Claiming Her

“…my arse…owe me half a crown…”

“…double or naught next time, sir,” the guard urged, and Aodh laughed quietly.

They came out in a garden courtyard. A fat white moon shone brightly through the graceful latticework of bare tree limbs, which were only just beginning to bud in the nascent spring.

One of the guards nodded into the darkness of the garden. “You’ll know the way from here, sir.”

“That I do,” Aodh replied, taking her hand and leading her away.

Chapter Forty-Seven

“CAN YOU SMELL IT?” Katarina said as they stood at Renegades Cove, ready to board their boat. The sun was rising, and the water was smooth and clear, a perfect day for sailing.

“Smell what?” Aodh asked, waiting for Katarina to climb on board. Cormac was already there, tugging on lines. Ré and Bran would be along soon. They’d detoured half a mile to a nearby town to gather foodstuffs.

“Ireland,” she replied, excitement in her words. “Can you smell Ireland?” She took a deep, illustrative breath, gesturing for Aodh and Cormac to do the same.

“I think that’s fish, my lady,” Cormac said after sniffing obediently, and Aodh laughed.

She threw her leg over the boat, then paused, skirt hem trailing in the water, as she looked back up the high hill above the cove.

Aodh turned too. Even now he could see Ré’s head coming around the high trail that led down the jutting headlands, Bran at his side. They were riding horses swiftly purchased. They cantered through the high, blowing green grasses and down the almost hidden trail, and drew up beside him. Bran began throwing satchels onto the boat at once.

Cormac grabbed the bags and began stuffing them into various storage compartments, grumbling, “What were you doin’, braidin’ the rope? We were supposed to be off an hour ago.”

“Well we’re off now,” Aodh said, turning.

“I’m not coming.”

Aodh stopped short. Beside him, Katarina froze. On the boat, Cormac spun, making the boat rock. Only Bran continued his tasks of loading bags onboard, his face partially averted, his eyes… Were they red?

Aodh looked away from his small crew and turned to Ré. Bare-headed in the spring sun, Aodh could see everything about his friend clearly, most especially the resolve in his eye.

“What do you mean?” Aodh asked quietly, but he already knew.

Ré took a deep breath. “You found what you went looking for, Aodh. You found what you want. Home, and…” He glanced at Katarina, who looked stricken as she came back on land. “Cormac too. Everyone found what they needed in Ireland. Except me. I did not yet.”

Aodh nodded slowly. He should be used to this by now, the endings of things that mattered. But this one, losing Ré, his sea star, his boon companion, his captain and friend, cut to the quick. And yet, it was perfectly right. And perfectly necessary. Ré had hitched his wagon to Aodh’s ambitions many years ago, and now they were all met. It was time for Ré to go seek—and claim—his own.

And it was fitting that it should happen here, where their friendship had begun.

“You saved my life, right here,” Aodh reminded him quietly.

Ré glanced back at the sandy opening to the cave. “And a furious ride it has been.” They both smiled. “I could never have dreamed you would take me the places I’ve been, my friend. I would never have done them without you. I was fated to be a farmer, and a poor one at that, until you came along. In truth, you saved my life.”

“Then we are even.” Aodh kept his voice pitched low. “But I will miss you with a hurt I cannot express.”

“Aw, Jesus,” muttered Cormac. His voice sounded thick.

Ré looked away, then swiftly, head still down, he stepped forward and embraced Aodh in a silent, hard hug. He stepped back as abruptly as he’d gone in. Aodh smiled as he backed up.

“A fitting end,” Aodh said, “for the last time you threw your arms around me was when you dragged me out of the sea.”

“Aye,” Cormac chimed in, a little hoarsely, from the boat. “And we’ve been chastising him ever since.”

Ré laughed and reached for Cormac’s wrist, took hold and pumped it, but Cormac made a disbelieving sound and lurched to his feet. He came over the side of the boat and pulled Ré into a huge hug, then released him almost violently, blew out an unsteady breath and climbed back on board, then settled onto a seat, looking out to sea, his back to the group.

Ré turned to Bran. “Take care of him,” he said with a nod toward Aodh.