Christina remained silent as Nicole continued.
“After Fraser died and his Uncle Darach went missing, Graham decided he needed to save the world...or at least Scotland. Or should I say as much of it as he could reach.” Nicole shook her head. “The country’s in rough shape, and he’s been trying to pick up its broken pieces ever since.”
“How so?” Christina said, her whisky forgotten.
“Mainly by putting his life on the line at every given opportunity to protect one clan or another,” she replied. “As he did, the face he showed us changed. It became not hardened as you would think but more lighthearted to overcompensate for what he saw out there. We had already lost Fraser, and I don’t think he wanted us to see him grow darker because of what he willingly saw happening all around us.”
“So his good nature now is, what...fake?” Christina murmured.
“Yes and no,” Nicole said. “I think in some ways, it’s becoming real. A coping mechanism. Or at least I hope so.” She shook her head again. “It’s hard to know because there’s nothing my son wouldn’t do to make sure as many people as possible are happy including his own family. The English have ravaged this land and just about broken its countrymen, so I think Graham is capable of anything at this point. And I think he’s capable of becoming anyone we need him to be.”
“That sounds so sad,” she whispered, again speaking before thinking. “But uplifting in its own way. All things considered, it sounds to me like he’s a survivor.” Her eyes went to Nicole’s. “And while I’m flattered I somehow affected his behavior since we met, it sounds like he was just embracing who he usually is lately.”
“To the common eye,” Nicole said. “But not to mine and his father’s.” She took Christina’s hand. “What we saw today was real. Somehow, some way, though he wasn’t stern like he used to be, we saw our son again for the first time in years.”
“Well, I’m glad,” she replied, not sure what else to say. She certainly had no clue what to think of it. “He’s pretty amazing.”
No lie there. He truly was. Watching him leave earlier, set to fight, was harder than she anticipated. Far too hard considering she had only met him hours before.
“He sure is.” Nicole cocked her head, curiosity in her eyes. “Nobody’s going to ask about it because they figure you’ve got to be overwhelmed, but I just can’t help myself.” Her brows inched up. “How’d you do it? How did you save me earlier without even Adlin, such a powerful wizard, ever sensing that arrow coming?”
“I...” Christina started, wanting to share but unable to push the words past her lips.
Seeing her struggle, Nicole squeezed her hand and shook her head. “No, that’s okay, you don’t have to share. Not yet and certainly not with me.”
“But I want to,” she began before a commotion sounded in the great hall.
“They’re back,” Nicole said softly, catching her unaware when she embraced her, patted her on the back then pulled away. “Now you’re going to want to drink a little, sweetheart.” She gestured at the mug. “Go on.”
When Christina narrowed her eyes, Nicole put the mug back in her hand. “Trust me, okay?”
When she hesitated, Nicole’s eyes rounded. “You don’t want to upset me again, do you?”
Christina shook her head, took a few hearty swigs and offered Nicole a crooked grin. “Good enough?”
“Probably not but it’ll have to do.” She looked Christina over and nodded. “You look great. Beautiful actually. The green really picks up your eye color and that figure and face...” She shook her head. “I can see why you turn so many heads.”
Christina frowned, curious if Nicole was up to something. “So are you trying to set me up with Graham or push me toward someone else?”
Nicole’s eyes narrowed. “Which would you prefer?”
“You know which.”
Her eyes narrowed further. “Do I?”
“I’d like to think so,” she said carefully, not sure in the least what to make of this conversation.
Soon enough it didn’t matter because Milly appeared at the door. “Hey there.” Her smile was a little off as she looked from Nicole to Christina. “They’re back, and they’ve brought visitors.”
Nicole nodded as they exited the room. Though the conversation with Graham’s mom hadn’t really been all that bad, Christina winked at Milly in passing and mouthed, “Thanks for saving me.”
Milly shook her head, the look on her face odd as Christina joined her and Nicole at the balcony looking down on the great hall. Her eyes flickered over the huge tapestry of a Viking before they fell to the people below.
More so, Graham and the gorgeous woman by his side.
Her stomach flipped as she gripped the banister. They weren’t touching or even looking at each other, but she knew they were close. Very close. As if he sensed her standing there, Graham’s eyes rose to hers. At first, he seemed startled before a wide smile blossomed on his face, and he waved.
“Come down, lass, and play along, aye?”
Disconcerted by her thoughts, she blinked several times. If she wasn’t mistaken, those thoughts, or words, had come from him.
“Like I said,” Nicole murmured. “You might want to take a few more sips, Christina.”
Not one to dismiss good advice, she polished off her mug and followed them downstairs. Though the atmosphere was somewhat somber as more and more clansmen arrived, weary from travel and battle, Graham’s smile only widened as Christina joined him.
“Christina, I’d like ye to meet my good friend, Kenna MacLauchlin.”
He introduced Kenna to Christina.
Even prettier up close with dark hair and hazel eyes, Kenna offered a small nod and weak smile. Christina had always been taller than most women at just over five foot nine, but standing next to this woman made her feel like a giant. She was even shorter than Jessie. Maybe five foot one if that. Which made Graham at what had to be at least six foot five look larger than life.
“This is the lass I told ye about, Kenna,” Graham declared as he wrapped an arm around Christina’s back and pulled her to his side. No kiss hello just pure awkwardness. What was going on?
“She’s my one true love,” he continued, his body tense but his smile easy. “I’m glad ye had the chance to meet her.”
“Me too,” Kenna said softly, eying Christina curiously. “’Tis not the average lass that can win over Graham MacLomain’s heart.”
“I...uh...” she stuttered before Graham intercepted.
“It seems I render her speechless, aye?” He grinned at Christina. “Come, lass, we’ll find ye another wee dram then mayhap ye’ll find yer tongue.”
“Hard to know,” she whispered as he nodded at Kenna then ushered Christina through the ever-thickening crowd. Instead of heading outside, which she would have almost preferred, they went in the direction of the massive fireplace with intricately carved faces on the mantle.
Graham received two mugs once they reached the fire which he set aside before he pulled her against him. He didn’t give her a knee-buckling kiss this time but brushed his lips across hers before simply holding her.
Cheek against his chest, she murmured, “So what’s going on, darlin’ because I’m not quite sure how much you need me to act the part right now.”
“You’re doing just fine,” he said softly. “This is enough for now.”
“Maybe for you,” she joked. Or did she? “So who’s Kenna for real? Is she why you need me?”
“Aye,” he whispered. “She is.”
Christina ignored the way her heart skipped before it slammed into her throat. “So what? You’re in love? Want to run off together?”
“Married.”
Forget heavy heart thumps. Hers pretty much stopped.
“Or soon to be,” he continued.
Not helpful. Her heart was still too wonky for her taste.
“Tell me more,” she managed. She had agreed to play this part. This was what she wanted. Not a s
crewy heart. Not over a man she barely knew.
“I care about her and intend to do right by her,” he continued, rubbing her back absently. “We’ve come too far.”
“Well, shoot,” she ground out and frowned up at him. “Did you get her pregnant?”
He frowned. “What?”
“Pregnant.”
“Nay.” He shook his head. “Why would you think that?”
Not ye but you. Something he seemed to be doing more and more with her.
“Never mind. Not pregnant,” she said. “So just plain ol’ love then?”
“You think love’s plain?” he murmured.
“Not really the point of my question.” She shrugged. “But yeah, it tends to be. At least for me.” She gestured in Kenna’s direction. “Back on track, handsome. What’s up between you two?”
The corner of his mouth curled up, and his eyes softened. “I like when you call me handsome.”
“And I like when you say you instead of ye.” She grinned. “It really is easier to follow in the long run.”
“I wasnae saying you.”
“You were.”
“Was I?”
“Yup and you wanna know why?”
He kept grinning. “Aye, I think I do.”
“Because you’re flirting with me for real, not for fake,” she provided.
He chuckled. “For fake?”
“Sure, why not?” She met his chuckle. “It got my point across right?” Then she snorted. “And I am operating under the influence of a quickly downed mug of powerful whisky.”
“Something tells me you can handle the whisky,” he murmured as their eyes held. “Something tells me you can handle anything.”
Ah, there, now her heart was back to normal. Sort of. It was downright racing. But at least it was consistent. She frowned and tried to remain focused. Mainly on Kenna. A woman she wished more by the moment didn’t exist. Yet she did. As a rule, Christina tried her best to steer clear of cheating bastards, so she needed to get to the bottom of whatever Graham was up to.
“Time to let me in on what you’re playing at, sugar,” she said. “Because you’ve got something pressed against my stomach that shouldn’t exist if you’re really with Kenna.”
When she tried to pull away, Graham’s arm only tightened around her. “I’m not, lass.” He pulled her cheek against his chest again, his voice very soft now in her ear. “I’m promised to marry her so that the MacLauchlin’s are protected by the MacLomain’s. We were about to marry in secret but then Milly traveled back in time, and the rings and gems started doing what they’re doing. That’s why I need your help. So that I can bypass whatever’s happening and see through my commitment to the MacLauchlin’s.”
While she should have asked far more logical and pressing questions, instead she murmured, “So you don’t...love her?”
“Aye,” he replied. “But only as a brother might love a sister.”
She hated how relieved she felt by that. Damn it, Christina. “I get most of what you’re saying.” She met his eyes. “What I don’t get is the need to marry, in secret or otherwise. Adlin doesn’t strike me as the type to turn away a clan in need. Wouldn’t the MacLomain’s protect the MacLauchlin’s no matter what? Didn’t you just do that today?”
“Aye, but doing such a thing might soon be out of our hands,” he said sadly. “As it stands now, the MacLauchlin’s are beholden to several clans for various reasons and Kenna being the former chieftain’s daughter, is a prize above most. Before her da died, he promised her to a number of lads from a few clans unbeknownst to the others. Anything to get what he needed to keep his clan alive.”
“That’s awful.” Christina frowned. “Why didn’t her father come to Adlin first and ask for help?”
“Pride amongst other things,” he murmured, not quite meeting her eyes.
“What other things?” she said, sensing more to all this.
“It doesnae matter anymore.”
“It does to me.” She cupped his cheek, so his eyes stayed with hers. “Who is she really, Graham?”
“Ye mean, who was she,” he said softly.
Christina pulled her hand away from his face and looked at him in question.
“She and Fraser once loved each other,” he finally relented, his voice pained. “Friends since wee bairns, they swore to marry.”
“Oh, God,” Christina whispered and finally managed to wriggle free of Graham’s arms. She didn’t go far but kept a hand on his chest. “I’m so sorry.” She shook her head. “What happened outside of the obvious and y’all losing him? Did they ever tell anyone? Because I would think that alone would ensure the MacLomain’s protection.”
“Her bloody da is what happened,” Graham growled. “Then her uncle who refused to see her married to Fraser unless my cousin became chieftain which wasnae going to happen.” He shook his head. “Her uncle was a cruel man. An opportunist who thought he might be able to accrue more with allied clans. For years, he used her as a pawn held just out of reach as he continued to entertain the highest bidders. Chieftains who have grown tired of waiting for their prize. Now her uncle’s dead too, and she’s been left verra vulnerable.”
He glanced at Kenna, then the MacLauchlin’s meandering about as he continued. “They’ve verra little left now beyond this lot.” His eyes met Christina’s again. “So ‘tis important that I avoid the MacLomain, Broun connection and see this through with Kenna. That way, she and her clan are given a fighting chance. A chance to be free of the lairds that nearly sunk them and protected from clans that think they have claimed rights to their land and livestock. Most especially Kenna herself.”
How awful for poor Kenna. She could certainly see the reasoning behind getting her married to a MacLomain as soon as possible. Though tempted to ask him why he felt the need to take this on himself when there were clearly other MacLomain clansmen around, she refrained. His mother had mentioned his need to save everyone, and it seemed she was right. Not only that but it really wasn’t any of Christina’s business. So if he felt he needed to do this, she would absolutely support him.
They had made a deal after all.
“I understand.” She nodded, more impressed than ever by him. “I’ll play along and help any way I can. You know I will.”
“You have my thanks, lass,” he murmured. “More than you know.”
She nodded, wanting to ask more questions. Mainly, what things would be like once they married. Was he hoping they might fall in love as time went by? Because that sort of thing happened, especially under extenuating circumstances.
Friends turned to lovers then far more.
As her eyes held his though, she didn’t ask a darn thing. Mainly, because it was not her place. Not to mention, she wasn’t really sure she wanted to hear the answer. Here she should be hoping for such a thing considering all Kenna had gone through yet it was hard to want. It was hard hoping Graham, and the little Scotswoman fell in love and lived happily ever after. Which, as a whole, made Christina feel pretty disappointed in herself.
Irritated with her thoughts, she scooped up the mug he had set aside, took a hearty swig and stood with her back to the fire. Graham remained silent, his eyes never leaving hers as the moment stretched. She saw the emotions in his eyes. The things he wanted to say but never could.
It was there.
Something already existed between them.
Something she had agreed to extinguish before it had a chance to ignite.
A flame snuffed out when it had only just been lit.
She frowned at her own musings. Why were they suddenly so fire-related? Ironically enough, considering he was half dragon, Bryce melted out of the crowd with a strange look in his eyes. “What is it, Christina? Why did you call me?”
She shook her head, confused, but didn’t feel overly pressured to answer him as her eyes rose to the Viking tapestry. Easily thirty feet tall, it was a work of art and the man depicted in it more so.
Those eyes of his.
The way they fell to hers.
“Death comes to those who fly,” he whispered, his words barely audible just like Rona’s had been when she said the exact same thing in New Hampshire. “Death comes to Scotland.”
Suddenly the ocean behind him came to life, and the wave peaks took on a familiar symbol.
“A dragon on fire,” she whispered.
“That’s right,” came a deep voice from her right. “Prophecy.”
“Holy crap,” she managed as her eyes turned to a tall, striking dark haired man with steely blue eyes dressed in leather from head to toe. Tattooed with broad shoulders and braided hair, a wry grin curled his lips as he looked over her head at someone. “Found you.”
“Loki’s balls, I was not hiding,” a blond haired woman said from her left.
“Aðísla?” came a distant voice before Graham yanked Christina against him and the floor dropped out from beneath them.
They were traveling through time again.
“Oh, man,” she muttered against his chest as she squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms around him. “Really not crazy about this.”
Graham cupped the back of her head, his arm tight around her waist as they seemed suspended in thin air for a moment before the ground bumped against her feet. Legs braced, he kept them from stumbling as the pressure of time travel faded, and they were left in complete darkness.
“Where are we?” she mumbled against his chest, more than happy to stay there until this nightmare ended.
“I dinnae know.”
“Is your voice echoing?”
“Aye.”
“I’m here too,” came a soft feminine voice. “And scared, Graham. What is happening?”
Kenna.
Of course.
Her adventure though time would have to include the other woman.
Not the other woman she preached to herself. Because that would mean Christina was the main woman and that was the furthest thing from the truth.
Promised to a Highland Laird Page 6
