Page 69 of Taken By the Devilish Highlander
Nay, daenae think of her. No more distractions.
“Ye’re home,” Ayla said, rushing forward as she spotted Archer striding down the hallway.
“Aye, and I’m busy,” he grumbled. He didn’t stop walking, only continued his path to his bedchamber.
“Of course ye are grumpy,” Ayla muttered to herself, and the comment made him boil with anger. He spun around, glaring at his sister.
“And what is that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what I said,” Ayla answered. She lifted her chin in the air, probably the only person in this castle who wasn’t afraid of him. “I kenned ye would stomp around this place like a stormcloud when ye returned without her.”
Without her…
Archer worked his jaw, struggling to find a response. He furrowed his brow as he stared back at Ayla, wanting to deny her words. The problem was, he couldn’t. With a final grunt, Archer turned on his heel, fuming that with one look at his face, his sister had read him like a book.
Feya tried to focus on the world in front of her. She threw herself into her family, thrilled to be back among them after so long. She helped the twins with their studies, inventing little games to keep them interested. She worried about her brothers, each of them trying to establish themselves as men in their own unique ways. And she listened to Morgana gush about her husband, trying to be happy that her sister had found love.
There were also the villagers and the many ailments and injuries that needed healing. Morgana and Ryder had gifted her a cottage of her own, where she could live among the villagers and visit them daily. She used what she had learned from Holly to stock the shelves with tinctures and tonics, filling every hour of the day with different healing tasks.
I should be happy…
It was a thought that came to her constantly. Where she had once felt guilty about abandoning her siblings, now she felt guilty about not appreciating them. For so long, she wanted to be back among them. She dreamed of her village and a simple, independent life as a healer.
But that was before ye met him.
Thoughts of Archer tormented her. She couldn’t go half an hour without thinking of him and wondering what he was up to. At least three times a week she sat down at her desk, determined to write a letter to Ayla where she could subtly ask about Archer.
How were his nightmares? Was there still trouble with the clan? Did he miss her?
A knock on the door pulled Feya from her thoughts, and she looked up to see Morgana in the open doorway. Summer was turning to fall, and her sister held a shawl pulled tight around her shoulders.
“Morgana,” Feya said. “Are ye well?”
Her sister had recently shared the news that she and Ryder were expecting. It was early days yet, but Feya was already alert for any changes in her sister, determined to keep her healthy.
“Aye,” Morgana chuckled. “Very well. But I think someone else is not.”
“Who?” she asked. Feya looked around for her bag, preparing to rush out to whoever needed her tending, but Morgana’s voice stopped her.
“Ye, sister.”
She scrunched her face in confusion, eager to brush aside Morgana’s accusation. She shook her head, quickly denying it.
“Me? Nay, I’m well.”
“Feya,” she said gently. She nodded to the small table where Feya ate her meals. “Let’s sit down.”
She wanted to fight it, but Feya’s older sister still held some sway over her. Plus, something had been building inside of her, a truth that needed to come out. Morgana had always been attuned to Feya’s emotions. It was no surprise she sensed something.
Feya sat down and let Morgana set two mugs on the table. She took the kettle from the fire and poured out two cups of tea before settling in across from her sister.
“Ye arenae happy,” Morgana said.
“Of course I am,” Feya said. “Look at everything ye have given me. I have a place to live and the love of me family…”
“Feya.”
She closed her mouth, and all of Feya’s defenses fell away. The weight of her unhappiness settled around her shoulders, a cloak that felt far too heavy to carry. Tears filled her eyes, and her chin trembled as she bit her bottom lip.
