Deserved to be happy.
23
The walk back to the castle felt surreal.
Piper’s armthrobbed with every step, and she could feel blood seeping through the makeshift bandage Elijah had fashioned from a strip of his shirt. But none of that seemed to matter compared to what had just happened.
Elijah loved her.
Had askedher to marry him.
And she’d said yes.
I’m goin’to marry him. I’m goin’ to be his wife.
The thought was dizzying.Terrifying. Wonderful.
“Are ye all right?”Elijah asked, his arm steady around her waist, supporting her weight. “Do ye need to rest?”
“I’m fine,”Piper said, though her legs felt shaky. “I just… I cannae quite believe this is real. Any of it.”
“It’s real,”Elijah said firmly. “All of it. Ye’re safe. Yer parents are in custody. And ye… ye’re goin’ to be me wife.”
“Aye.”Piper looked up at him, at his strong profile in the moonlight. “I am, arenae I?”
“Havin’second thoughts already?” There was a hint of teasing in his voice, but also uncertainty. As if he couldn’t quite believe she’d agreed either.
“Nay. Never.”Piper squeezed his hand with her good arm. “I love ye, Elijah. And I meant what I said. I want to be yers.”
“Ye already are mine,”Elijah murmured, pulling her closer. “Have been since the moment ye ran into me arms in that forest. I just dinnae want to admit it to meself.”
“Why nae?”
“Because admittin’it meant admittin’ I’d failed to protect me heart. That despite all me vows to never let anyone close again, ye’d somehow slipped past every defense I had.” He paused. “And that terrified me.”
“Does it still terrify ye?”
“Aye,”Elijah admitted. “But nae as much as the thought of losin’ ye does. That, that’s far worse.”
They reached the castle gates,and the guards immediately straightened to attention. Their eyes widened when they saw the blood on both Elijah and Piper, but they didn’t ask questions. Just opened the gates and let them through.
The courtyard wasempty except for?—
“Da!”
Connor’s voice rang out,and suddenly both children were running toward them, Amara close behind. Connor reached them first, launching himself at Elijah with enough force to nearly knock him back.
“Ye’re alive!Ye’re both alive!” Connor was crying, his small hands clutching at Elijah’s shirt. “I thought… I thought they might hurt ye! I thought?—”
“Hush, lad.”Elijah shifted his grip on Piper so he could wrap his free arm around his son. “We’re both fine. Everyone’s fine.”
“Miss Armstrong!”Masie stopped a few feet away, her face pale in the torchlight. “Ye’re… ye’re hurt!” Her eyes had locked on Piper’s bloody arm.
“It’s just a scratch,”Piper said, trying to smile reassuringly. “I’m all right.”
But Amara’ssharp eyes had already noticed. She moved closer, her expression shifting from relief to concern. “That’s nae just a scratch, dear. That needs tendin’ to immediately.”
“I’m fine—”Piper started.
