Page 85 of A Bride for the Icy Highlander
She nodded, wiping her cheek with her sleeve.
“Helena did what she could, but the poison… it was strong. We had to act quickly. Peyton…” Her jaw clenched slightly. “That is, Leighton locked her up in the dungeons. I managed to speak with her, got the name of the poison from her, but we cannae trust if it’s the truth.”
Kian’s expression darkened, a muscle twitching in his jaw. “Leave it to Peyton to use poison. The coward’s weapon.”
Abigail exhaled slowly. “There’s more. We needed yarrow to counter the poison, and only one person came to mind. I had Leighton fetch me sister Freya. She kens herbs better than anyone, and she always has yarrow in her gardens.”
Kian’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Freya? Did she come?”
“Aye,” Abigail confirmed, smiling softly. “She did come. She brought the yarrow and brewed the tincture herself. She saved yer life, Kian. She’s here now, in the castle with her husband, Michael, and his son Cody, and Cody’s wife, Amara.”
Kian blinked slowly, trying to process it all. “Yer clan’s here…”
“They came for me,” she said, her voice soft with emotion.
He closed his eye for a long moment, breathing slowly, steadily. Then, he looked back at her.
“They are takin’ ye away?” he asked.
“Nay, nae now. I am here with ye. Dinnae fash, I am here,” she soothed.
She bent forward, pressing her lips to his forehead.
“I willnae let them take me,” she promised.
The room fell quiet again, save for the howl of the wind beyond the windows and the crackling of the fire in the hearth.
Kian turned his head to look at her, his hand still clasped in hers. He let out a slow breath, and for the first time since he woke up, his heart lightened a little.
“I kept beggin’ the heavens to let ye live,” Abigail whispered.
He closed his eye briefly, drawing strength from her nearness. “Ye were the light that kept me tethered,” he murmured. “Even in the dark.”
They sat like that for a long moment, their foreheads touching, their hands clasped. Then, Abigail pulled back slightly and gave a tentative smile.
“I spoke with Freya…”
Kian opened his eye. “Aye?”
“She and her husband… they’re open to discussin’ a trade agreement with ye.”
He exhaled, but the relief in his chest had nothing to do with the news. “I dinnae care about that right now.” He looked at her, his gaze intense. “I care about yer answer.”
She blinked, her eyebrows drawing together. “What answer?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Will ye marry me?”
Her eyes went wide, then shimmered. “Aye. Aye, Kian. I’ll marry ye.”
Relief crashed over him like a wave breaking on stone. His breath hitched as joy and disbelief tangled in his chest.
She said aye. I’m nae dreaming.
“I want ye to be me wife, more than I want breath in me lungs. Nothin’ else matters,” he whispered.
She pressed his hand to her cheek, her tears spilling freely now. “I want that too, with all me heart. But… I dinnae ken if me family will give their blessing. They’re angry that ye took me from them.”
“Aye, I can understand their anger. They dinnae trust me, so I’ll have to earn it,” he said fiercely. “I’ll try harder than ever. I’ll speak to them meself. But I’ll nae let anyone stand between us.”
