Chapter 31
Despite the aggrieved look his wife shot at him, Lachlan couldn’t keep the smile from his face. Evangeline and his son were safe and in his arms. Lamont and Ursula would never threaten them, or anyone else, again. But more importantly, Evangeline had proof she was not evil. Soon the Fae would see her as he did—a woman of great strength and courage. He couldn’t love anyone more than he loved her.
Along with Uscias, Rohan, and their friends, they transported to Armadale. At the door to the keep, Evangeline eased from his arms. “All of you be quiet. We don’t want to wake up the chil—anyone.”
His wife had obviously not noticed that Armadale was ablaze with lights. Humoring her, Lachlan crept into the house. Rory and Aidan, their dark hair standing on end, wearing only their plaids, scowled at him, as did Aileanna and Syrena, who stood beside their husbands in their night robes.
“Where have you ...” Syrena began, then looked from Lachlan’s son to his wife. She gasped. “Evangeline, what happened to you?”
“Lachlan, take her to her room, I’ll—”
“No, I’m fine,” Evangeline said to Aileanna while she batted Syrena’s probing fingers away.
He drew back to look at her. “Christ, Evie, why did ye no’ say somethin’?” With the moon as their only source of light, the true extent of her injuries had been concealed from him—bruises on her face, weeping sores on her abraded neck.
She touched her throat and winced. “It will heal.”
“Aye, with plenty of rest ’twill. Come, ye’re goin’ to bed.” His tone was harsh as he struggled to contain his rage at what Lamont had done to her. If the monster of the loch hadn’t made a meal of him—as Lachlan assumed it had from their screams—Lachlan would’ve squeezed the breath out of him with his bare hands.
She brought her palm to his cheek, calming his fury with a soft smile. “No, I need to know what happened with Morfessa.”
Before he could question her about her father, Alasdair came down the stairs, followed by Aileanna’s aunt Fiona. “What’s goin’ on here?” the older man asked, scrubbing his face.
Syrena angled her head to look at the crowd at Lachlan’s back. “Father? ... Uscias, Fallyn, what in the name of Fae has happened?”
His brother and Rory exchanged a commiserating glance. “It looks like we’re no’ goin’ back to our beds anytime soon. Who wants ale?” Rory asked, leading everyone to the grand hall.
Knowing Evangeline had no intention of going to their chambers, upon entering the hall Lachlan conjured a bed beside the hearth and built up the fire. They all turned to look at him. He shrugged. “She needs her rest.” Closing his eyes, he flicked his fingers to dress her in nightwear.
At the shocked gasps that exploded around him, he opened his eyes.
“Lachlan,” Evangeline muttered, standing in a sheer chemise, her face flushed.
“Sorry,” he said, and instead of envisioning her in nightwear he’d like to see her in, he dressed her in robes similar to Syrena’s and Aileanna’s.
The women crowded onto the bed with Evangeline, who succumbed ungraciously to Aileanna’s ministrations. Despite the women’s attempts to cajole Lachlan’s son to join them, he steadfastly clung to Lachlan.
“Except for the blue eyes, he looks like ye did as a bairn,” Aidan said. Pulling up a chair beside Lachlan, he stroked the baby’s hand. His son wrapped his fingers around Aidan’s. Holding Lachlan’s gaze, Aidan said, “Ye’ll make a grand father.”
“Thank ye. I had a good teacher. Ye’ve been like a father to me. I doona think I realized that until now.” It was the truth. His brother had always been there for him, protecting him from Alexander, stepping into the role of a parent when he’d been little more than a boy himself.
“I’m no’ that old,” Aidan said gruffly.
“At least this nephew seems to like ye,” Rory observed wryly, tousling the bairn’s baby-fine curls.
“Now that Evangeline’s injuries have been seen to, it’s time for someone to tell us what took place this night,” Syrena said.
At the sight of the white linens wrapped around Evangeline’s neck, Lachlan waited for his anger to subside before relaying his version of the events. In a strained voice, Evangeline took up where he left off and told what had happened with Lamont and Ursula. His gaze shot to hers when he learned the part Morfessa had played. He handed his sleeping son to his brother and went to her side. “Morfessa was the reason Lamont and Ursula kent aboot ye and the door?”
He wrapped an arm around her. Leaning against him, she nodded.
“He wasna there when I arrived. Where—”
“He came back to the Isles for the blue stone. Since Andora had stolen his all those years ago, he needed mine,” Uscias interrupted, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. “I’m afraid he took me by surprise.”
Absently gliding his palm up and down Evangeline’s thigh, Lachlan asked, “Do ye ken where he is now?”
Uscias sighed. “Aurora alerted Riana, Shayla, and Fallyn to what happened. Shayla and Fallyn went to both Broderick and Gabriel to retrieve the blue stones from their wizards. Riana went after Morfessa and has yet to return. Until she does, we have no idea as to his whereabouts.” Uscias came to his feet. “Now that you’re both safe and Evangeline has taken care of the dark lords, I think it’s best if I return to the Enchanted Isles.”
“Thank ye, Uscias. Evangeline and I will be home on the morrow.”
His mentor nudged him aside to get to Evangeline. He kissed her cheek. “You did well, my dear. The Fae owe you a debt and I’ll be certain they are made aware of it.”
Her cheeks flushed. “It’s not necessary. I—”
“Aye, ’tis,” Lachlan said firmly.
Rohan rose from his chair by the fire. “Lachlan and Uscias are right, Evangeline. You have withstood the Faes’ contempt for far too long. I’m afraid I have much to answer for where Morfessa is concerned. I should have had some inkling to the lengths he would go to harm you. Please accept my apologies.”
Evangeline looked heartily embarrassed by all the attention. “You have nothing to apologize for, Your Highness. Without your friendship and support ...” She trailed off, averting her gaze.
Rohan leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “I have always thought of you as a daughter, Evangeline. I hope you will allow me to continue to do so.” She nodded, biting her lip. Seeing the shimmer of moisture in her eyes, Lachlan gave her knee a reassuring squeeze.
“Take good care of her, nephew,” his uncle said gruffly.
“I will.”
“Syrena.” Rohan leaned across Evangeline to kiss his daughter’s cheek. “You’re long overdue for a visit to the Fae realm. My subjects are anxious to meet my grandchildren. We’ll discuss it further when I come to my granddaughters’ christening.”
Aidan cursed under his breath and Rory snorted into his ale.
Rohan arched a brow. “What was that, MacLeod?”
“Nothin’,” Aidan muttered.
“I should be off as well,” Gabriel said after Uscias and Rohan had departed. “Evangeline, you have the gratitude of me and my subjects. Take care of yourself.”
Lachlan followed his friend from the hall. “How goes it with yer wife?”
Gabriel grinned knowingly. “Feeling guilty, are you?”
“Mayhap a wee bit,” Lachlan admitted with a grimace.
“Don’t. I had a love match once. I didn’t expect nor want another.”
“Ye doona think it’s possible, given time, ye—”
“No.” He clapped Lachlan on the shoulder. “But I’m happy you have found it with Evangeline. And rest assured, I’ll be keeping an eye out for Morfessa.”
“Ye doona think Riana will find him?”
“I have my doubts. I didn’t want to mention it in front of Uscias; he feels bad enough. But we need to retrieve the stone before it falls into the wrong hands.”
“Do ye think he’d go to Dimtri?”
“Since Morgana and Erwn are there, I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s where he ends up. And Dimtri is the last person we want to have access to the stone. I have eyes and ears in his court, so we’ll find out soon enough. Hopefully before it’s too late.”
Shayla, Fallyn, and Broderick joined them. “We’ll be taking our leave now,” Broderick said, nudging Fallyn. “Are you not going to tell him?”
She rolled her eyes. “Now is not the time.”
“Time fer what?”
Broderick grinned and wrapped an arm around Fallyn’s shoulders. “Fallyn has agreed to become my betrothed.”
“Ye’re leavin’ the Isles?” Lachlan’s voice cracked.
Fallyn snorted. “Don’t get too excited. I won’t be leaving anytime soon.”
“Where are you going?” Evangeline asked, coming to stand beside him.
“What are ye doin’ up?” He looked down at her. The dusky shadows beneath her eyes and her colorless lips caused his belly to clench. He knew what he had to do, and the sooner he did so, the better.
“I’m going to bed. Syrena and Aileanna fell asleep and they’re snoring.”
He frowned. “Where’s the bairn?”
She looked up at him with a grimace. “He’s ... asleep. I suppose I should have brought him with me.”
Lachlan grinned, tucking her beneath his arm. “Nay. I’ll take care of him.”
She patted his chest and leaned against him. “Good. Now what was that you were saying, Fallyn?”
“Broderick and I have agreed to a trial betrothal.”
Angling his head to look at Fallyn, Broderick frowned. “I don’t recall using the word
trial
.”
Shayla rolled her eyes and Gabriel waggled his brows. Tiptoeing backward, they both raised a hand in silent farewell and quickly made their escape.
“Aye, ye should just get it over with and marry now,” Lachlan advised.
Evangeline leaned back and arched a brow.
He shrugged. “It worked fer us, didna it?”
She smiled up at him. “Yes, it did.”
“Is someone gettin’ married?” Alasdair asked, coming up behind them.
“Alasdair, no meddlin’,” Fiona said. Aileanna’s aunt came to stand beside Lachlan. She held his sleeping son in her arms. “I thought I’d put the wee one in with Alex and Jamie. There’s an extra cot in the lads’ room. He’ll no’ be able to climb out, so ye doona have to worry aboot him.”
Lachlan suppressed a smile at his wife’s relieved expression. Aye, he thought, it might take some time for Evangeline to adjust to having the bairn around. “Thank ye, Fiona.” He stroked his son’s cheek with the backs of his knuckles before she took him upstairs.
“Go to bed, Evangeline. You’re dead on your feet. I’ll see you when you come home,” Fallyn said, giving her a hug.
“Mayhap ye should go home with Broderick. Spend some ...”
Both women scowled at Lachlan. “All right, good night, then,” he conceded.
With his wife in his arms, Lachlan nudged the door to their chambers open. He frowned at the empty space where their bed had been.
“Ah, Lachlan, where’s our bed?”
“I doona ken.” He flicked his fingers.
“No!” She reached for his hand, then winced at the series of loud thuds coming from down below.
“Lachlan!” Aidan bellowed.
Lachlan grimaced. “I stole the bed out from under them, didna I?”
She nodded, her violet eyes brimming with amusement. She compressed her lips and her shoulders shook. Then unable to contain her mirth any longer, she began to laugh.
Lachlan grinned at the sight of his wife helpless with laughter. “I’m glad ye think ’tis so amusin’.” He laid her on the bed.
“I shall have to give you some lessons before you hurt someone.” She wiped her eyes.
He nudged her over and crawled in beside her, removing his clothing with a flick of his wrist.
“Now
that
, you do very well.” She smiled. Turning into him, she trailed the tips of her fingers over his chest.
“Aye, I do.” He waved his hand and removed her shift, folding her into his arms.
She released a contented sigh and snuggled into his embrace.
Leaning back, he cupped her chin. “Are ye truly all right, Evie? They didna hurt ye too badly?”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll heal.”
He gently touched her swollen cheek. “But no’ as quickly without yer magick.”
She pressed her fingers to his lips. “I’m tired and sore, nothing more.”
He knew she was in pain. He could see it in the way she held herself. Hear it in the husky rasp of her voice. As when she’d joined him in the entryway, he knew what he had to do. The only reason she suffered was because of her willingness to sacrifice her magick to save his son. A magick that now pulsated in his veins with an addictive power. Less than a week ago, he’d reveled in that strength, the knowledge no one could have him at his mercy nor taunt him for his lack of magick. It didn’t matter anymore. All that mattered to him was his wife’s well-being.