Chapter 34
Callum came up behind Sadie and laid his hands on her shoulders. “It’s all o’er. He’s asleep, and Rob’s ta’en him upstairs.”
Sadie shuddered. “Dear God, how could anyone survive that?”
“He’s a strong one, and he has got ’Azel. She’ll make sure he recovers from this.”
“He lost his sight. He’ll never be the same.”
He slipped his arms around her. “He’ll live. That’s the most important thing. He’s still Urlu. He’ll go home and go back tae his auld life. He’ll be different, but he’ll still be me wee brother.”
She squirmed around in his arms to face him. “I want to go with you. I want to go home with you. I want to see it and live there and be part of it.”
He kissed her. “Ye will be. I’ll no go anywhere withoot ye. Rest assured o’ that.”
She buried her face in his chest. “I still can’t comprehend it all.”
“It’s awright now, lassie,” he breathed. “Ye’re safe from it all.”
Footsteps made her look up, and they both stared at Lachlan coming out of the dining room. He hesitated when he saw them entwined in each other’s arms. He would have passed by without a word to climb the stairs, but Sadie broke out of Callum’s arms to approach him. “Wait, Lachlan.”
He shook his head. He avoided meeting her gaze. “Aye, lassie. I ken how it is, and ye’ll get no trouble from me.”
“It’s not that,” she replied. “I want to thank you for everything you did out there. I won’t forget it, and I’m sure Callum won’t, either.”
Lachlan bit back a grin. “Ye’re still me guests in this castle. Ye didnae think I’d allow ye tae come tae harm under me very nose.”
She couldn’t hold back her laughter, but tears burned her eyes. “Thank you, Lachlan. I’m sure you’ll have a friend in Urlu for life.”
“I’m sure I will, and ye ’ere as weel.”
Callum came to her side. “There mun’ be a way we can help ye find this woman under the sea.”
“She’s mine tae find,” Lachlan replied, “and I’ll find her. Ye and yer family mun’ return tae yer own country. Yer brother cinnae stay ’ere. That’s certain, and the rest o’ ye dinnae belaing here.”
“How will you deal with the vampires when they come?” Sadie asked.
“We’ll deal tae ’em,” he replied. “We mun’ find these women as he says. That’s the ainly answer. I’m ainly grateful he saw where she was afore he lost his sight. He ga’e tae me e’en in that. Dinnae ask me how I’ll bring her up, as I cinnae go under the sea tae find her, but that’s a matter fer another day.”
“Ye’ll ha’e a wee while afore the next assault,” Callum told him. “We ha’e seen that wi’ our own curse. Ye’ll ha’e perhaps several months tae organize yerselves, and it willnae be the vampires again, but summat else that comes. Ye’ve no notion what it’ll be or which direction it’ll come from, but it’ll be summat different. That’s the ainly certainty. Ye defeat one thing and it doesnae return.”
Lachlan sighed. “That’s a mercy.” He thrust out his hand to Callum. “take care o’ her, mon. take her home.”
“I will,” Callum replied.
Lachlan took hold of Sadie’s two hands. “Ye mun’ be happy, lassie. I’ll no ask ye tae come back. Ye’ll make yer home there. That’s how I’ll remember ye. I’ll remember ye happy there.”
“Thank you, Lachlan. Thank you for everything.”
“It’s I who mun’ thank ye,” he replied. “Ye’ve done naught but gi’e tae me since ye first entered me Hoose. Ye’ve blessed me and me Clan. It’s ye and yers who ha’e gi’en us hope and shown us the way forward. Now ye mun’ do the same fer yerselves. Take yer brother and go home, and dinnae bother aboot us anymore. We’ll be just grand in the end.”
He walked away, up the stairs and out of sight. Callum watched him go. Then he took Sadie’s hand. “Come alaing, lassie. We’ll spend one night more here tae gi’e Fergus a rest, and then we’ll go.”
He led her upstairs and into their own room. He sat her down on their bed and kissed her, and he protected her in his arms. He prized her above every treasure he could imagine. Of all the heroes on the battlefield that day, he admired her the most. She accomplished what no one else could, and she cemented an alliance with Lachlan that would transcend the generations.
Thanks to her, he could turn his back on relations between the Camerons and the McLeans. His Clan would always have friends in this part of the world, and powerful friends at that.
Callum wished he could help Lachlan more, but he understood the young Laird’s desire to handle this himself. Callum and his family already helped Lachlan as much as they could. Even Fergus sacrificed so much to impart a valuable clue to this mystery.
Callum closed his eyes, and Sadie rested her head on his chest. His heart beat against her ear. He would make off with this treasure, and he would never live to see her in danger again. He would take her where she would be safe and happy. Nothing else mattered.
She slipped her delicate hand under his shirt. Her fingers sent sparkles racing down his skin. At that moment, a knock sounded on the door. He groaned and climbed to his feet. “Who is it?”
“It’s Jamie.”
Callum opened the door, and Jamie glanced around the room until he saw Sadie lying on the bed.
“Weel?” Callum barked. “What is it?”
Jamie shifted from one foot to the other. “I can see ye mean tae return tae Urlu.”
“Aye,” Callum replied. “Ye cinnae fault me fer that, and ye’re returnin’, too. Fergus’ll need all o’ us aboot him now.”
“I’m no goin’ back,” Jamie replied. “I’m goin’ on tae Cameron land.”
Callum’s eyes flew open. “Ye cinnae be serious.”
Jamie didn’t smile. “Aye. I’m goin’ on.”
“Do ye ken what Angus’ll do tae ye when ye dinnae come back?” Callum shot back.
“Weel,” Jamie remarked, “he’ll do naught tae me as I’ll no be there tae do it tae.”
Callum glared at him. “Is this yer idea o’ a joke? Did ye see Fergus downstairs? How can ye run off and leave him like this?”
“Fergus doesnae need me,” Jamie replied, “and Angus doesnae need me, either. Fergus can still fly, I reckon. He can still shoot his fire, and he’s got ’Azel and all the rest o’ ye tae wipe his nose fer him. As fer Angus….”
Callum growled low under his breath. “Dinnae let me hear ye talkin’ aboot Fergus like that.”
“I’m sorry, mon,” Jamie replied. “I ha’e made up me mind. I’m goin’ on. Wi’ any luck, I’ll be back tae Urlu afore too laing.”
“Ye’re no goin’ anywhere, lad,” Callum snapped. “Ye’re goin’ home wi’ the rest o’ us.”
“A mon can stand and fall on his own decisions,” Jamie replied. “Ye said that yerself, Callum. I set out o’ Urlu tae visit the folk, and that’s what I mean tae do. Ye cinnae change me mind, and ye cinnae haul me home like a bairn, either. I’m goin, and ye can tell Angus I said so. If he wants tae take it up wi’ summat, he can take it up wi’ me.”
Callum stared at the man in front of him. He always considered Jamie a stripling. Now he stood up tall and sturdy in front of Callum’s eyes. He made his choice, and he would stand or fall on it. Nothing could turn him aside. Callum saw that in a flash.
In front of his eyes, Jamie turned on his heel and walked away. He didn’t wait to hear Callum’s response. Callum gazed out into the empty landing beyond the door. What just happened? Jamie’s transformation threw over everything Callum believed about the world. It destroyed his old life more surely than anything else that happened. Not even falling in love with Sadie could affect him like this.
How long he stood there in a daze, he had no idea. He turned around to find Sadie regarding him from the bed. Her clear eyes bored into his soul. He shut the door and sat down on the bed next to her.
“He’ll be okay,” she murmured.
What would the Cameron family be without little baby Jamie at the bottom of the pecking order? Where would they all be without Jamie cracking his lame jokes and never taking anything seriously?
If Jamie changed into a powerful, serious, unstoppable man of action, Callum didn’t know what to do with himself. Nothing made sense anymore.
Sadie touched his cheek, and he raised his eyes to her face. Nothing made sense but this warm, vibrant, intelligent, fearless woman at his side. He didn’t need to understand anything else.
He closed his eyes and let her draw him down into her embrace. Tomorrow morning, he would take her home with him to Urlu. She would join the life of the castle. She would understand all these forces as well as the rest, and she would contribute her strength and her brains and her determination to making Urlu as great and as prosperous as it could be.
Chapter 35
Sadie blinked up into the brilliant sun sparkling out of the sky. She couldn’t remember when she saw a day like this. A cloud hung over her since she first came to the Isle of Mull. It darkened every day until she no longer recognized the bright world of hope and happiness. Maybe the spell yesterday cleared the air of cloud as well as vampires.
Lachlan and Christie came out of the castle. They paused to let their eyes adjust to the light. Lachlan clasped Sadie’s hand. “I’ll no say good-bye tae ye again, lassie. Ye ken ye take me heart away wi’ ye.”
“Take care of yourself, Lachlan,” she replied. “You call on us if you need our help again.”
She hugged Christie. “Thank you. Thank you for everything. I don’t know how to show you….”
“Wheesht, lassie,” he murmured. “Ye’ll embarrass me in front o’ these men.”
She laid her hand on his cheek and swallowed hard to get her voice under control. “I wouldn’t want to do that.”
Fergus sat on the steps below her. His face still showed the lines of strain, but a good night’s sleep did wonders for him. He smiled more, and he closed his eyes to the sun and sighed.
Hazel stood next to him. She hugged Jamie. “Take care of yourself out there. Don’t get caught up in any more wars, okay? There won’t be anybody to come and get me to bail you out.”
“Aye, lassie,” Jamie replied. “I’ll be extra careful tae come home tae ye.”
He kissed her on the cheek and moved on down the row of loved ones to Robbie standing nearby. Robbie hugged him and thumped him on the back. “Ye’ll get yerself intae mischief, I ha’e no doubt. Ye could ne’er keep out o’ trouble, and now ye’ll no ha’e Callum tae mind ye. Angus would ne’er approve o’ this.”
“Then it’s lucky fer me he’s no ’ere,” Jamie replied. “I’d hate tae get in a fight against him tae prove me point.”
“Ye ha’e proved it,” Callum grumbled.
The smile dissolved off Jamie’s face when he approached Callum. “Forgive me fer this, mon. I cinnae part o’ ye wi’ ye angry at me.”
Callum looked down at the ground. “I’m no angry wi’ ye, lad. I’m angry at meself fer no seein’ this comin’. ’Ere all these years I told meself ye were a lad, and now I wake up one fine autumn mornin’ and find ye’re a mon. I’m a fool, and I ha’e none tae blame but meself.”
“Dinnae say that, mon,” Jamie murmured.
Callum squeezed his shoulder. “Ye mun’ go and do this fer yerself. I’ll survive it somehow or other, and when ye come home tae Urlu, I’ll be used tae it. On ye go now, lad. I’ll no be able tae call ye that any lainger. That’s the worst o’ it.”
Jamie swallowed hard and turned away. He hugged the rest of his loved ones and marched out into the field. He turned to wave. The next minute, he launched. The sun flashed on his golden sides. He flexed his wings and soared skyward.
He swept around the castle once and turned his head to the east. In a moment, he raced out of sight over Loch Linnhe toward the mainland beyond.
Sadie sighed. “I sure do hate to see him go.”
“He’ll be just fine,” Elle replied. “He always is. You can always bank on him turning up like a bad smell just when you thought you got rid of him.”
The others snickered. Hazel clapped her hands. “Let’s get out of here. Come on. Who’s ready?”
Fergus stood up. “I’m wi’ ye.”
She took his hand, and they both set off running across the field. They took wing at the same instant. The red and blue dragons circled the castle to wait for their friends.
Robbie climbed down the steps. “Come alaing, lassie. Up ye go.”
He dropped onto his hands, and his great green sides rose high overhead. He stretched his neck, and his tail whipped out behind him. He spread his wings and beat the air. Elle came to his side, and Robbie knelt down to let her climb onto his back.
Sadie watched in amazement while Elle settled herself in the crook behind his neck. Elle perched high above the ground like she belonged there. She sat deep in the groove where his neck met his shoulders.
The green dragon turned away and took wing. Elle kept her seat against the wind in her face. Robbie joined the other two soaring against the clouds.
“Yer turn, lassie,” Callum told Sadie. “Are ye ready fer this?”
Sadie stared at him. She never really accepted until this moment that she would ride on a dragon. She never put going to Urlu together with riding a dragon. Now she faced the inevitable reality. She couldn’t leave if she didn’t ride a dragon.
She blinked at the man in front of her. He was a dragon. This was the man she loved, her Callum, and he was the dragon she would have to ride.
Now that she really looked at him, she recognized that hidden power hidden under his skin. She saw the dragon buried beneath the surface. It was there all the time. She just never saw it before.
How could she miss it? Now that she knew it was there, she would see it all the time. The man was nothing but a façade, a veneer. The dragon was the real Callum, the proud and noble heart she loved so much.
He walked down the steps. He changed before her eyes, and the sun reflected the copper off his scales. She knew this dragon now. His magnificence captivated her. She worshiped him like this, but she still couldn’t bring herself to go near him.
He strutted in a circle. His head bobbed on his neck when he turned his gleaming eyes to stare at her. His tail coiled and slithered behind him. His wings unfurled in the clear air.
He knelt down and crooked one leg to form a step. He waited for her to climb up. She saw herself climbing up, but she still didn’t move.
She blinked, and he changed back. He faced her as a man. He eyed her, but he said nothing. She had to do this all by herself. He couldn’t make it any easier for her than this.
He changed back one more time. He locked his eyes on her face and bent low. All she had to do was walk down those steps, climb on his back, and away they would go. Elle made it look easy. It was easy, so why couldn’t she do it?
This was ridiculous. She dreamed all this time about leaving. What could be so hard about riding a dragon—a friendly one, no less? She shook herself out of her reverie and forced herself down the steps.
His massive sides seethed with his breath. He kept his wings still so they wouldn’t rustle and startle her. His knee came up to her thigh. She could easily step onto it and from there swing her leg over his neck.
She put out her hand. A charge of energy radiated off his scales into her palm. She let her hand fall on his shoulder, and a shiver ran down his spine. She stroked the smooth, hard surface. The scales shimmered iridescent in the light.
She crawled her hand down his side. He was alive under that tough exterior. His whole body tingled to move. She fingered the stiff spikes along his back and tail. His tail twitched once. This whole massive creature breathed life and power and mystery.
She returned
to his head. This was Callum. Those words kept repeating in her mind. This was Callum, her Callum. She loved him. She wanted him. She wanted all of this.
All at once, she knew she had to do it. She wanted to do it, and she would. In a second, she planted her foot on his knee and vaulted onto his back. She swung over his neck like she was mounting a horse. His neck formed a perfect seat.
Her movement sparked a chain reaction in him. He exploded off the ground and launched into the air. Sadie shrieked in excitement. The wind blasted in her face and cut through her clothes, but she never wanted this to stop.
He pumped his wings. His whole body undulated with the power of his muscles working, but the hollow where she sat stayed still and smooth. He rocketed into the air where the others waited for him.
Before he reached them, they turned their heads for home. They raced out over the open sea and angled north. Callum banked and soared back over Duart Castle. Sadie saw the Isle of Mull lying peacefully serene in a calm sea. The smooth surface spread all the way out to the western horizon.
All the pain and fear and agony of the last several weeks dwindled to nothing far below her. How small and insignificant it appeared now. She left it all far behind in the past. Nothing remained but the future leading her onward.
Callum bent his head and whizzed over the mountain peaks to catch up with his brothers. He raced past Robbie’s shoulder going faster than lightning. Elle whooped, and the two dragons took off in a hurtling, tumbling game of cat and mouse.
One overtook the other. Robbie made a dive, and his jaws snapped on thin air an inch away from Callum’s face. Callum shrieked to the skies. He soared high into the clouds, stooped, and plummeted at his brother. The copper missile smashed against Robbie’s wing and knocked him reeling.
Wolf Castle Page 24
