“Ye’re too forgivin’,”he murmured. “Too kind.”
“I’m nae kind.I’m practical.” Piper watched as he threaded the needle. “And I ken that anger and bitterness only hurt the person carryin’ them. I’ve seen what it does. What it did to ye, after Catherine died.”
Elijah’s hands stilled.“What do ye mean?”
“Ye blamedyerself for her death. Let guilt and rage eat away at ye until there was nothin’ left but duty and distance.” Piper’s voice was gentle. “I daenae want that for meself. I daenae want to spend the rest of me life angry at people who arenae worth the effort of hatin’.”
“But they hurt ye.”
“Aye.They did. And they’ll pay for it. But that doesnae mean I need to carry their poison in me heart.” Piper took a breath as Elijah made the first stitch. The pain was sharp but bearable. “I’d rather fill me heart with better things. With ye. With the children. With the life we’re goin’ to build together.”
Elijah workedin silence for a moment, his stitches neat and careful despite his claimed lack of skill. When he finally spoke, his voice was thick with emotion.
“How are ye so wise?So… so good?”
“I’m nae good.I’m just tired of hurtin’.” Piper watched his face as he concentrated on her arm. “And I daenae want me parentsto take anythin’ more from me than they already have. They’ve stolen enough of me life. I willnae let them steal me future too.”
“What doye want me to do with them?” Elijah asked, finishing another stitch. “I’ll have them tried and imprisoned if ye want. Or I can banish them from me lands entirely. Whatever ye choose, I’ll make it happen.”
Piper considered the question.Part of her—the part that still remembered every beating, every cruel word—wanted them punished. Wanted them to suffer the way she’d suffered.
But the larger part,the part that wanted to move forward instead of staying trapped in the past, knew that revenge wouldn’t heal her.
“Send them away,”she said finally. “Far away. Somewhere they cannae reach me or hurt me ever again. Let them live with their choices, but make sure those choices daenae impact me anymore.”
“Ye’re too forgivin’,”Elijah repeated, his voice almost wondering.
“I’m nae forgivin’them,” Piper corrected. “I’m just choosin’ nae to let them matter anymore. There’s a difference.”
“Is there?”
“Aye. Forgiveness would mean absolution. Lettin’go of what they did. But I’ll never do that. I’ll never forget or excuse their actions.” Piper’s voice hardened. “But I also refuse to let their cruelty define the rest of me life. I refuse to let them stain any more of me soul than they already have.”
Elijah finishedthe last stitch and tied it off carefully. Then he cleaned the wound again and began applying a salve that smelled of lavender and something else Piper couldn’t identify.
“They dinnae stain ye,”he said quietly. “Nae really. Ye’re, ye’re one of the purest souls I’ve ever met, Piper. Ye’ve been through hell, and yet ye still choose kindness. Still choose to protect others. Still choose love over hate.” He wrapped clean bandages around her arm, his touch gentle. “That’s nae stained. That’s beautiful.”
Piper felttears prick at her eyes. “Ye really believe that?”
“I ken it.”Elijah finished with the bandages and looked up at her. “Ye have a beautiful soul, Piper Armstrong. And I’m honored that ye’re goin’ to let me spend the rest of me life provin’ it to ye.”
“Elijah—”Piper’s voice caught.
“I mean it. Every word.”He moved closer, standing between her legs where she sat on the table. “Ye deserve everythin’ good in this world. And I’m goin’ to do me best to give it to ye.”
“I daenae need everythin’,”Piper said softly. “I just need ye.”
“Ye have me. Always.”Elijah cupped her face with both hands. “I love ye, Piper. More than I thought I was capable of lovin’ anyone. And I’m goin’ to spend every day makin’ sure ye never doubt that.”
“I love ye too,”Piper whispered. “So much it scares me sometimes.”
“Good,”Elijah said, a smile tugging at his lips. “Ye should be scared. Love is terrifyin’. But it’s also?—”
“Worth it,”Piper finished. “It’s worth the fear.”
“Aye. It is.”
He kissed her then,soft and sweet and full of promise. Not the desperate, frantic kiss from the clearing, but something gentler. Something that spoke of futures and forevers.
