“You have a big heart, Shona.”
“For a long time, I tried very hard not to acknowledge my heart at all.”
“I do not think you were ever successful.”
Looking back at the way she’d accepted Audrey and Thomas into her affections as well as the love she had for her children, which grew daily, Shona thought he might be right.
But she had tried.
“I never loved the baron.”
“How could you? Your heart was full of me. Besides, he was a bastard.”
The baron had been neither kind nor considerate, but he could have been much worse and so both her parents took pains to remind her on any occasion they deemed it necessary.
“I refused to even speak your name aloud.”
“But you never forgot me, just as I never forgot you.”
“Even when Uven had convinced you of my death?”
“Even then. I did not try to make love to another woman even then. I would have known you lived if I had done.”
She was sorry for the pain of loss he’d suffered, but couldn’t regret he’d never been tempted by another woman. Even if he did not love her as she loved him—and she was not as certain of that fact as she’d once been—she was definitely his mate.
The only woman he wanted. The only woman he needed physically.
And that was pretty special, as he’d said, even if that was not exactly precisely what he had meant.
The mating ceremony was beautiful beyond imagination and yet more natural than any wedding Shona had ever attended.
It took place deep in the caves the Chrechte had named sacred, in a chamber redolent with the power of millennia’s worth of spiritual ceremonies for the Chrechte. The chamber glowed with an inexplicable light emanating from the walls. The Clach Gealach Gra on the stone pedestal in the center burned brightly like it was lit from within by a flame so hot it burned white.
The light shimmered red as Prince Eirik led Vegar and Audrey to lay their hands on it and in speaking vows to one another in the ancient language of the Chrechte.
Shona did not understand, but Caelis translated the vows for her via their mating bond. The mutual promises of lifelong care, protection, respect, fidelity and honor brought tears to her eyes even as she imagined repeating them with Caelis.
They uttered their last vows and then a profound silence fell over the cave, the air so still Shona could hear her own heartbeat in her ears.
The stone glowed a deep, dark red like a blood ruby and both Vegar and Audrey released a simultaneous breath before looking at one another with a connection so strong, Shona could feel its power from where she stood.
“Your heart is pure,” Vegar pronounced of his mate.
Audrey dipped her head. “It is yours.”
It should have been too soon for such declarations, but Shona was certain she was not the only witness there who felt the absolute sincerity of their words.
“I will treasure that gift always,” Vegar replied in a tone every bit as solemn.
Ciara stepped forward, another stone held aloft in her hands, this one glowing like a dark, translucent emerald. She invited Vegar and Audrey to lay hands on it as well before speaking a blessing over their union, which once again Caelis interpreted for Shona inside her head.
The blessing had the sound of a prophecy and Shona stored her joy for her friend in her heart.
The green light seemed to reach out and surround the mated couple and the Faol’s celi di, swirling around all three of them like a glowing mist.
Shona felt drawn to the stone, the urge to touch it so strong, her hand lifted toward them before she forced it back to her side. With great effort, she held herself back, careful to keep thoughts of how much she wanted to touch it far from the forefront of her mind. She did not understand this need, but she would not give in and mar her friend’s special moment.
Chapter 22
The gifts of the sacred stone require sacrifice on the part of the one blessed by them, but destiny cannot be denied.
—CIARA OF THE SINCLAIR
Prince Eirik pronounced Vegar and Audrey lifetime mates, responsible first and foremost to the sacred bond between them.
A great cheer went up, echoing off the stone walls of the cave, resounding with both triumph and happiness.
As a child, Shona had witnessed a wedding in her clan that received the same joyful response. She remembered thinking one day she would marry her warrior and the whole clan would rejoice. Even then, the only groom her mind could conjure was the young boy Caelis, only a few years older but a world ahead by a child’s standards.
Laird Sinclair stepped forward, a black fur over his forearm, and offered it to Vegar. “For your mating.”
Caelis moved away from Shona and only then did she realize he also had something in his hands. “That your mating may begin as it will continue, acknowledged by me and all Chrechte among the MacLeod.” Her mate offered Vegar and Audrey plaids in the colors of the MacLeod.
The other soldiers wearing those colors came forward, all dropping to a single knee and placing their right fists over their hearts.
“We will protect your mating and mate with our lives as is right among our kind,” Caelis said in tones far more like his conriocht than the man.
“Aye,” the kneeling soldiers said as one.
Emotion overwhelmed Shona, but she had her own gift to offer. She approached the newly mated couple and offered the silver hairbrush she’d brought among the few belongings she’d deemed absolutely necessary when she had fled the barony. “May you both find joy in your service to one another.”
Vegar accepted the hairbrush, the tender glance he gave Audrey saying he knew exactly who was supposed to be offering the act of service. Then she handed Audrey a satchel filled with herbs and remedies. “May you care for your husband and children to come, healing scrapes as well as hearts.”
Audrey’s eyes overflowed with tears. “You prepared for this, even though you could not know…”
“I knew the sister of my heart would one day take a husband and that I would be prepared to show my good wishes for that joining.”
Audrey embraced Shona, a soft sob sounding in her ear. They hugged for long moments before Shona stepped back and Thomas took her place. He offered his sister and the man by her side a butter-soft skin to cover their mating bed.
When she saw it, Audrey again started to weep, but Vegar simply muttered a heartfelt thank-you.
Afterward, everyone stayed in the chamber for the Sinclair’s youngest child’s welcome-to-life ceremony. The green stone glowed again, enveloping the child bringing forth gurgles and joy-filled baby laughter before fading.
Caelis and the other MacLeod soldiers accompanied the mated couple out of the cave. Minutes later, the howls of several wolves echoed along the underground passageways.
Caelis returned to Shona and the children shortly thereafter, looking exactly as he had upon leaving. She’d no notion if he had shifted or not.
“Part of the mating ritual?” she asked.
“For the Faol, yes.”
And Audrey was Faol, though her English friend had little true notion what that meant.
Shona merely nodded in acknowledgment, not certain she wanted details, as she would be facing her own mating ceremony at some point in the future.
The trip to Balmoral Island was uneventful, if Caelis could ignore the soppy looks passing between his fellow Cahir and the man’s new mate.
Who knew Vegar even had that particular expression in his repertoire?