Dragon Knight's Ring (Order of the Dragon Knights Book 5) (28 page)

“Go to bed,” yawned Duncan, stretching from his chair. “Ye have had no sleep in days. If the battle comes, ye will be too weary to fight a hound.”

Angus glanced over his shoulder. “Dinnae worry, I shall be ready when the time comes. Furthermore, if naught happens, it makes no matter. Our lives will surely end.”

Duncan strolled over to him. “I have cherished this time as a family once again. To see the re-building of Urquhart. If our lives must end, then I pray Meggie will remain and no harm comes to her.”

Pushing away from the hearth, Angus grabbed a pitcher, grateful it was one of water. In recent days, he had kept his mind sharp by not dulling his senses with ale or wine. Filling his mug, he drank deeply. “Do ye really believe the Fae would keep her safe? What world would she live in if the Dark One enters?”

“One filled with gloom and despair among a people where there is no joy,” interrupted Conn.

“Lugh’s balls!” Angus slammed the cup on the table. “Ye could have simply walked through the doors, instead of appearing out of the air.”

Conn arched a brow. “Saves me time.”

Alastair and Patrick soon entered, and Angus nodded to the two men.

Though seeing Conn, a spark of hope entered Angus’s mind. “Meggie remembers all?”

“Yes, finally.” Conn turned to the others. “Go wake Stephen and Alex. We will need to leave soon.”

“Do you honestly believe that any of us would stay behind and not come with our husbands?” protested Deirdre, walking into the hall. “You will all have to re-think your plan. We—the women
and
children have all voted to come with you, Conn. How could any of you ever think we would all just sit to wait out a battle in another time?”

Angus started to argue, until Deirdre halted his words with a scathing look.

“We are now a strong clan,” argued Brigid, holding Nell’s hand as she entered the room with Finn following behind them.

Duncan groaned and rubbed a hand through his hair, but reached out and drew her near. “Always yours, Brigid,” he whispered.

“Forever yours, Duncan,” she replied.

Alastair shook his head as he walked passed Deirdre. “I’ll go wake Stephen
and
the others.”

“Fiona is nursing Hugh. She’ll be down shortly,” declared Deirdre.

Alastair gave her a mock salute as he left.

Angus held out his hand and she quickly went to him. Tears misted her eyes. “I’m sorry, Angus, but I won’t stand by and do nothing. I would die slowly waiting.”

He held her close, and rubbed a hand down her back. Glancing at the Fenian warrior, he said, “We all go as one clan.” Tipping Deirdre’s chin up, he gazed deeply into her eyes. “I believe Meggie would want to meet her brothers’ wives.”

“Did I tell you how much I love you, husband?”

“Aye, my Lady Warrior. Often. As I do ye.”

“I fear this will alter our plans,” argued Conn as he approached Angus and Deirdre.

“How so?” demanded Deirdre.

Angus placed a finger on her lips. “Please. Let me ask the questions.” Giving her no time to protest, he kissed her soundly. When Angus broke from the kiss, he led her to the table. “For the moment, let us sit and wait for the others.”

Muttering a curse, Deirdre sat down. However, she grasped Angus’s hand under the table, placing it on her thigh.

Brigid had left and shortly returned carrying a trencher of food and drink.

“I should have helped you,” suggested Deirdre, taking a cup and filling it with water.

Laughing, Brigid only shook her head. “You, helping in the kitchens? Not in your present condition.” She leaned near Deirdre, but Angus could still hear her words. “Quick to anger and quick to break into tears. I think not, my friend.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Soon, the others came into the hall. Stephen carried Aidan in his arms and Aileen held a sleeping Margaret. Alastair and Fiona followed closely behind them, with Hugh snuggled against his father’s chest.

As they all took their places at the table, Angus waved Conn over to take a seat near him. “Liam and Rory?”

“Standing guard at the stones,” replied Conn. When the murmurs of the others turned to silence, Conn placed his arms on the table. “If you all insist—”

“You’ve got that correctly,” interrupted Deirdre.

Conn held up his hand to halt her from saying anything further. “As I was saying, since the entire MacKay clan
insists
on traveling the veil of time, I must summon another warrior. I will not leave the women and children unprotected.” He glanced quickly at Deirdre. “Yes, I understand you are a great warrior, my lady. However, the Dragon Knights are the only ones to fight this battle. Your knowledge of the magical Dark One is limited. Myself and the other Fae warriors shall keep the doors to both realms closed until Lachlan is vanquished.”

Angus squeezed his wife’s hand. “’Tis a wise decision, Conn. Who is this other Fenian warrior? Can he be trusted?”

“Aye,” interjected a giant of a man walking into the Great Hall. Towering over any other in the room, the warrior strolled over to Conn. Crossing his arms over his chest, he cast his gaze at those present. “’Tis an honor to be in the house of the Dragon Knights.”

Slowly, Conn stood. “You realize what I ask, my brother?”

The Fenian warrior shifted his stance. “I will not be the one to part the veil of ages, Conn MacRoich.” He waved his hand out toward the crowd. “If the Fae deem to punish me for protecting women and children, especially ones so greatly esteemed, then I would gladly give my life.”

Conn grasped the man’s forearm. “I have no words, only my gratitude.”

The warrior chuckled. “If ye live, ye will owe me.”

Turning to the others, Conn said, “This is Ronan MacGuinness. One of the most ancient Fenian warriors.”

Angus stood. “Ye are most welcome, Ronan.”

“Thank you, Dragon Knight.”

Frowning, the warrior moved to the other side of the table. Kneeling down by the side of Aileen, he placed his fist over his heart. “My deepest sorrow over the loss of your father, Lady Aileen. The man was a true warrior, even after he left the Brotherhood. Your mother and ye brought him great joy. His name is revered in the Hallowed Halls of the Fae.”

Aileen touched his face. “Thank you for sharing this about my father. Perhaps after all this is over, you can tell me more about him.”

Grabbing her hand, Ronan placed a kiss along her knuckles. “There are not enough lifetimes to tell the stories of the great Fenian warrior, Aidan Kerrigan. But I shall share a few.”

Standing, he nodded to Conn. “I will await you on the other side.”

All eyes watched as the Fenian warrior left the hall.

“Wow!” exclaimed Fiona. “How did Ronan know that he was needed, Conn? You just found out yourself.”

Conn clasped his hands behind his back. “Knowing the women in this room, I approached Ronan. If I needed him, I would call him forth.”

Alastair leaned near Fiona. “Dinnae ask how he called him forth.”

“Mind powers,” she chuckled, and touched her sleeping babe.

“Make yourselves ready to travel to the standing stones. Dress warmly, for it is snowing on the other side,” suggested Conn.

“We shall see ye soon,” stated Angus.

****

Castle Aonach—Day before Samhain, Present day

Meggie paced the room in the Great Hall, pausing once to wrap another fur over her sleeping son by the fire. Skye had curled up by the boy’s side, and she smiled at them. Her body tingled with apprehension and excitement.

“Ye must try and rest, my
leannan
,” urged Adam, as he placed an arm around her shoulder.

Nervous laughter bubbled forth, and she clamped a hand over her mouth. “Ye have to realize how absurd that sounds to me at this moment,” she whispered. Noticing Adam’s confused look, she added, “Absurd, meaning strange, since the last time I saw my brothers was on a battlefield three years ago.”

Moving her along the room and away from their sleeping son, Adam paused by the window. “Ye are uneasy to see your kin. But ye must try to relax.”

“I’m worried, Adam.” Wrapping her arms around him, she gazed into eyes she loved so well. “Not only are they going to see ye here, but our son. If they were angry with us together three years ago, I wonder what they’ll say when they see him.”

He brushed a tender kiss over her lips, causing Meggie to sigh. “Did not Archie say they were much changed? Even my own brothers stated this to me.” Adam glanced at his son. “How could they not love ye,
or
the child ye brought into this world?”

“I love ye, Adam.”

He cast his gaze back to her. “There has never been another. Ye have my heart forever.”

Sealing his pledge with a soul-searing kiss, Meggie reveled in the feel and taste of the man. She quickly banished all negative thoughts and gave over to the pleasure of the moment. When they broke free, she brushed away a lock of hair from his face. “After this is all over, we must get married.”

“Agreed,” he murmured against her cheek.

“A marriage that is long overdue, Margaret,” stated Angus from the doorway.

Meggie turned from Adam and on a choked sob, rushed into the outstretched arms of her oldest brother. “Angus!”

“My wild, beautiful sister. ’Tis good to see ye once again,” he muttered. “Forgive me.” His arms held her tight, but she could feel his own grief by the sound in his voice.

Meggie looked up into his eyes, seeing the tears stream down his face. “I forgave everyone the moment I regained all my memories. Ye are my brothers. The time for harsh words is over. This is a time of healing.”

“I cannae accept your forgiveness,” stated Duncan soberly.

Releasing her hold on Angus, Meggie grasped Duncan’s hands. The pain of guilt was written all over his features. “Aye, ye will. I ken it was your sword, but there was another evil that night. If I can forgive ye, then ye will do so. Dinnae bring this guilt to your death, Duncan. ’Tis a burden ye would not want me to carry.”

“I dinnae feel worthy,” he said quietly.

Meggie stood on tiptoe and wiped his tears away. Kissing his cheek, she whispered, “Ye have always been worthy of my love
and
forgiveness, Duncan.”

He hugged her fiercely, murmuring words of endearment.

Stepping back, Meggie’s lips trembled. “Stephen. Dinnae say one word. I already ken them. Your mind screams with them.” She tapped her head with her finger. “Remember, we share more than the others with our connection to the Fae.” Walking over to him, she cupped his cheek. “Your visions were clouded. There was naught ye could have done. In telling me what ye had witnessed, I believe I would have still sought out Adam. I was following my heart.”

“Nonetheless, I am sorry, Meggie.” His eyes shifted colors, and he took her into his arms. “We shall never ken if they could have saved ye, though.”

“Dinnae try and start guessing what Fate had destined for us, Stephen MacKay.” Glancing to her left, Alastair stood apart.

Kissing Stephen, she went to Alastair. Her heart broke at what she saw. Handsome features that were the talk of many in the villages now were marred with a deep crescent scar down the left side of his face. She lifted her hand and traced a path along the scar. His eyes bore into hers. “I pray ye did worse to the person who took a blade to your face, Alastair. Though, if I may say, it makes ye look even more handsome.”

“Only my sister and wife would say such words,” he uttered softly. Grasping her hand, he held it against his cheek. “Forgive me for not keeping your secret.”

Meggie could hear the anguish in his voice. “There were too many secrets, and ye deemed ye were doing the right thing by telling your laird—
our brother
. I should not have let ye carry the burden of holding my secrets. Ye are and always have been a great Dragon Knight.”

On a heavy sigh, Alastair took Meggie into his arms as the rest of her brothers surrounded them. For the next several moments, she cried, joked, teased, and continued to embrace all of them. It was a joyous reunion.

Wiping away the tears, she glanced at Adam still standing by the window. Reaching a hand out toward him, she said, “I believe my brothers have yet to make amends to ye.”

Adam shook his head, but came forward to take her hand. “There is no need.”

“Humph!” She linked her arm around his waist. Looking at each of her brothers, she waited.

Angus clamped a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “We beg forgiveness, Dragon Knight.”

“Aye,” stated Duncan, Stephen, and Alastair in unison.

He raised an eyebrow. “If only my brothers could hear ye say such.”

“Would that be a problem?” demanded Alex MacFhearguis, leaning against the entrance door.

“Alex?” Adam’s tone was one of surprise.

His brother nodded his head to the side. “And Patrick.”

Patrick came forward. “Did ye think I would let our
laird
travel without me?”

Adam roared with laughter and went to embrace both his brothers. “’Tis good to see ye both. I feared never to see ye again and beg your forgiveness at my harsh words before leaving.”

“Ye had to find your journey—let go of your grief,” stated Alex. “We prayed ye would return in time after ye healed.”

“Although, ye traveled farther than we deemed possible,” added Patrick. He rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “’Tis a strange place ye have come to, Adam. Lights on the wall without flame?”

“Aye,” agreed Alex.

Everyone starting muttering the same, pointing out something they had witnessed. Meggie peered over Patrick’s shoulder and saw a group of women and children standing back along the walls in the entryway.

“Sweet Mother Danu!” She turned to her brothers. “Ye brought your wives and children? And why are they standing huddled out in the entryway?”

Angus stepped forward. “We did not want to overwhelm ye.”

“By the hounds,” she protested moving past him and making her way to the women.

Meggie grasped the hands of one of the women standing in front of the group. “I am honored that ye have traveled here.” She felt Angus’s hand on her shoulder.

“Meggie, may I present my wife, Deirdre.”

“Ye are a warrior,
my lady
, to stand by the side of my laird.”