Chapter Twenty-One
Brodie had caught up with Nicol and Inga just outside of the village and made arrangements for their travel. They agreed to stay together until they found Loki and Celestina. He came down the path in time to see his wee wife running in the opposite direction with a club held over her head, straight at a group of Norsemen. Loki was running to join her, and Nicol and Inga were on horseback headed straight for Loki. As he watched, his friend swooped down to pick up the wee lad.
“Celestina!” he screamed his wife’s name as loud as he could. He had to get to her before that group of warriors did.
“Celestina!” he yelled again and she finally glanced over her shoulder. The crazed look in her eyes told him he needed to get to her and fast. He galloped toward her with full force and yelled, “Arms up!”
She slowed and turned her head sideways but kept running forward. She had almost reached the Norsemen now.
“Celestina, arms up, remember my story about my sisters? Arms up! Face me!”
The warriors started to whoop in excitement.
She turned toward him and held her arms up, still running, a haunted look in her gaze.
“Drop the club, love,” he shouted.
She threw the club behind her just before he leaned down to grab her around the waist, and plucked her off the ground. “Arms around my shoulders. Hang on to me.”
She grabbed onto him, fighting to hang on. He struggled to right her and she floundered. “I have you, trust me.” She relaxed and he settled her in front of him right before he rode past the group of warriors.
“Loki! Where is Loki?” she yelled.
“He’s fine.” Brodie pointed to Nicol who was not far behind them.
Celestina turned to make sure Loki was safe and promptly collapsed in sobs against her husband. She held a death grip on his tunic, and he whispered calming words in her ear. He held her as she cried and cried until she had no tears left inside.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Loki goes after Celestina to tell her about Brodie’s injury.
Celestina, still inconsolable, paced in the great hall. She had just returned from her riding lessons with her father. Learning to ride a horse well had been difficult work, but she was proud of her accomplishments, and she knew it was a skill she needed to live in the Highlands.
Would she ever make it to the Grants? She had discussed her situation many times with her mother. Her parents had been wonderful. They’d told her they would take her whenever she was ready to go, but not until the worst of the fighting was over.
Her mother wished to wait until Celestina’s two brothers had made it home; this she understood. But Celestina’s gut told her something bad had happened to someone special in her life, but whom? She changed her mind daily in trying to guess the identity of the injured party. On some days, she believed it to be Loki, on other days it was Brodie, but mayhap it was another of the Grant brothers?
The door flew open and she twirled toward the entryway. The guard who stood there said, “There’s a wee lad asking for you at the gate, my lady. He is quite scruffy and we do no’ wish to let him in without your approval.”
She dashed toward the door. “Loki? Is it Loki?” Not waiting for an answer, she charged down the front steps and headed toward the gate, shouting Loki’s name all the way. She musthave appeared half-crazed, as everyone inside the inner bailey jumped out of her way.
She was hurrying through the gate when her father’s bellow reached her ears. “Be careful, Celestina. Please wait for an escort.”
But she could not. She hastened to the gate, toward the cluster of guards surrounding a small figure, tears running down her cheeks as she moved. “Loki? Is it really you?” She pushed against a guard and fought her way to her dear little lad.
“Missy angel, missy angel!” Loki’s wee arms flung wide as he threw himself at her.
“Here, now. No reason to make the lady as messy as you are, lad. Leave her be so you do no’ cover her with your dirt and grime.” One of the guards attempted to pull him away from her.
Celestina waved him off as she swung the wee lad into her embrace. “’Tis all right. I am not worried about a bit of dirt.”
“Missy angel, listen to me. Stop hugging me and listen. Please!” Loki begged as he tugged on her sleeve.
Celestina’s gut reeled as she set him down in front of her. “What is it?” she whispered, afraid to hear of what he had to say.
“Missy angel, ‘tis Master Brodie.”
Celestina’s vision blurred and she thought she might faint. Nay, not her husband. She could not lose her husband. They were just getting to know each other. She fought to remain conscious so she could hear the rest of Loki’s story.
