Page 60 of Taken By the Devilish Highlander
“Nay, these arenae for the bairns,” she explained. “These are for your soldiers. For all the friends ye lost in the war. The brothers ye havenae forgotten.”
His chest tightened, and he felt something painful in his throat. Feya had planted these trees for him? He looked at the small plants with new interest, touched by the gesture. The light played tricks along the edge of the field, where mature trees stretched toward the sky. He could almost see the men there. He could imagine them looking out, approving of this memorial spot.
“I hope it isnae too painful,” Feya said. She looked at the ground, letting words tumble out of her. “A woman in the village lost her bairn, and Holly planted a tree for the babe. It was such a simple gesture, but now that mother will have a place to grieve, a living thing to stand in for her loss. I thought it might help ye. I thought?—”
“Feya,” he said, resting a hand on her arm. They were both kneeling in the dirt, inspecting the little trees that swayed gently in the breeze. “It’s perfect.”
She smiled, clearly relieved.
“I never thought of commemorating them.” Archer stood up and walked along the line of trees, taking in each one of them as he passed.
“They’re apple trees,” she said, rushing to catch up with them. “It will take them some years to bear fruit, of course, but it will be an orchard before ye ken it.”
He imagined walking out here in five years, bringing baskets and crates to pull in a fall harvest. He could share the fruit with the villagers, maybe even show them this spot here in the woods on the outskirts of the castle. It could be a commemorative spot for all of them, a place to remember.
Archer swallowed hard as emotion swelled in his chest.
“Thank ye,” he said.
“Nineteen trees,” she told him. “One for every man ye lost that day. The battle when your faither was killed.”
He smiled at her and took her hand, pulling her closer to him. Archer kissed her sweetly, wishing she could understand all his emotions in that one kiss. As it was, he couldn’t put words to what he was feeling, to how special this gesture was.
“Thank ye,” he said again. “Ye have truly helped me.”
He didn’t quite know the truth of these words until he said them out loud. Feya really had helped him with these haunting memories. She had shown him he could pull himself out of those dark thoughts. And, most importantly, she had reminded him that there were still things in his life that were worth living for.
“And now I must make good on me side of the bargain,” he said, resting a hand on her cheek. “Ye helped me with me nightmares. Now I must bring ye home to your family safely.”
“I was happy to help ye—” Feya said, but Archer shook his head, silencing any protests.
“Nay,” he laughed. “Daenae let me off the hook. It was our deal, remember? Ye helped me, and now I will help ye. An even exchange, aye? Then we’ll be settled.”
He was trying to make light of the situation, to brush aside all the pain he felt about Feya’s impending departure. Butshe didn’t smile. Instead, she looked upset, as if he had said something wrong.
“We should get back.”
She turned away, and it was like a door slamming closed between them.
Tears pricked at Feya’s eyes, but she refused to let Archer see them. She kept her head down and walked fast, already working through the excuse she would make when they arrived back at the castle. She couldn’t handle sitting down to dinner with the man, couldn’t imagine making polite conversation.
An even exchange. Then we’ll be settled.
Was that all this was for him? Just an agreement they had made months ago, an exchange of goods and services? She couldn’t pinpoint why this hurt her so much, but she felt used somehow. As if all the quiet moments they had shared with each other were simply part of this verbal arrangement. She was simply something to besettled.
Could he forget her so quickly? Would it be easy for him to push aside his memories of their shared kisses and these private moments as soon as he left her at Morgana’s door?
And why does that matter? Ye are leaving.
Feya bunched her fists at her sides, ready to fight with all of her conflicting emotions. She knew she should be happy to go home. It had been months since she had seen her siblings. So why did she feel a knot in her stomach every time she imagined it?
“Are ye alright?”
She was startled by his voice and even more startled to realize they had arrived back at the castle. She looked up at him and nodded.
“Aye. I was thinking of me family.”
He nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but Feya cut him off before she lost her courage.
