Strange, he thought. Something about her seemed familiar. She also pushed a heavy-duty stroller. A stroller?
Using the tall, tufted clumps of grass as cover, he moved stealthily toward her. He had to satisfy his curiosity. Every muscle tensed in anticipation as he determined the woman’s identity.
By the wulver gods, it was Lizzie!
If it could be possible, she looked even more beautiful than he remembered. Two wee lads dressed in red corduroy coveralls, blue shirts, and tiny ball caps sat in the stroller.
“Sweet babes of mine, sweet babes of mine, call me your mother for all of time…”
“Dog, dog!” one of the boys called out, pointing directly at Kincaid.
The other lad turned to look at him too. “Mama, doggie!”
Both boys giggled and kicked their feet.
“What dog are you two rascals talking about?” Lizzie laughed, then turned around. “I don’t see any—oh!”
Hands clasped over her mouth, she studied Kincaid, her eyes wide with surprise. “You’re not a dog, you’re a, a wolf. A wolf like…Kincaid? Goddess above, Kincaid is that you?”
Kincaid padded toward Lizzie and nuzzled her hand. She hunkered down beside him. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stroked his head. “You’ve come back to me. I’ve been so worried about you!”
He stepped back from Lizzie and willed himself to transform. A few seconds later, he stood naked and smiling before her.
Lizzie laughed and cried at the same time. “My prayers to the Goddess have been answered.”
“Lizzie girl,” he said, pulling her close. They kissed for a long time, while the boys squealed and jabbered in a nonsense language to each other.
When at last he and Lizzie pulled apart, she told him how she’d tried to find a way to return to the Land of the Fae to rescue him.
“Iolar had disappeared—”
“I programmed it to return to me,” he explained.
“I thought you must have done that. After I defeated the banshees, I planned to return to rescue you. It broke my heart when I couldn’t find your ship. I’ve been desperate ever since to find a way back to you.”
“I’m sorry, lass. You went through so much while I was gone.”
“I have to admit, it’s been frustrating. As we speak, the Supreme Witch’s Council is deliberating whether they will give me the spell that will take me to the Land of the Fae. It’s a huge clan secret, and I’ve been pleading with them for months to tell me. It was my final hope in order to rescue you.”
“Well, no more worries, lass. I’ve returned and I’m here to stay.”
“How in the world did you escape from Queen Dana?”
“Remember when you found Sorcha’s silver arm cuff in the Royal Witch’s Arena?”
She nodded.
“At a certain point, I realized I’d tucked it in my cape. When I summoned Queen Dana and offered it to her, she was elated to exchange my life for the bracelet. After she released me, I made haste returning to you, lass.”
He walked toward the little ones in the stroller and hunkered down in front of them. They clapped and burbled a few recognizable words, but most were baby gobbledygook. His heart melted as he stared into their blue eyes.
“Do these fine, wee lads belong to us?”
“Yes! These are our sons, Baird and Duncan. I hope you like their names.”
“Aye,” he said, tears warming the back of his eyes. The idea of being a father pleased him more than he could say. Deep within him, his heart expanded to encompass loving his sons.
A gift greater than any other he could imagine. He would do right by them, and his wife.
Lizzie removed the boys’ caps. “Look at that hair—it’s identical to yours.”
“My bonnie lads.” He chuckled as he caressed their red curls. Both boys bore familiar facial features. They had his eyes and chin, but also Lizzie’s mouth and high cheek bones.
Forgiveness toward his parents flowed through him. Aye, they had mistreated him to be sure. Nevertheless, because of their love, he had been born. And because of his and Lizzie’s love, these two strong lads had been born.
Cleansed of spirit and mind, he lifted the boys out of their stroller, cradling each one in the crook of his arms and kissing them, much to their squealing delight.
“Dog, dog,” Baird declared.
“Doggie,” Duncan chimed in.
“I must teach them to call me daddy,” Kincaid said as he jostled them up and down. “I pray they don’t always think of me as the dog they found whilst out walking one day.”
“No worries,” Lizzie said, laughing. “They’ll figure it out.”
Replacing the boys in their stroller seats, Kincaid drew Lizzie against his chest again, her warmth filling him with more happiness and joy than he’d ever experienced.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you when you were carrying the boys and when you gave birth,” he said.
“I missed you terribly,” she admitted. “But we’re together now. That’s all that matters.”
When they finally parted, she tapped a finger on her chin, looking Kincaid up and down. “Hmm, you’re no proper father standing there naked as a jaybird.”
“Sorry, lass, I lost my clothes.” He shrugged. “You ken how that happens.”
“I do. But we’ll have to remedy your condition.”
Lizzie waved her hand and a cloud of green sparkles danced around him, which soon turned into clothing. A plaid shirt, jeans, and work boots.
She snapped. His cape appeared and settled around his shoulders.
He examined the attire and nodded. “Not bad.”
“I couldn’t introduce you to my family wearing your birthday suit.” She smiled. “They’d fear I married a wild animal.”
Kincaid laughed. “Well, sometimes I am.”
“I love the animal in you,” Lizzie declared. “So will my family.”
“And I love you, my Lizzie girl.”
“Now let’s take our boys and go home,” she said. “By the way, it’s your turn to push the stroller.”
“Gladly.” Kincaid grasped the handle and steered the double-seated contraption down the trail. “What a life we’ll have together with our boys, Lizzie girl. A wulver couldn’t ask for more.”
“And neither could a witch.”
Lizzie hooked her arm through Kincaid’s as they walked together toward the Rose Mansion.
About C.K. Reynders
Cindy Keen Reynders is a contributing editor and staff writer for LCSD1’s Public Schools’ Chronicle. She worked as a book critic for Storyteller Alley and has published articles with True West and Wild West magazines.
She is the author of mysteries The Saucy Lucy Murders, Paws-itively Guilty and A Killer Slice. Additionally, Solstice Publishing released The Seven-Year Witch in March, 2019. The second book about the Wysteria Hedge Haven Clan sisters is, A Witch at Midnight, which was released in July, 2019. Witch Tease, is the next book in the series.
Besides reading, writing and crocheting, Cindy’s favorite activity is seeing new places. She was born in Portland, Oregon and has lived all over the United States and in Misawa, Japan. She has visited Canada, the Philippines, Samoa, Hawaii, both the western and eastern Caribbean and New Zealand.
From baby alligators to glow worms, Cindy has seen a variety of life’s wonders.
Social Media
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cindy.k.reynders
Twitter https://twitter.com/littlewing1959
Blog https://wyomingfreelancemuse.blogspot.com/
Website http://www.cindykeenreynders.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/reynders.c/
Acknowledgements
I wish to thank my wonderful parents who offered boundless support and encouragement in my quest to become a published author. Also, I’m sending a big thank you to my sister, Shauna, who has been right beside me during my journey in life and my journey as an author—you are my shining star!
If you enjoyed this story, check out these other Solstice Publishing books by
Cindy Keen Reynders:
The Seven-Year Witch
Novice witch Miranda Rose’s seventh and final task for the Supreme Witch’s Council is to find the legendary Philosopher’s Stone. Once that is achieved, she’ll accomplish her lifelong dream—to become a High Witch of the Wysteria Hedge Haven Clan.
In a last-ditch effort to locate the precious gem, she travels through time to 1877.Hidden within a dilapidated castle tower, Balthazar, a powerful young wizard, refuses to relinquish the stone. In a fit of pique, he zaps Miranda into a field just outside of Merry Olde London.
Sir Maxwell Chadwick is the sole witness to a fiery ball of light streaking across the midnight sky. Curious, he investigates and is surprised to discover a beautiful young woman among the smoldering ashes. Captivated by her alluring beauty, he cannot deny his instant attraction.
As for Miranda, she appreciates the handsome duke’s assistance. However, she finds his well-intentioned interference annoying because it delays her mission. It doesn’t take her long to realize Sir Maxwell holds the key to her heart, as well as her future
A combination of fate, impractical magic and the Seven-Year Witch disease take the lovers on a rollicking, star-crossed adventure.
Amazon e-book: https://amzn.to/2NVxS0b
A Witch at Midnight
Spirited away by a demon on the eve of her wedding, Cassie Rose, high witch of the Wysteria Hedge Haven Clan, finds herself trapped in the dark Underworld realm of Hades. Determined to return to Wysteria and her husband-to-be, the powerful warlock Viceroy of Oregon, she manages to escape.
While running for her life, she encounters Nik Zaros, a man so handsome she swears he would put a Greek statue to shame. Strapped to a plow being pulled by the mighty Marathonian Bull, Nik has been tortured and is near death. Cassie can’t stand seeing him in such a terrible state, so she rescues him.
Upon recovering, Nik is overwhelmed by his attraction to the charming sorceress. Though she stirs his blood, he still suspects her of being in league with the demon, Prince Drakon. He discovers Cassie only wishes to be free from the demon’s control, just as does.
Relentlessly pursued by Prince Drakon, Cassie and Nik begin a dangerous journey across the Underworld. Dodging perils at every twist and turn, they develop a profound love.
Only ancient magic and a sacrifice of the heart can keep them together.
https://www.amazon.com/Witch-Midnight-Cindy-Keen-Reynder-ebook/dp/B07V5QGCNB/
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