Fox nodded. “I saw Vale shoot the man in the head. I thought he was dead, but minutes later, he stood up and stabbed Alistaire in the back.”
“Fuck!” Synder kicked the chair, sending it across the room, smashing it into pieces.
“Love, calm down.”
“How the fuck can I calm down when that bastard, Euan Gillies, is still trying to kill my son?”
“He’s been trying to kill him for close to a century. Do you think he’s going to succeed now?” Kayne shouted. “Do you have so little faith in our son’s strength and determination to live?” Kayne pulled Synder in his arms. “I’m worried too, okay. But I know he’ll come out of this. Trust in Alistaire and the bond we share with him. Baby, trust in our son a little more, all right?”
Synder nodded and wrapped his arms around Kayne. Fox felt a bit jealous; he had to wait a bit longer to feel Alistaire’s strong arms wrapped around him in comfort.
The irregular beeping of the heart monitor pulled Fox out of his thoughts. Standing, he gently laid a sleeping Genesis down in the crib. Ignoring Synder and Kayne, Fox sat next to Vale on the bed and rubbed his shoulder and chest—bypassing the bandaged wound. He’d gotten some of his color back, and his lips were no longer blue—a good sign in Fox’s opinion.
Maybe the blood Synder gave him worked.
Sirius suggested that Synder give Vale some more of his blood to help combat the poison in his body, which seemed to be working.
“It’s okay, you’re not alone,” Fox whispered as the beeping slowed down back to normal. Leaning down, he kissed Vale on the cheek. “I won’t leave you again.”
* * *
Why the hellam I here?
Alistaire stood in a familiar place. One that no longer existed except for his memories. It wasn’t a pile of ash but had been restored to its glory when his parents and clan were alive. The hearth blazed bright, warming the entire gathering hall filled with long bench chairs and tables filled with a feast as if the clan members had planned for a festive night. But no one other than him was in the large gathering room.
“Do you plan on standing there all day? Our time grows short the more time you stand there looking lost.”
Alistaire turned when he heard the sweet voice of Olivia Lochlan reach his ears. He didn’t care she might be a figment of his imagination, he rushed over to Olivia—pulling her into his arms. Tears streamed down Alistaire’s cheeks, words couldn’t explain how much he missed his mother. Being in her arms brought back the nights she’d hold him and sing him to sleep.
“Màthair,” Alistaire cried harder, feeling her arms wrap around him.
“It’s okay, my little leanbh. Let it out.”
“I’ve missed you so much,” Alistaire stepped back, but not too far from his mother’s presence. He cleaned off his face. Alistaire couldn’t take his eyes off Olivia. She looked as beautiful as she always did with bright green eyes and her illustrious red hair.
“What is there to miss? I’ve always been with you.” Olivia pressed a hand to his chest over his heart, explaining the meaning of her words.
“You’re right.” Alistaire grinned.
“You’ve grown into a handsome man, Alistaire. Even more so than your father.”
Alistaire stepped back and looked around, expecting his father to show up, but was disappointed by his mother’s next words.
“He has passed into the realm of rebirth. Once you and I have completed our conversation, so will I.”
“So this is not a figment of my imagination?”
“I can assure you I’m quite real. However, we don’t have a lot of time. The poison is almost out of your body.”
“Poison?”
“Yes, Euan stabbed you with a sword made of a poison that weakened your system and put you into a coma.”
“Is that how I ended up here?”
“Somewhat,” Olivia took his hand and led him over to a chair sitting in the other. “There was one thing I forgot to tell you, Alistaire.” She looked down at their joined hands, smiling. “They are rough and callused. You’re not a man who’s afraid of hard work.”
“I took what I learned from you and Athair and applied it to my daily life.” Alistaire wanted to ask her the one burning question that had been on his mind for close to a century. “Why, màthair? Why did you sacrifice yourself for me? We could have run away.”
