“Beautiful,”Piper repeated, like she couldn’t quite believe it. “Ye really think I’m beautiful?”
“I thinkye’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” Elijah said. “Inside and out. And I want to spend the rest of me life provin’ it to ye. If ye’ll let me.”
“What are ye sayin’?”Piper’s voice was barely audible.
Elijah took a deep breath.This was insane. They’d known each other for less than two months. She’d been through trauma tonight, was bleeding, and in shock. This was possibly the worst time to be doing this.
But he’d almost losther. Had come so close to watching her die. And he couldn’t—wouldn’t—wait another moment to make his intentions clear.
“Marry me,”he said.
Piper’s eyes went wide. “What?”
“Marry me,”Elijah repeated. “I ken it’s sudden. I ken ye’ve been through hell tonight. I ken there are a dozen practical reasons why we should wait. But I daenae want to wait. I want ye to be mine properly, legally, forever. I want to wake up every day knowin’ ye’re safe and protected and loved. I want to give ye everythin’ ye’ve never had, security, comfort, a home where ye’re valued. I want?—”
“Aye,”Piper interrupted.
“—toshow ye every day that ye… wait, what?”
“Aye,”Piper repeated, a smile breaking through her tears. “Aye, I’ll marry ye.”
Elijah stared at her,convinced he’d misheard. “Ye will?”
“Aye,ye daft man. I love ye. I want to be with ye. I want to be a maither to yer children, if they’ll have me. I want all of it. With ye.”
“But… but ye’re bleedin’.Ye’re hurt. Ye should think about this, make sure ye’re really sure.”
“I’m sure,”Piper said firmly. “I’ve never been surer of anythin’ in me life. I love ye, Elijah. And aye, I’ll marry ye.”
Elijah feltsomething inside his chest crack open—something that had been locked tight since Catherine died. Joy. Pure, uncomplicated joy.
He pulled Piper close,mindful of her injured arm, and kissed her. Not gently, not carefully, but with all the desperation and relief and love that had been building inside him.
Piper kissedhim back just as fiercely, her good hand fisting in his shirt, anchoring him to her.
When they finally broke apart,both breathing hard, Elijah rested his forehead against hers.
“I promise ye,”he said quietly. “I promise I’ll spend every day of the rest of me life makin’ sure ye never regret this. Makin’ sure ye ken how loved ye are. How precious ye are.”
“I ken,”Piper said softly. “I already ken. Because ye came for me tonight. Ye fought for me. Ye chose me.”
“I’ll always choose ye,”Elijah vowed. “Always. Nay matter where ye go, nay matter what happens, I’ll follow. I’ll find ye. I’ll protect ye. Because ye’re mine now, Piper. Truly mine. And I take care of what’s mine.”
“And I’m yers,”Piper said, smiling despite the tears still on her cheeks. “Truly yers.”
They sat therein the clearing for a long moment, holding each other, letting the reality of what had just happened sink in.
Elijah had facedhis demons tonight. Had saved Piper where he’d failed Catherine. Had finally let himself feel something more than duty and guilt.
And Piper—brave,beautiful Piper—had chosen him back. Had agreed to marry him. To be his.
“We should getye back to the castle,” Elijah said eventually. “That arm needs tendin’ to.”
“Aye,”Piper agreed. “But first, kiss me again. Please. I need to ken this is real.”
So Elijah kissed her again,there in the moonlit clearing, with blood on his sword and hope in his heart.
And for thefirst time in nine years, he let himself believe that maybe, just maybe, he deserved this. Deserved her.
