Love Beyond Wanting

by Bethany Claire

  “Oh yeah? How?”

  “I know of a dressmaker on the mainland who could make Laurel the most beautiful dress. If I tell Laurel that we mean to finish the cabins with magic…’twould be a lie, o’course, but a worthy one, then mayhap she will agree to let Nicol take her there, seeing as he has no magic with which to help us.”

  I nodded excitedly. “That’s perfect! What if the magic turns out to be too draining?”

  Raudrich was too excited to back down from this idea now. He was all in.

  “Then we will gather every able-bodied man on the Isle, and we shall build it by hand.”

  Chapter 29

  By the time Raudrich and I finished making the plans for our big surprise, it was too late for me to go to the library to do any research. So, I went to bed, got a few hours of shut-eye, and got up with the sun to head to the library.

  I was shocked to see Maddock inside, sitting at a large table with three huge books spread out before him.

  He was so engrossed in the material that he neither heard nor saw me when I walked in.

  “Good morning. What are you working on?”

  He jumped at the sound of my voice, and when he looked up, I could see that once again, he’d gotten very little sleep.

  “Good morning, lass. Ye are the first person to ever come in here while I’ve been inside.”

  There was a large seat on the opposite side of the table, and I moved to join him.

  “How often do you come in here?”

  “Hardly ever before Laurel arrived.”

  I laughed. “Has her love of writing inspired a love of reading in you?”

  “Not exactly. But her presence here on the Isle has made me question beliefs I once thought immovable.”

  “Such as?”

  “For years I believed that our duty to this Isle was one that would last a lifetime, and for much of my life, I dinna mind it. But then yer sister arrived, and with wit and courage alone upended Machara’s plans. It has made me wonder if mayhap we havena tried hard enough to rid ourselves of her.”

  I crossed my one arm over my chest and leaned back in the chair.

  “I thought you said that mortal women could have no power over Machara.”

  He sighed and gave me a little grin. “Nicol is the last person I would wish to discuss any of this with. While he must be alerted to dangers, ’twould be cruel to give him hope until I have something truthful to tell him.”

  It made me much less concerned for the sanity of the members of The Eight to know that at least one of them wasn’t content with living his entire life under Machara’s thumb. It also made me wonder if since we both wanted the same thing, he might be more likely to help me.

  I still believed that Brachan was somehow related to Nicol, but I was no closer to knowing how than when I arrived at the castle. The day after my intimate encounter with Maddock, I’d tried to broach the subject with Laurel, but she’d shut me down quickly—not that I could blame her. Until the wedding, she didn’t want to speak or think about the evil faerie that had nearly killed her and the man she loved. After weeks of being on edge, she just wanted a short time of peace.

  “Maddock?”

  He placed his finger on the text to hold his place and looked up at me. “Aye, lass?”

  “She can be defeated, but if she is, it won’t be because of The Eight.”

  With his eyes still on me, he closed the book in front of him and leaned forward on the desk. “How could ye possibly know that, Kate?”

  “I told you before. I’ve read about you guys. I did a lot of research in the days and weeks before coming here.”

  For the next several hours, I told Maddock everything I knew. He listened patiently, his eyes widening and narrowing at varying intervals. When I finished, he let out a big breath and shook his head. “We are all fools. Why dinna we seek more answers? Why did we all settle in and accept our lot here?”

  “You’re not fools. It’s just…it’s easy to get comfortable. Once you are, it’s really difficult to change. Trust me. I should know.”

  “Lass…”

  I cut him off. I’d not meant for my admission to lead to a conversation about us, and I wasn’t sure I could take him telling me once again that he had no intention of pursuing anything else with me. Maddock was right. Of course, I wanted him. I wanted him so badly that each night falling asleep in his bed, without him there, was a dreadful sort of torture. I just didn’t know how to change things now that he seemed so set on just being friends.

  “There’s something else. You remember the healer from the village? Brachan? I think he must be related to Nicol. Is that possible? They look so much alike.”

  Maddock smiled. “O’course ye noticed. There is no doubt in my mind the lad is related to Nicol.”

  “Could it be his cousin, or perhaps a nephew?”

  “No, lass. If Brachan is not Nicol’s son, then I shall never trust my own eyes again.”

  His son. Some small part of my mind had wondered, but it was a thought I’d dismissed quickly. I knew he bore no children with Freya. Was it possible that Brachan was half-fae? Could he be one of the children Nicol bore with Machara? Had she truly not killed them all?

  Maddock could guess the questions running through my mind.

  “I doona know, lass. I tried to tell Nicol about the lad the day we arrived, but he wouldna hear it. He ordered me to say nothing of it until after the wedding.”

  It seemed everyone in the castle, save Maddock and me, was on the same page in regard to Machara.

  “Laurel dismissed me, as well, when I tried to ask her about it. So, what do we do?”

  “For now, we read to see if we can learn more, but we listen to everyone’s wishes and do nothing until after Laurel and Raudrich are wed.”

  “What then?”

  “Then I take ye to Machara whether ye wish to see her or not. From everything ye’ve told me, ’tis ye that will have to face her, and we need to know if Brachan is part of her plan to harm ye and break free. If he is, then I shall find the lad and kill him.”

  “Maddock.” A sudden rush of defensiveness sprang up inside me. Brachan had saved my life, not harmed me. “What if Brachan doesn’t even know who he is? I really think he’s innocent in all this.”

  “He knows, or at least the woman who raised him does. She dinna care for it when I brought up how much he resembled Nicol. How can ye assume he’s innocent? Ye doona know him.”

  “I know that he saved my life. Maddock, he was kind. I just didn’t get that sort of read from him.”

  “Regardless, lass, I doona want him near ye.” He stood and flattened his palm against the top of the desk. “For now, I must put all of this aside. It seems I should thank ye for the hard work we must put in today.”

  I grinned guiltily. “It’s going to be wonderful when it’s finished.”

  “Aye, lass, ’tis. Let us send Nicol and Laurel away so we may set to work.”

  Chapter 30

  Nine Days Later

  *

  Raudrich over-delivered. Seriously over-delivered. While all of the men pooled their magic to bring up the glass walls, the intricate doorway, the arched glass ceiling, and all the plants and flowers, he’d been the perfectionist among them, making certain that my vision was executed to a T.

  Laurel and Nicol’s trip to the mainland took much longer than anyone expected, but it turned out for the best. It allowed me to make sure everything was perfect on the inside after they finished with the actual structure.

  By the time everything was finished, it was better than I’d drawn it and far more impressive than I ever imagined.

  It didn’t fit with the rest of the castle, but in time, once I bested Machara in whatever way I was meant to, I would continue to work on the castle. Eventually, everything would be as beautiful as this space was now.

  The conservatory was a sanctuary of greenery and warmth. The old fountain was now restored, and the most delightful trickle of water could be heard f
rom anywhere inside.

  Freya loved it. Each night when she appeared, she delighted in the progress that had been made during the day.

  Laurel and Nicol were going to freak.

  In an effort to keep myself distracted from the anticipation of Laurel and Nicol’s return later that day, I talked Harry—he was on breakfast duty—into taking me down to the village for a second breakfast of sorts. I couldn’t take another meal of fish, and I thought the outing might settle my jitters.

  *

  There were parts of the Isle that looked familiar to him, but only in the half-hazy way that childhood memories often are. No one would know who he was. None there knew him, and that was for the best.

  Brachan only hoped that his mother’s belief in him was justified—that he would be able to resist the pull of Machara and that one day he would learn how to rid himself of the evil brewing inside him.

  He directed his horse toward the smell of cooked food. While he knew his wisest course of action would be to stay away from the locals, he couldn’t deny himself a decent meal after such a cold and miserable journey.

  The inside of the tavern was warm and inviting, and to his delight, it was for the most part empty. Only one person sat at the bar and he knew immediately who she was.

  Kate.

  Perhaps some loving deity had blessed his journey to the Isle, after all. It gave him hope that everything would turn out okay.

  *

  The eggs were delicious, all the more so because they effectively rid my mouth of the taste of fish.

  Harry and I had eaten together in silence, and when I gave him my word that I would not wander off, he stepped out back to visit with the owner of the tavern.

  I heard the door open but thought nothing of it as I continued to eat away at the half-dozen eggs that lay on my plate. It was only when I heard his voice that I stilled. I knew it was Brachan from his first word.

  “Kate, ’tis lovely to see ye again.”

  My first instinct was to turn around and hug his neck. I was grateful for what he’d done for me, and I’d liked him right away. But instead, as I heard Harry’s voice bellow from the back—a sign he was ending his conversation and would be on his way back in here soon—I panicked, spun around, grabbed his hand, and quickly ushered him outside without saying a word.

  I didn’t stop until we were hidden beside the building. When I finally looked up into his face, his eyes were filled with concern.

  “What is the matter, lass? Are ye with someone?”

  “Yes, and Harry can’t see you. He will notice the same thing that Maddock and I did. You look just like Nicol.”

  He sighed. “Ye know I am his son?”

  Nodding, I watched him carefully. “I do now.” He didn’t appear to be someone with some evil plan to destroy anyone. “Did you know that you were Nicol’s son?”

  “I only learned who my father was the day after I healed ye, lass.”

  “And what of your mother? Do you know who she is?” It was a personal question to ask him, but I needed to know.

  “My mother is the woman who raised me. If ye mean to ask who gave birth to me, I believe ye already know.”

  “Machara.”

  He ground his teeth as he nodded. “I only just learned that, as well. I can feel her calling me to her, lass. ’Tis as if some evil has invaded my mind, and every day it is harder to fight.”

  Brachan wanted no part of whatever evil plan Machara was brewing up, of that I was certain.

  I reached for his hand. “Brachan, you should come with me back to the castle. Tell the men everything you just told me. They can help think of a way to free you from her. They will realize that you cannot help who your birth mother is.”

  Panic flashed through his eyes as he pulled away from my grip. “No, lass. Speak to the men, I will, but I canna do so just yet. I need some time here to think of what I will say. I…I doona know how to meet my father. He hated me. He thought me dead, and he was glad of it. Please, Kate, I beg ye. Doona tell them that I am here. Give me some time—a day, mayhap two—to gather the strength I need.”

  I cringed at the thought, and it pained me to know that it was true. But that was only because Nicol didn’t know. He didn’t realize that his children with Machara weren’t monsters. If he’d known, he wouldn’t have felt as he did, and he surely wouldn’t feel that way once he saw the man Brachan had become.

  Although Maddock would consider it a betrayal if he found out I knew Brachan was on the Isle and didn’t tell him, I knew that he would drag Brachan in front of Nicol the first moment he saw him, and I could understand Brachan’s need to prepare for such an introduction.

  “Okay. I won’t say anything, I promise.”

  “Thank ye, lass.” He bent and pulled me into a hug. “Best ye go. Harry is on his way inside. I shall see ye again soon.”

  He turned and ran away from the tavern, and I made it to my seat just as Harry entered the room.

  Chapter 31

  “Where are you two leading us?”

  Laurel’s voice was excited, and she gripped my hand tightly as I guided her through the doors of the garden.

  With the rest of the men already waiting inside the garden to see their reactions, Raudrich and I apprehended Laurel and Nicol the moment their horses reached the gate leading up to the castle. We couldn’t risk them seeing the new structure as they rode up the hill, so we forced them to walk up blindfolded, with only us to guide them.

  “I wish ye would release me, Raudrich. I doona care for surprises.”

  “Only a few more steps. Doona worry, ye have my word that ye will enjoy this surprise.”

  Once they were both inside, we steadied them on their feet and made our way to stand in front of them before removing the blindfolds. We both wanted to see their faces when they saw the garden for the first time.

  “Okay, guys, you ready?”

  I looked over at Raudrich for approval, and together we uncovered their eyes and stepped quickly away.

  It took them a moment to take everything in. As tightly as we’d bound their eyes, I’m certain they’d been blinded when first exposed to the light. But then, as everything began to register, their reactions couldn’t have been better.

  Nicol nearly fell, but Paton was there in an instant to see him seated on one of the garden’s many stone benches. Silent tears ran down his cheeks as he took everything in.

  Laurel’s mouth fell open as she looked at me for confirmation. “Is this…how did you guys?”

  “Yes, it’s the garden. The guys did everything. They pooled their magic and worked on it every day since you two left. We wanted to surprise both of you. We thought this would be the perfect spot for your wedding tomorrow, and we thought this would be a gift that Nicol and Freya could enjoy each and every night.”

  For the first time since seeing the space, Nicol spoke, his voice choked with tears. “Has Freya…has she seen it?”

  “Aye, we made certain all designs were approved by her. It will, after all, be her home.”

  Nicol broke down into a full-on sob, cradling his face in his hands as Paton wrapped his arm over his shoulder.

  “Do ye like it, Nicol?”

  He lifted his head, and the sight of him crying made me start to blubber, as well.

  “Like it? I doona know if I’ve ever been so happy. The thoughtfulness of all of ye…” He paused as another sob overtook him. “I doona…I doona ever think I’ve been so overwhelmed.”

  The men gathered around Nicol, each of them embracing in a big group hug that made me wish more than anything that I had a camera.

  As I looked on, Laurel came up behind me and wrapped her arms around me. “This is the perfect wedding gift, Kate.”

  I faced her and took her hand. “I’m glad you like it. Now, let’s go and finish up all of the last minute stuff so we can get you married.”

  *

  Laurel wasn’t the only one that got a surprise before the wedding. Minutes before the ceremony
was meant to start, as residents of the Isle found their seats in the garden, I left Laurel in her bedchamber with our mother so that I could run downstairs to make certain everything was ready for her entrance. As I neared the castle doors, some unexpected guests arrived—Sydney and her husband, Gillian and Orick, and Callum’s brother, Griffith, walked in looking nothing like they’d just spent days on the road.

  I quickly ran over to hug Sydney. “How did you get here? Oh my gosh, Raudrich is going to be thrilled to see you, Sydney.”

  She smiled. “Is he…” She pointed outside.

  “Yes, he’s already at the front, waiting for his bride.”

  Sydney nodded as if that was what she’d expected. “Okay, we will slip in and sit in the back. I’ll talk to him after.”

  “You guys didn’t ride here, did you? I thought you didn’t want to travel on account of the baby.”

  “We decided to make the trip to Morna’s house via car and have her send us back here from there. She assured me the baby would be in no danger.”

  The sun had long since dipped, and the stars were out in full show. It was time for the wedding to begin.

  “Okay, well, David is ushering everyone to their seats, so go on in. I’m so pleased that you all are here.”

  With none of his immediate family remaining, it would mean the world to Raudrich that Sydney had come. Ever since he’d kidnapped her to save her life (long story) several years ago, they’d been the best of friends.

  After making certain the garden looked perfect, I went to retrieve Mom and Laurel. Laurel had never looked more radiant, and I started to cry the moment I saw her.

  “Oh my God, Laurel. You’re stunning.”

  She looked down at her gown a little self-consciously. “Do you think so?”

  “I know so. Are you ready to do this?”

  “I’ve never been so ready for anything in my life.”

  Together, with my mom on one side of Laurel and me on the other, we made our way down to the garden.

  Raudrich’s expression when he saw Laurel was one I knew I would remember for the rest of my life.

  *