The love of a father for his daughter.
Something seemed to snap within Mannan. His shoulders slumped and the storm calmed. He bowed his head, pressing a hand to his forehead.
“Forgive me,” he whispered. “I did not know. I did not see.”
His great shoulders heaved with silent sobs. Something broke in Lir now too. With a strangled cry, she ran across the rocks and threw herself at her father, wrapping her arms around him. Mannan’s brawny arms encircled her too, holding her close as both said things to the other that Cailean couldn’t hear.
Perhaps the sea god and Cailean were more similar than he cared to admit. He too knew the all-encompassing grief that could swallow a person whole and send them spiraling into a deep, dark pit where the only things left to cling to were bitterness and anger. But, unlike the sea god, he’d had Catriona to keep from falling into that pit entirely. Perhaps with Lir’s help, Mannan could claw his way out of that pit too.
Rose squeezed his arm, and he turned to see she had tears in her eyes. She leaned against him, seeming exhausted. He pulled her close, putting his arms around her and kissing the top of her head. It wasn’t just Catriona that kept him from the pit now. He had Rose too. He had a second chance at happiness he never dared hope for. He didn’tintend to let it go.
At the end of the headland, Mannan and Lir broke their embrace. They turned to face him and Rose and walked towards them. Cailean tensed, edging slightly ahead of Rose, his fingers curling at his hip where his sword ought to be.
“There is no need for that,” Mannan said, seeing the gesture. “Ye have no need to fear me, Cailean MacNeil. I see now what damage my vengeance has wrought and at what cost to ye and yer people. For that I am sorry. I will do what I can to make restitution. See.”
He raised a finger and a vision enveloped Cailean. He was suddenly back in Dun Mallach standing over Catriona’s bed in the infirmary. Her eyes were closed, Patch curled at the bottom of her bed. The little dog suddenly raised his head, ears pricking. Then he leapt to his feet, tail wagging, and jumped on Catriona’s chest, peering intently at her face. A moment later, Catriona’s eyelids flickered, and she slowly opened her eyes, blinking and looking around. Patch yelped excitedly, rasping his tongue all over her face.
“Ugh!” Cat cried, trying unsuccessfully to push the little dog off. “Geroff!”
A heady rush of relief flashed through Cailean, so strong that his legs went weak. He reached out to touch his daughter’s face but of course, he wasn’t really there, and she didn’t notice his presence. He heard a gasp and looked up to see Maggie and Beatrice standing on the far side of the infirmary, looking around with awed expressions. Every one of the sleeping patients was waking up. Even old Drew, who’d been ill for so long, blinked his eyes open, stretched his arms over his head, then pushed himself onto his elbows, looking around with a grumpy expression on his face.
“By the seven hells,” he muttered, “I’m bloody starving.”
Then a rushing sensation filled Cailean’s head and he was suddenly standing back on the headland, Rose by his side. From the awed expression on her face he guessed she’d seen the vision too.
“Was that real?” Cailean demanded of Mannan and Lir. “Or another of yer tricks?” He couldn’t keep the anger from his voice, fear that it wasn’t real putting a bite into his tone.
“It was real,” Mannan replied. “Yer people will recover. The sickness is gone. On this, ye have my word. What’s more, I pledge myself to Barra in my love, Danu’s name. I will watch over ye to make restitution for what I’ve done. I will bring ye calm seas and good fishing. Such is my vow.”
Cailean didn’t know what to say to that. This creature had brought such suffering to his people. Was he just supposed to forgive that? He wasn’t sure he had it in him. But he could try.
He nodded tightly. “Keep yer word and I will consider it settled between us. I will ensure yer name isnae forgotten on Barra.”
The god inclined his head, sealing their bargain. Now Lir stepped up, coming to stand in front of Rose.
“Thank ye,” she said softly. “I knew ye would find a way.” Her gaze skipped to Cailean behind her. “And I knew ye would find what ye were looking for along the way. I am in yer debt. Call on me. I will answer.”
Rose nodded, tears shining in her eyes. “I will.”
To his surprise, Lir bowed to him and then Rose, before taking her father’s hand. The two of them walked to the end of the headland and dove into the water, disappearing into the waves and disappearing from view.
Cailean blew out a shaky breath and ran a hand through his hair. “Is that it?” he asked. “Is it over?”
“It’s over,” Rose replied, her voice sounding just as shaky as Cailean’s.
“Ye did it,” he breathed. “Ye really did it.”
She shook her head. “No.Wedid it. I couldn’t have done any of this without you, Cailean. You kept me grounded, kept Mannan’s power from taking me. And without you and Catriona, I wouldn’thave worked out what I had to do.”
Cailean reached down and cupped her face in his big hands. His chest filled with love for this woman. How could he bear to let her go? Now that she’d fulfilled the task that Lir had set her, she would leave, return to her own time. The thought was like a cold blade slicing through his gut. He couldn’t let that happen. It would be the end of him.
He took a deep breath, steeling his courage. “Dinna leave me,” he whispered, the words coming out in a desperate plea. “Stay with me, Rose. Will ye marry me?”
*
Rose stared atCailean, unable to quite believe he’d just said those words.
Will you marry me?
