Page 37 of Her Scot of Yesteryear
I swallowed heavily again and nodded, curious because of the wisdom in Lilias's eyes as she took it in, then offered me what almost seemed a knowing smile. “Then let us make haste before the sun sets, and ye must ready yerself for the eve ahead.”
More than willing to leave the chamber because it had felt like a prison cell in my last life, Flame and I followed her back down, only to continue along a hallway I thought was a dead end, but turned out to have two smaller corridors stemming off it.
Somehow I knew which direction we would go as if I had walked this way before, so I followed her when she turned right, only to stop dead at what I saw in front of me.
More so,who, and it shocked me to the core.
CHAPTER TWENTY
–Broderick–
“SIT DOWN, SON,” my father finally snapped after I nearly wore a path in the carpet in the war chamber. “Ruining a good bear skin rug willnae bring Apsen back anytime soon.”
“Then whatwillbring her back?” I ground out, so restless I couldn’t sit still if I wanted to. “Because as far as I can tell, nothing and no one can except our king, and he seems disinclined to at the moment for the sake of peace betwixt us and the Sutherlands.”
“Time will tell what will bring her back,” my mother said, her tone gentle as she set a pitcher of ale and some mugs on a small table for those present, including my parents and Lucas, the only ones I trusted to see me in this state. “Sit, son,” she coaxed. “The more ye stress, the less open to yer mate ye’ll be if she tries to reach out toye. Of that, I have no doubt.”
“Willshe be reaching out to me, then?” I frowned and shook my head. “How, when I lost contact with her when she set foot on Sutherland land?”
“’Tis hard to know, but stranger things have happened when it comes to that Viking sword, have they not?” She shot me a knowing look and gestured at the seat behind my desk as she poured me an ale. “And something tells me if ye’ve any hope of connecting with her, yer inner beast might like that spot best.”
I sighed, trying to push thoughts of Aspen in that very spot from my mind, lest it drive me to distraction, but my mother was right. My inner beast simmered down as if it felt closer to her when I sat.
“Has there been any word from Kenneth yet?” I wondered, curious why he hadn’t at least communicated telepathically when he had caught up with everyone and had Aspen in sight.
Unless, of course, he had run into trouble.
“There has been no word that I’m aware of,” Lucas said, just as troubled as he gazed out at the countryside. “It seems strange, does it not?”
“Not necessarily.” My father shook his head. “Not if...”
He said more, but I could not hear him when the low-hanging sun cut through the window at such an angle it appeared the shape of the Viking sword sliced across my desk before, a blink later, I felt Aspen’s inner beast.
“I feel her,” I whispered, never so grateful for anything. “She’s...” I shook my head and swallowed hard, trying to understand what I felt. “She’s grateful to be out of the chamber she was just in and stunned by something...orsomeone.”
“Who?” my mother coaxed, moving in such a way the blade made of sunlight on my desk elongated until it seemed to spear me, and just like that, I was in two places at once.
I saw through Aspen’s eyes yet sat with my kin simultaneously.
This time, I could hear those speaking from both locations.
“Whoisthat?” Aspen gasped, refraining from saying what she was thinking because she didn’t know how much she could trust Dugal’s wife, Lilias, though she sensed she could a great deal.
“Och.” I shook my head at her thoughts. “Aspen believes she’s looking at a younger version of her father.” A chill raced up my spine, and I frowned at my parents. “How could that be?”
Having never been inside Sutherland Castle, I couldn’t speak to their tapestries or what, better yet,whohung on their walls.
My parents had no chance to answer before I was pulled back to the conversation between Aspen and Lilias.
“’Tis the only portrait left of my father,” Lilias said softly, emotion in her voice. “I am often shocked that my mother-by-marriage didnae burn it with the rest of his belongings when he left, for she loathed him greatly.” She hesitated before continuing. “Why do ye ask, Aspen? Do ye know of him, for yer skin has gone quite pale?”
“No,” Aspen said, yet when she glanced Lilias’s way, I sensed a mutual look between the women that it was best not to say anything here where the walls more likely than not have ears.
I shared with the others what was happening as the women resumed their journey downstairs without saying another word. “It seems the Viking blade is giving me access to Aspen. Access, she doesnae seem to sense yet.” I frowned at my mother. “’Tis odd, aye, my dragon can sense hers, but her inner beast cannae sense mine?”
“’Tis great magic at work that ye must trust,” she counseled. “The Viking blade has connected ye for a reason.”
I gave her a thankful look for the foresight of giving Aspen her satchel to carry it in. “A blade she’s managed to keep on her all this time thanks to ye,”
