“I wanted to.The guilt nearly ate me alive, waiting.But learning to work together and finding Brenna was more important.”
A long sigh escaped the hunter.“The guilt… the guilt I understand.It nearly killed me, to fail her like that.To need help from you mages.And then the guilt of becoming one of you.Finding Celina.Enjoying moments of the journey while Brenna was being tortured and abused.The guilt was brutal.”
“I’m sorry, Rodric.”He’d apologize a million times if necessary, to make it right.But what he couldn’t honestly say was that he’d change what happened.
It had taken him a long while to grow comfortable with that.But if anything had been different, he might not have found his mate or daughters.They’d all been through tremendous trauma, but they’d survived and found one another through it.He was sorry for the pain and suffering, but not for what happened.
Watching a litany of expressions cross Rodric’s face, Connor hoped he was coming to the same conclusion.Would arrive at forgiveness.
After a time, the hunter finally settled into a strong, confident stance that was becoming familiar.
“Family is important to me, Connor.We have enough other things to battle.Enough other things threatening to keep us divided.”
“Family is everything to me, Rodric.I’ve spent my entire life trying to protect it and always will.”
“That family is growing.”
“It is,” Connor said, thinking of his daughters and his soul-mate with a smile.
“No more secrets.”Rodric reached out, offering his arm.
“No more secrets,” Connor agreed.
Taking his brother’s arm, Connor grasped it with a warrior’s grip to seal the vow.Then he pulled the man into a hug.
An impatient whinny from Zora interrupted the moment, and they both stepped back with a laugh.
“Anything else you need to confess while we’re here?”Rodric asked, raising a brow.
“Well, actually… there is one other thing.”
Connor grinned at Rodric’s groan as they returned to their horses.
“It’s just a bit further,” Connor assured, taking Rogue’s reins in hand.
Cutting through the tight trees, he led Rodric and Zora on foot through the forest path.A few moments later, he stopped.
A huge pine tree, older and wider than the others, stood at the edge of a tiny clearing.At its center stood a small cabin and an attached barn.It was tiny compared to the majestic keep he’d called home his entire life.Connor loved it just as much but for different reasons.
“A hunting cabin?”Rodric asked, maneuvering Zora up beside him.
“My father wasn’t much for hunting, but he did like solitude,” Connor said as he led the way to the front of the house.
He brushed snow and debris away from the square of metal that bound the door to the wall.Pressing his hand over the center, he felt the tiny prick of the lock against his palm.The door shimmered with shadow to his magic sight as it unlocked.Instead of opening the door, he pressed his hand against it a second time and felt magic swirl and tingle at the site.
“You Blackwoods sure like your blood locks,” Rodric mused.
Connor chuckled as he stepped back.“They’ve been in the family for hundreds of years, maybe longer.Why change them?This works just like the ones at the keep.Press your palm there while it still carries my blood, and it will accept yours as well.”
Shaking his head, Rodric obeyed.“Doesn’t seem very secure.”
“You forget, magic is partly about intention.”Connor grinned.“Don’t ever let someone convince you to touch a blood lock when they mean you harm.It won’t go so well.”
“Figures,” Rodric grumbled under his breath as he removed his hand.He flexed and studied his palm afterward until the tiny mark disappeared into clean, smooth skin.
Stepping inside the cabin, Connor breathed in the familiar scent of smoke and pine.It was one of the few physical places he’d miss if he never returned to Calderre.His father’s presence was just as strong here as it was in his office at the keep that Connor had claimed after his death.
“This was your father’s?”Rodric asked, striding to the center of the room and looking around in a slow circle.
