“Do try no’ to cast a spell of frogs into his food,” Aedan teased.
“I donnae ken what you are implying,” Caylean replied the area lightened and the air normalized.
Aedan shrugged, “I am nae implying anything.” They reached the gate of the keep and Aedan let his son enter before him. “All will be well.”
***
“Caylean, love,” his mother held him close. “’Tis so very good to see you. You have been greatly missed.”
“I have missed you all every day,” he admitted. “Father tells me you had another child, without complication I hope.”
“Och indeed, she is a beauty,” Isla answered. “And takes after her father.”
Aedan puffed out his chest and nodded.
“I am sure, when she is grown, she will wish to be more like her mother,” Weylyn teased.
“Och, thank you,” Aedan laughed. “I take my looks after you, Da’.”
“Aye but of the two of us I am the better looking,” Weylyn winked. “’Tis good to see you, lad.”
“And you seanair,” Caylean said. “I have missed our talks.”
“Aye, so have I,” Weylyn replied. “Eithne and I are expecting. Did Aedan tell you?”
“Nay,” Caylean lied convincingly. “That is wonderful news.”
Aedan took a deep breath of his son’s scent and frowned. Wolves and humans gave a strong odor when they lied but Caylean had no sort of scent. His eyes caught Isla’s, her face configured as a confused expression lined her eyes.
“She is only in her first moon cycles so we believe nearing Samhain we shall have another pup,” Weylyn explained.
“You are as proud as ever, seanair,” Caylean smiled. “I am very happy for you.”
“Come you must be starving,” Isla offered once everyone had a chance to greet him.
“I was able to stop in a village on the way,” Caylean confessed. “I am quite all right and I understand we are to have company this eve.”
“Aye, ’twas my idea,” Tristan answered. “If I had kenned you were going to come home I would have put it off another day. We should have a homecoming feast for you.”
“I wish nae fuss to be made,” he replied. “If you so desire, perhaps we can combine the events this eve.”
“Aye,” Aedan looked over at his Alpha. “I could propose a toast. Nae one need ken.”
“But I feel uneasy,” Tristan answered. “I wish to welcome you home properly.”
“Donnae fash,” Caylean replied. “Truly it is all well. May I ask, where is Giorsal?”
“She will nae leave her room,” Alexina said. “We have tried but she was forbidden to see her young lad and now she will nae leave her room.”
“Perhaps,” Caylean hesitated. “With your permission, Alpha, I could speak with her?”
“I think that would be a grand idea,” Tristan answered. “’Tis her young lad we are having for dinner so I do hope she will join us.”
“I will tell her,” Caylean replied. Heading to the stairs, he turned and addressed his family. “It is truly a pleasure to be home. I thank you all for no’ changing.”
“Och, lad,” Weylyn answered. “You ken we could nae even if we wanted.”
Chapter
Eleven
Giorsal lay on her bed clutching a pillow to her chest, when Caylean had left, she had swiped a pillow from his room. Now two years later, it smelled only faintly of him but it still gave her comfort. Tears were not forming and anger hurt her heart. Her family still treated her as a child. Oh, gods how she wished Caylean to be there. He would not allow them to treat her like that. She missed him sorely and still had dreams of what it would be like to kiss him. Once, her dream was so vivid she could have sworn that it was real but then she woke in her bed and knew it could not have happened but the strange thing was she did not remember going to bed.
“Och, stop it,” she berated herself. “He will nae be here even if I wish on a thousand stars. He made his choice. He left. He will nae see me as a woman. Galbraith would never be so cruel.” Rolling to her side, she huffed. As much as she hated herself for it, she believed she had only used Galbraith. She had missed Caylean and truly wanted him, her emotions had transferred to the human lad. Shutting her eyes tightly, “Caylean,” she whispered. “If you can hear me, come home. I miss you so.”
“I am here, lass,” his voice was so strong it startled her. Sitting up she looked around the room eventually resting on the door. As if she had conjured him from Erin, he stood there, dressed as a druid traveler, his clothes were odd, but worn. A tunic made of wool covered his body but the colors were different, a muted green and brown. His over tunic was thick with leather and she smelled fox fur. His leggings covered his legs all the way down to his soft leather boots. His body had filled out its lanky frame and his brown hair was much shorter than she remembered. But his eyes, she would never forget them even if she lived to be one thousand years old. The deep grey eyes seemed older and more cunning. His strong jaw was covered in two days’ worth of beard growth. He wore several necklaces around his neck and they hung down to his mid chest. “Do I nae get a welcome home?”
She was not sure if he had spoken. Indeed, she did not know if she was even awake.
“Caylean?” she breathed.
“Aye lass, I am home,” he stated. Slowly she stood from her bed and when she knew he was not going to vanish into thin air, she raced to him and threw her arms around his neck. His arms wrapped around her waist and he pulled her tightly into him. There were muscles around his back and arms she did not remember. Had it only been two years? She wondered. “Och, lass I have missed you, so.”
“And I you, Cay,” she said. “Gods how I have missed you!” Pulling back, she looked up at him. Always a handsome man, her heart ached with an unknown desire. She had never felt the knots in her stomach nor the rush of heat that overcame her looking at him. The last time she had seen him she had not reached maturity.
“What is this?” he wiped his thumbs across the apple of her cheeks. “Tears of joy I hope.”
“Aye, great joy,” she answered. “For you have returned to me.”
“I have, on the same night your young lad is to dine with us,” he said tightly.
“What?” she asked. “What do you mean?”
“Only that father and Tristan told me that a young man from the village has caught your eye and you are to dine with him tonight,” Caylean answered.
“When?” she demanded.
“They but told me when I was downstairs,” he said. “They also said you have nae been out of your room. Something is bothering you?”
“I cannae speak about it, I have too much to do,” she whirled away from him. “I must prepare. If Galbraith is to come to dinner tonight, I must bathe and plait my hair. Och, why did they nae tell me?”
She was speaking to herself and did not hear the soft click of the door closing behind Caylean.
***
His heart hurt so deeply. Over in Erin, he had waited for her as best he could but Dagda told him that if he wanted to continue in his studies he must put aside his wolf self and be a druid wholly and completely. The only thing he was not expecting was that, to enter the highest level, he would have to bed the women of his grove to please the gods. Never thinking he would have a mate, he complied but looking at Giorsal, he hated himself. He had not waited for her as he had promised and now it seemed she had not waited for him.
Resting his back against the door to her room, he closed his eyes and shut out the pain and tears he felt. She had not betrayed him, they had no understanding. He had wiped her mind of their kiss but he still remembered. The feel of her in his arms, the brush of her soft lips on his, the pain he felt when he had to leave her after he carried her to her room, it all came back to him. Closing his mind and heart to the pain, he pushed away from the door and walked down the stairs to help where needed for the unwanted guest.
Chapter
Twelve
Caylea
n sensed the lad entering their lands before any of the wolves. Reverting into himself for a moment, his trance took him to the lad’s mind. Darkness overtook Caylean and he waded through the murky mire. Before he had a chance to discover the lad’s true motive, he was snapped out of his trance by his father’s laugh.
“Caylean, come meet your new sister,” Aedan called. The grin on his face blinded him as he held his new born child.
“Aye, da’,” Caylean replied. “I wish to bestow a blessing. What is her name?”
Just as Aedan said the name and Caylean bestowed a blessing on his sister, the doors opened and Tristan walked in with Galbraith behind him. The lad, still heavily armed, walked with an air of authority and arrogance. Caylean immediately did not like him.
“Welcome to MacRiok Keep,” Alexina approached them and curtsied.
“Allow me to introduce my lady wife, Alexina,” Tristan introduced.
Galbraith bowed low. “A great pleasure, my lady,” he said. “I can see where Giorsal received her beauty.”
Caylean rolled his eyes. Aedan passed his new daughter off to another member of the pack and joined his alpha to greet the young chief’s heir. Isla and Eithne joined them leaving Caylean and Weylyn alone near the fireplace.
“Allow me the great pleasure of introducing my son Caylean, to you Galbraith,” Aedan said. “He has just recently returned from Erin.”
Galbraith’s eyes turned to Caylean and widened as he observed the man before him.
“Caylean? Giorsal’s Caylean?” he asked.
“Aye,” Caylean puffed his chest out and raised his head in pride.
“She has told me much of you,” Galbraith said. “I feel I ken you already.”
“That is nae possible, but I appreciate the gesture,” Caylean answered.
“Galbraith,” Giorsal’s excited voice drew their attention. Caylean turned and his breath rushed out of him. Never had he had such a strong physical reaction to a female. Giorsal’s hair was plaited in a braid around the crown of her head, the golden silky tresses reflected the candle lights dancing in the chandelier. Her gown was a deep green and fell around her in velvety layers, the bodice was tied with crisscrossing leather strips. She took his breath away and his body ached with a need he did not want to describe.
“Giorsal,” Galbraith breathed. His voice panting her name, caused Caylean’s blood to stir in a different direction. Instead of passion to make her his, jealously raced through his veins. “You look beautiful, lass.”
She blushed and curtsied. “’Tis good to see you,” she said.
“And you,” he replied taking a step towards her. “I have missed you.” His breathy tone disturbed Caylean and, before he could stop himself, he looked up sharply at the chandelier and it came crashing down narrowly missing Galbraith.
“My goodness,” Alexina cried. “I am so sorry! I cannae believe that just happened! Tristan, you must do something to fix that!”
“Aye,” Tristan replied calmly. “Perhaps the females would give us males a moment? We will have this fixed in nae time at all.”
“Of course,” Isla walked around her son glancing his way with disapproval in her eyes. “Come with us, let us show you the keep, Galbraith.”
Once they were alone, the men circled Caylean.
“Do try and contain yourself, lad,” Aedan replied.
“’Twas nae intentional,” Caylean answered. “I did nae mean for it to fall.”
“Nay, of course, but you did cause it to fall nearly crushing our guest,” Weylyn stated.
“I donnae like him,” he justified. “The way he looks at her…”
“Aye, we agree, but Caylean you must contain yourself,” Tristan said. “You must for all our sakes.”
“He does nae like what we are,” Caylean replied. “I tried to read his mind this eve when I felt him near and all I could sense was darkness.”
“We felt it as well, but you must forego your desire to hurt him while he is on our lands,” Tristan ordered. “If something were to happen to him, his father would be after us all and I will nae allow that nae matter how much I dislike him and his attentions towards my daughter.”
“So, for now,” Weylyn continued. “We ask that you treat him as a guest. Nae more nae less, Caylean. Trust me, garmhac I donnae like him either, but he is who Giorsal wants at the moment.”
A growl began deep in Caylean’s chest and worked its way up his throat. The men looked at him knowingly.
“We understand but now put that back in its place,” Tristan said.
“You think I can do that?” Caylean demanded.
“You brought it down, did you no’?” Tristan asked. “I expect you can put it back.”
Huffing a sigh, Caylean waved his hand and the chandelier pieced back together. With a flick of his wrist the wooden piece flew up to the ceiling and reattached itself to the chain. When he was finished, his father turned to him.
“You have grown much in these last couple of years, son,” Aedan said.
“Aye, in more ways than I care to admit,” he answered.
Nodding slowly, Aedan asked for a moment alone with his son. When the two of them were by themselves, he continued.
“I ken what you must have gone through over there, Caylean,” Aedan said, when Caylean looked cynical, he went on. “Nay, allow me to rephrase that. I believe what you went through was similar in some ways to my training as War Chief. But I see a guilt in your eyes and a maturity in the way you look at Giorsal that nae man of wolf blood should look at someone other than the female he has mated. You look at Giorsal in a way of a man desiring a physical connection. You ken the act of love making.” Caylean looked away, closed his eyes tightly but nodded. “How?” Aedan asked gently.
“It was necessary to reach one of the highest levels within the druid circle. I had to set aside my wolf ideas of physical love and honor the gods by taking the women of the grove to bed,” Caylean explained.
“I see,” Aedan answered softly.
“Please, I beg of you, donnae tell anyone,” he pleaded. “I could nae bare it if anyone were to ken of my… maturity. Especially seanair and Giorsal.”
“Son,” Aedan began. “You do ken their way of life is nae yours, aye? They chose their path just as you have. Da’ would nae think poorly of you and Giorsal would understand.”
“Would she?” he demanded.
Pausing a moment, Aedan nodded.
“Perhaps she would nae,” he stated. “But let me tell you something, Caylean.” Stepping forward, Aedan told him a secret. “When I believed I was human, I had many a lass until I met your mother. That is something we men are allowed to explore without reprisals. Our women ken that. As long as we are with only them from the time we pledge our lives to them until our dying breath, they will be a loyal wife to us. There is nae shame in it. Donnae hold yourself to a higher level than the rest of your pack; it can only bring destruction.”
“Truly? You?” Caylean asked.
“Donnae look so shocked, lad,” Aedan replied. “We were all human once. But truly if your past in Erin is holding you back from telling Giorsal how you feel, that is nae a reason. You must tell her for she may feel the same. Learn from your grandfather’s history with Eithne. He loved her from the moment he awoke in the cave in Wolf’s Bane Field and fought his desires until Loeiza made her choice to stay with Gregor. Donnae be your grandfather, lad. You have eternity ahead of you, make sure you have the right woman by your side.”
“She is nae immortal, da’,” he groaned.
“Nay but she has a choice yet to make,” Aedan explained. “If you are to her what she is to you, she will make the right one. Have faith. Now come we cannae keep everyone waiting.”
Chapter
Thirteen
“Tell us about yourself, Galbraith,” Alexina started as they sat at the dining table in the great hall. The first course was over and the second was being brought from the kitchens.
“There is nae much to tell, my lad
y,” he answered. “I am the first-born son of The MacRae. When my father passes, I will take over for him.”
“I hope our alliance will continue when your father does pass,” Tristan said. “He looked poorly when I saw him this morn.”
“He is nae well, ’tis true, but still possesses a fighting heart,” Galbraith answered.
“You speak of him with such pride,” Giorsal awed.
“Aye, he is my father,” Galbraith answered. “And to answer you, Alpha, I do hope this alliance will continue well into the future.”
The overpowering putrid odor from his blatant lie nearly choked Caylean. His eyes flashed to his father sitting across from the human. Aedan’s nose had scrunched in disgust when he smelled the lie. Father and son locked eyes for a moment then glanced away.
“Do you have any siblings?” Isla asked.
“Aye,” Galbraith answered. “One younger brother and a sister.”
“Are they married?” Alexina asked.
“My sister is betrothed to the Farquharson Chief,” Galbraith answered.
“Sheiling?” Aedan questioned surprise clouding his eyes.
“Nay, his son, Sheiling died many years ago,” Galbraith replied. “Were you acquainted? You could nae, he was an old man when he died.”
“When did he die?” Aedan demanded after his former chief and dear friend.
“Five or seven years ago now,” Galbraith explained. “His son Nairn is Chief now.”
“Nar?” Aedan laughed. “Gods I remember when he was born!”
“Surely you must have kenned the son and no’ his father,” Galbraith said. “You are forty at most, aye? Nairn is entering his thirty-third year.” Tristan flashed his yellow eyes as a warning to Aedan.
“Aye, I kenned both of course, they were my clan before I kenned of my birthright,” Aedan answered. “But you are correct. Sheiling was far too busy to care about a… mere village lad.”
Midnight Sky (The Wolf's Bane Saga Book 3) Page 16
