Ian reached the doorway as his chest heaved and he was forced to his knees, coughing hard and blinking to keep from losing consciousness.
“They are over here!”
Ian barely registered the words as the blackness started to creep in and he lost his grip on uncle, the man sliding sideways off his shoulders.
Or was he sliding sideways? It was difficult to tell but regardless, they were in some trouble.
There was a low rumble above his head and Ian couldn’t find any strength to move out of the way as the rest of the stable started to crash around him and he closed his eyes, slipping into oblivion and he felt no more.
Ian woke with a start, blinking away the last bit of darkness as he took a look around. He was no longer in the doorway of the stables but in a field outside of the Wallace keep, the sunshine beating down on his body. Gone were the aches and pains he dealt with every day, a sense of peace filling his chest unlike he had ever known.
“Ian.”
Turning, Ian saw that his da was walking toward him, wearing his tartan draped over one shoulder and a grin on his face. “Da?”
The elder laird nodded, gripping the walking stick in his hand as he paused in his steps. “I dinna expect tae see ye so soon.”
Ian looked around. “Where are we?” It didn’t feel like anything he had ever experienced before.
“We are where things donna exist,” his da explained with a shrug. “Tis peaceful here, isna it?”
“Are ye here by yerself?” he asked, confused.
His da shook his head, a chuckle escaping him. “Nay there are others here. Ye just canna see them. I am the only one that has chosen tae show mahself tae ye.”
Ian breathed a heavy sigh. “I’m dead then.”
His da cocked his head to the side, regarding him. “Is that wot ye think? Do ye feel dead?”
“I donna feel like mahself,” Ian admitted, looking down at his unblemished hands. All his scars were gone, an odd feeling given how many years he had been living with them. When he looked up at his da, he realized that his da’s face was familiar yet it was unlined as he remembered. “I am dead.”
His da chuckled. “Nay son ye are in the in-between right now, a fragile spot between life and death. Yer mortal body isna gone yet.”
Ian thought about the last look he had given Ida before he had raced back into the burning stable. He thought of his siblings, Remy, his clan. What were they doing right now? Were they trying to wake him?
“Tis going tae be yer decision mah son,” his da said gently. “If ye wish tae go into the afterlife, I will escort ye but if there are reasons ye want tae stay.”
“There are,” Ian admitted, thinking of all the ones he cared about. He didn’t want to leave his life. There was so much left that he wished to do, one being building a life with Ida. He wanted to do what was right for his clan, to show them that there could be peace with their enemies.
His da drew in a breath, not at all surprised by Ian’s answer. “Well then, ye must go back.”
Ian looked at his dad, drinking up the sight of him. “I miss ye,” he croaked out. “I’m not close tae being the laird that ye were.”
“Ye shouldn’t be,” his da replied, a sad smile on his face. “Ye have tae be the laird that ye were meant tae be, Ian. I lived mahlife. I did wot I thought needed tae be done for the sake of our people. Now tis time for ye tae do the same.”
He was right. Ian didn’t have to be his da as a ruler. They had lived in different times, each with their own idea of what was best for the clan. Ian knew in his heart that peace was the right answer for the future.
He just had to get them there. “Thank ye da.”
“Yer welcome son,” his da replied, winking at him. “Ye are doing a fine job son. I hope that ye know how proud I am of ye and wot ye are going tae do for the future.” He then straightened his shoulders, looking every inch the powerful laird that he had once been and would always be in Ian’s heart. “Now close yer eyes.”
20
“Shh lass, donna get yerself worked up or ye wonna be able tae breathe again.”
Ida gulped for air, trying to calm herself down as she watched Ian run into the burning stables, the walls starting to crash to the ground, unable to handle the heat. Her uncle was still inside and now the love of her life was as well.
A hand pressed to her back and she looked up, seeing the familiar features of the Wallace clan in his expression. “I’m Stephan,” he offered up, giving her a tight smile. “I’m the good-looking one.”
