He pulled away. “Don’t touch me.”
She ignored his protest and rested her hand on his back again. “I can’t. I need you.”
Her soft plea had him turning around and she tucked herself under his arm and against his chest. His instincts took over, his arms going around her, and his lips pressing a kiss on her brow.
“You frightened the life out of me,” he said, trying to explain.
“I’m truly sorry, I didn’t mean to,” she said, slipping her arms around his waist as far as they could fit.
“I thought someone took you,” he said, keeping her tight against him.
“You would hear me scream for you from far off if anyone attempted to do that,” she said.
“Your word on that, wife,” he demanded.
“Even if my life was threatened, I would never hesitate to call out to you. I’m all too familiar with the foolishness of not screaming out for your help.”
He heard in her voice and saw the guilt in her eyes that she felt for not having called out to him during the attack.
“I would have come for you, saved you if I had known,” he said.
“I know that, but I so feared distracting you from the battle,” she admitted.
He shook his head and rested his brow to hers. “The past is done and can’t be undone. I’ll have your word now that from this day forward you will not hesitate to call out to me for help—not for any reason—if ever the need should arise. I promise I will be there for you.”
“You have my word, husband,” she said, his promise providing a sense of safety and a bit of worry since after what they both had been through, each of them would do whatever it took to see the other safe.
“Now you will tell me what you were doing in the woods,” he said and saw the worry and hesitation in her eyes. “I will have the truth, wife.”
“I gave my word and I will have yours now that what I tell you, you will share with no one, and I only do this because I know you are a man of your word,” she said and shivered with the intensity of the strength in which he spoke.
“On my honor, you have my word, Oria.”
She went to explain all to him when…
“Hurry, Royden,” Angus yelled, running toward him. “Your da returns home.”
Chapter 18
Royden hurried through the village, Oria keeping pace with him. He came to an abrupt halt when he caught sight of his da, people crowded around him welcoming him home with smiles and tears of joy.
“He looks good,” Royden said after Oria came to a stop beside him.
Royden had feared that his da might be a shell of the man he had once been, but he looked well-healed. He even had a bit more weight on him than Royden remembered and more wrinkles crinkled near his eyes from his broad smile, but he was far more fit than expected and Royden was grateful.
“From what I’ve been told, Wren has taken excellent care of him,” Oria said happy for her husband and wishing her own da was there to see the reunion.
The reminder that his da had not returned home alone had Royden searching the crowd for the woman who had predicted his family would be reunited. He spotted several women who had been members of the clan, some now widows. One was Flora, a woman more familiar to Arran and one whose company his brother had enjoyed on occasion.
“Is that Wren?” Royden asked, pointing to a gray-haired woman not far from his da.
“I wouldn’t know. I never met Wren,” Oria said, though curiosity had her looking where her husband pointed.
When Emily hugged the gray-haired woman, Royden shook his head. “Can’t be Wren, Emily knows her. Does she look familiar to you?”
“Five years can be harsh or easy on a person, depending on the circumstances,” Oria reminded him.
Royden nodded, understanding all too well. All those who returned today would be grateful to have things returned to the way they’d once been, but Royden understood what would take time for them to understand—nothing would ever be the same again.
His da’s eyes finally met with his and Royden didn’t wait, he hurried to him, people moving aside. Their arms shot around each other in a tight hug that brought tears to most of those surrounding father and son.
When they finally released each other, reluctantly, Royden shouted, “Our Chieftain Parlan has returned.”
A cheer filled the air, but Parlan shook his head and waved his hand for the people to settle and when they finally did, he spoke. “It is time for me to pass the torch. Royden has been your chieftain in my absence and he shall remain so. He deserves to lead this clan and the clan deserves a younger man with his strength and bravery to do so.”