inside.
As soon as they’d entered, they were confronted by Griselda, Aiden’s aunt, and her second-eldest son, Fergus. Griselda’s sharp eyes widened in shock, and her hand flew to her mouth as she took in Aiden’s bloodied appearance.
“Good Lord, Aiden! What happened?” she cried, her voice shaking with fright and worry.
Fergus stepped forward, his face pale. “Are ye alright, cousin? Ye appear badly hurt!”
Aiden held up a hand to forestall any further questions, his gaze fixed on Malcolm. “Get me upstairs please, Malcolm,” he said quietly, ignoring the concerned looks from his family.
Griselda wasn’t one to be dismissed easily. She moved closer, her eyes narrowing as she took in the severity of his injuries. “Yecannae just brush this off, Aiden. What happened out there? And why are ye so bloodied?”
Aiden shook his head, his voice calm but firm. “Relax, Maither. ‘Tis nae as bad as it looks. I just need to clean meself up, and I’ll be fine.”
Griselda’s eyes flashed with frustration, but she knew better than to push him further in his present condition. Instead, she turned to Malcolm, her voice commanding. “Get him upstairs, and make sure he’s properly taken care of. I’ll summon the healer, but ye’d better make sure he rests.”
Malcolm nodded, already guiding Aiden toward the stairs. “Aye, I’ll get him sorted.”
As they made their way up the narrow staircase to Aiden’s study, Aiden leaned heavily against Malcolm, the pain in his leg growing more intense with each step. When they finally reached the door, Malcolm pushed it open and helped Aiden inside, quickly locking the door behind them.
Aiden sank into a chair, his breath coming in short gasps as he tried to steady himself. Malcolm knelt beside him, carefully unwrapping the makeshift bandage to inspect the wound. His brow furrowed as he saw the deep gash, blood still flowing freely from the deeply torn flesh.
“Ye’ve been careless, Aiden,” Malcolm muttered, his voice tinged with worry as he began to clean the wound. “Ye could have lost yer leg or worse.”
Aiden winced at the sharp, biting pain as Malcolm pressed a clean cloth against the wound. “I had to do it, Malcolm. Flynn wouldnae have stopped until he got everything he came here for. I couldnae let him get to Katie. He left me with nay choice in the matter.”
Malcolm’s expression softened slightly, though he remained focused as he worked on cleaning the wound. “Aye, I ken that. But ye’ve got more than yerself to think about now. Ye’ve got a wife… soon to be, at least… and she’s already endured more than enough strife.”
Aiden closed his eyes as the seriousness of Malcolm’s words sank in. “I ken it. Believe me, I do. But I had to make certain that Flynn wouldnae come back. I had to protect her and the rest of the clan, nay matter the cost.”
Malcolm nodded, hearing the unspoken dread in Aiden’s words. “Aye, and ye did. But ye’ve got to take care of yerself too, lad. Katie needs ye whole and healthy, nae limpin’ and bleedin’ out. Ye’re nae much of a groom in the shape ye’re in.”
Aiden managed a small, tired smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Aye, I suppose ye’re right. But Flynn… he wouldnae have given up. Ye ken that.”
Malcolm finished bandaging the wound, his expression grim. “Aye, I ken, and ye did what ye had to do. But next time, ye need to let someone else carry the burden for a while. Ye cannae handle it all by yerself every time.”
Aiden nodded, though he wasn’t sure he could ever truly let someone else bear the weight of his responsibilities. But as he thought of Katie waiting for him and worrying about him, he knew Malcolm was right. He couldn’t afford to be reckless anymore, not when their future together was at stake.
As Malcolm stood to leave, Aiden looked up at him, his voice quiet and his words heartfelt. “Thank ye. For everythin’.”
Malcolm gave him a firm nod, his expression soft. “Ye’re family. We look after our own.”
With that, he left the room, leaving Aiden alone with his thoughts.
Aiden leaned back in his chair, exhaustion finally overtaking him as he closed his eyes. But even as he drifted off to sleep, he continued to think about Katie and the life they were about to share. He had fought for her, bled for her, and now he would do everything in his power to cherish and shelter her.
After the healer had treated his wounds, Aiden had fallen into a restless sleep. He awoke in the dimly lit room and stared at the bandage wrapped tightly around his leg. The throbbing pain was a constant reminder of his vicious fight with Flynn, but it dimmed in comparison to his inner turmoil. He could still envision Flynn’s mocking grin and hear his taunting words as he lay on the ground and his blood seeped into the earth. Aiden knew he had won, but he had won at an alarming cost.
Aiden looked himself over and realized that he was truly a complete wreck. The man Katie was supposed to marry in just a few hours was a jumble of anger, guilt, and self-loathing. Aiden couldn’t shake the feeling that he had already failed her. She didn’t even know how close she had come to losing him, or worse, being captured and molested by Flynn and his filthy gaggle of brigands. His stomach churned and roiled at the image of Katie being torn away from him.
I had promised her safety, love, and a future together, but how can I hold meself to that promise when I’m nae even capable of shieldin’ her from the ghouls of me own makin’?
Aiden gripped the edge of his chair, his knuckles turning white with the effort he exerted to keep himself grounded. He could still hear Malcolm’s voice urging him to rest, to put his leg up until the wedding. The healer had been even more insistent that he remain motionless, but Aiden couldn’t stay still while his dark ruminations attempted to swallow him whole. In order to clear his mind, he knew he had to move and find a way to make peace with what he had done. But how could he, when every step reminded him of the man he had become?
He was no hero. He wasn’t the strong, noble defender Katie deserved. He was a man who had killed, who had fought and bled, and who had been consumed by the shadows of his past. In a mere few hours, he was expected to stand before her and take a vow to be her husband and be the man she could rely on for the rest of her life. It felt as though he was setting her up to be the victim of a cruel joke.
