The MacLomain Series: A New Beginning Boxed Set (Books 1-4)

by Purington, Sky

  Troubled, he sat on the edge of the bunk and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I knew a moment ago...upon awakening, but it’s fading so fast.” He shook his head as he concentrated. “He pulled you into his arms then he did something to you.”

  Frustrated, he stood and scowled as he braced his hand against the wall. “Something you didn’t expect. Something that bonded you to him in a whole new way.”

  Just as frustrated, she stood and began dressing. “What we just dreamt happened before the other dream you had. So I think the moment we just shared was what the warlock was referring to. What he meant when he said that though I don’t remember it yet, I’m already his and will recall it when I least expect it.”

  “Aye, I think you’re right, lass,” Bryce agreed as he pulled on a dark tunic and wrapped his plaid. “’Twould do us both good to give this a great deal of thought as we continue our journey. Because I sense whatever he has planned will be happening verra soon.”

  She nodded. “You’re sensing him more and more, aren’t you?”

  “I am,” he replied as they put on their boots. “I had several dreams last night.” His eyes softened as they went to hers. “Dreams of you when you were younger. Moments we shared.”

  Though she knew he struggled with the idea that he and the warlock were so connected, it was good that he was starting to accept it. He needed to embrace it as much as possible to better their chances of staying one step ahead of their enemy.

  Before they headed upstairs, he cupped her cheeks, brushed his lips across hers and murmured, “I am glad, however obtuse, that I was somewhat there for you, lass. And though I dinnae like that evil was so close to you, I look forward to remembering more. To seeing you grow into the woman you are today.”

  His words meant more than he knew. That he wanted to be a part of her life, no matter how dark it had been. In turn, she was grateful that thanks to Erin, she had so many memories of his upbringing as well.

  Speaking of family, his was rather upbeat by the time they joined them. But then this was a day none thought they would be part of. Graham and Christina had come aboard earlier, choosing to stay with them rather than continue the journey with John.

  Soon after, he and his men waved goodbye, their spirits high as they left. The day Aðísla had been so concerned about arriving was here, and things were going as they should.

  John was heading up the Forth to Culross to report that Angus Og’s fleet was in the Tay and had already sent scouting ships down to the Farne islands and the Bass Rock with more galleys sent on to blockade the Humber, Bridlington, Whitby, Hartlepool, and Tynemouth.

  It seemed the bulk of Angus’ fleet had continued south early that morning to prepare for battle. As it was reported, they enjoyed fair winds so should make good time.

  “’Twill be a good day for John when he arrives,” Bryce commented.

  “Aye.” Graham grinned. “’Tis not every day King Robert is so delighted by news that he knights its messenger straightaway.”

  Everyone smiled, sure to keep the news from Angus who would find out eventually.

  “Aye, then,” Angus roared to his crew. “Let’s go join our brothers-in-arms and see if we cannae capture a Sassenach ship or two for our good King!”

  A huge roar of approval followed as men began to row. As it turned out, the winds had died off a few hours ago, so Conall again came in handy as gusts filled their sail and they were off. Like before, Angus tossed them each an apple then tried to pry information out of them. What could they expect from the upcoming battle? Would they be victorious?

  “We’ll not be telling ye a thing,” Adlin replied. “Only help ye however we can.”

  Angus grinned and shook his head, clearly confident enough in current events that he would do just fine. And it truly did prove quite favorable that Conall created his winds and moved them faster because as they approached Bass Rock, an English fleet appeared on the horizon.

  That in itself wasn’t so alarming.

  They were supposed to be there.

  What was daunting and unexpected, however, was the sheer amount of battle hardened Englishmen aboard.

  Chapter Fourteen

  BRYCE AND HIS COUSINS couldn’t contain their anticipation if they tried. Though it hadn’t been all that long since battling in Bannockburn, they were eager for more Sassenach blood. Still decades away from cannons on ships, it would come down to naval prowess and hand-to-hand combat. By the looks of it, the ships would be coming in close enough to each other for a bloody good battle.

  Though the English fleet counted more than Angus anticipated, it likely would not matter. Especially with his newfound friends along including, undoubtedly, Christina and her godlike warrioress abilities.

  “I dinnae think magic will be all that necessary this time,” Adlin remarked, grinning.

  “But if it is,” Lindsay chimed in. “I can always take care of it afterwards.”

  “Aye, lass,” Conall murmured, pulling her close. “But mayhap ‘tis best this time if you dinnae have to.”

  Bryce winked at Jessie and chuckled. Truth told, his cousin probably wanted to take a rest from so many men adoring his lass.

  “Archers take up positions,” Angus roared at his crew as he drew his sword. “Weapons at the ready! We’ll be on ‘em soon, lads!”

  Though the rest of his fleet had already arrived and were prepared for battle, it clearly bolstered them that their chieftain had joined in the fun.

  “Have ye a spare bow and some arrows around, Laird MacDonald?” Bryce said, missing his favored set. “Though I fight well with anything, ‘tis my weapon of choice.”

  “Aye, laddie.” He gestured at a compartment beneath a bench. “Help yerself.” Then he nodded at another location. “Ye’ll find a variety of blades over there.”

  Bryce nodded and found a bow suited to his size, a sword, and some daggers before he focused on Jessie. “As ye’ve no experience fighting, I think ye should stay below deck.”

  She only smiled and shook her head.

  Christina, it seemed, decided to answer for her. “Seriously, Bryce? Fighting aside, you did see what she was capable of in the firth, right?”

  “Aye,” he said proudly before he shook his head and frowned. Like it or not, Christina was right. Jessie could more than handle herself. Yet his rapidly growing love for her disallowed him from feeling anything but protective. What if she got distracted and an arrow slipped by her defenses? What if worry over her friends drew her attention away long enough that a blade ended her?

  What it all broke down to was one simple fact.

  He couldn’t bear losing her.

  “You won’t lose me,” she said softly as she rested her hand on his chest and met his eyes. “I’ve come way too far to finally be with you to let anything take me away from you now.”

  “Aye, then,” was all he could manage, touched by the raw emotion in her gaze. For a moment it felt like those dark eyes of hers wrapped right around his soul and pulled him even closer.

  There were a hundred different ways he wanted to say how he felt but couldn’t come up with a bloody word. So he pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly. As usual, that wasn’t the best move to make when he should be focusing on other things. She had a way of making everything else fade away. Of taking his mind somewhere soft and warm and very, very arousing.

  Seconds later, however, he had no choice but to snap out of it as an arrow whizzed by.

  “Bloody hell,” he grumbled as he spun, leapt onto a bench, focused and began shooting arrows at the oncoming ship.

  After that, the battling began.

  Weapons drawn and roars aplenty, men leapt from ship to ship and began fighting one another. Graham, Conall, and Adlin crossed blades with several men at once as Bryce kept shooting off arrows. He took down one, two, three, four Sassenach in rapid succession before he lost a clear shot.

  He needed more visibility.

  “Go!” Christina roared as she crossed swor
ds with an oncoming soldier. “I’ll stay close to Jessie. Don’t you worry about that, darlin’.”

  Bryce glanced at her, wishing for a split second that they still possessed the amplified magic they had shared in the last battle thanks to Ainsley. Yet that was over now. But that was okay because Christina was a remarkable fighter, and he knew she would never let anyone hurt her friend. That was more than obvious when she jumped into the raging ocean to save her. He noticed Lindsay and Milly weren’t far off either. They would stick together and protect each other.

  When his eyes went to Jessie, she nodded in reassurance and spoke within his mind. “Go, Bryce. Help make history.”

  Confident that she would be all right, he nodded, grabbed more arrows, and leapt onto the English ship. Ever the berserker, Graham laughed as he ran his sword straight through a man’s neck then kicked another overboard. Adlin and Conall had already leapt onto another ship and were grinning like madmen as they fought.

  Bryce chuckled and shook his head before he whipped a dagger into one man’s gut before he notched an arrow and took another Sassenach down as he tried to sneak up behind Angus. The captain nodded his thanks as he resumed battling.

  Wasting no time, Bryce pulled his dagger free from the man’s gut then punched him so hard he stumbled back and cracked his head open on the deck. Always aware of what was happening around him, he set aside his bow and fought by sword for a bit, dropping three more Sassenach before he glanced back at Angus’ ship. He couldn’t help a small grin. As far as he could tell Christina wasn’t letting her friends battle at all. Instead, she took down any enemy the minute they set foot on the boat.

  Well satisfied with Jessie’s safety, he grabbed his bow, leapt a few more ships and joined Sven and Aðísla who were thoroughly in their element and enjoying themselves. Sven was a particularly vicious fighter who tended to have men scrambling away from him in fear rather than battling. This, it seemed, pleased him greatly as he let them wait in the wings while he engaged others. That, naturally, only intensified the terror of those who knew their turn was coming.

  Bryce got the sense Sven used his fighting as an outlet for deeply rooted feelings that were bothering him, be it kin or something more. If he were to guess, he would say a lass was at the heart of it.

  Emily, to be precise.

  Bryce fought alongside the Vikings for a time, sometimes choosing to use his sword, other times simply punching or kicking. All the while, he continued shooting arrows and taking down men. One after another after another until there were no more to face off with.

  By that time it was clear history was going precisely as it should as the vast majority of Sassenach had fallen. Three ships heavy with supplies for the depleted English army were now under the MacDonald’s control. Some ships had fled, but as Bryce very well knew, Angus’ galleys would soon drive those ashore to be wrecked on the Northumbrian cliffs. Other less seaworthy ships would be lost at sea in severe gales.

  Everything seemed to be going just as it should. That is until the unthinkable happened.

  Almost.

  A furious Sassenach who knew his time was coming to an end, managed to get off one last arrow. An arrow, as it turned out, that nearly landed in the center of Angus’ forehead if Bryce hadn’t acted quickly and shot off his own.

  Not only was his arrow pinpoint accurate and intercepted the other but Jessie, just as quick, redirected the arrow so that it landed in the enemy’s forehead instead.

  “Bloody hell!” Angus swore before he flung back his head and roared with laughter.

  Bryce and Jessie locked eyes and smiled from across two ships before the unmistakable pull of time-travel swept around him. Though he tried to get to her first, it was too late. The deck dropped out from beneath him, colors swirled, and oxygen grew sparse.

  Moments later, he landed in a most unfavorable position.

  “Och,” he muttered as he slid past trees down a rain-slicked muddy hill straight toward what looked to be a cliff. Seconds later, he learned that was precisely what it was as he tried to stop but ended up sliding to the end, teetered then tumbled right over. Worse than that? He couldn’t seem to shift but fell toward dangerously jagged rocks from a distance far greater than he anticipated.

  Seconds later, thank the gods, Sven’s dragon caught him.

  Though grateful, he muttered at the indignity of being carried by another dragon. Especially a male. Bryce continued grumbling as Sven landed and he got off, even more mortified to find he had an audience. Sven, likely well aware of Bryce’s state of mind, was gracious enough to act as though nothing embarrassing had just happened as everyone joined them.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay,” Jessie exclaimed as she flung her arms around Bryce and pressed her cheek against his chest. All his aggravation fled as she trembled and he realized how much that had scared her.

  “I’m fine.” He finally did the right thing and nodded his thanks to Sven as he held Jessie.

  “Bloody hell.” Graham shook his head and eyed the cliff Bryce just went over. “You really do have awful luck when traveling through time, Cousin.”

  “Aye,” Bryce murmured.

  It seemed they were not going to witness King Edward’s infamous anger at King Robert after all. Because days later, Angus would sail those three English ships laden with foodstuffs right past Edward in Edinburgh, and up the forth to Culross. There they would unload their contents to the Scottish Army which was reported to number around twenty-five thousand.

  At least Bryce and his kin had the satisfaction of knowing they had helped make that happen.

  “We should tell everyone what’s going on,” Jessie said softly as she pulled back.

  Her fear over his safety had turned to renewed anger at the warlock and his influence over Bryce’s time-traveling. She wanted to tell everyone about his connection to Bryce, and he couldn’t agree more. So he nodded as he brushed a tear from her cheek. It seemed he had indeed terrified her with yet another near death experience.

  “Oh, my darn emotions,” she muttered under her breath as she rubbed her eyes, removed the last of the moisture then proceeded to fill everybody in on what was going on with the warlock.

  Adlin sighed as he considered that. “I can see why they left this warlock for last then.”

  Jessie nodded. “It was a clever move.”

  “Aye,” Adlin murmured. “A true test of love if ever there was one.”

  Bryce narrowed his eyes, wondering precisely what Adlin was getting at. “Hasn’t this entire journey been that one way or another?” His eyes swept over the others. “For us all on our adventures.”

  Adlin nodded. “Aye, but some tests are more difficult than others and none, I suspect, as hard as what you and Jessie still face.”

  “We’re ready for it, though,” she replied as her eyes went from Bryce to Adlin. “Though my ring doesn’t shine yet, we love each other very much.”

  Bryce nodded, in full agreement. It might have happened fast, but it was absolutely true. “I know it’s only been days, but we feel verra strongly.” He squeezed her hand. “Mayhap not just because of the time spent together now but because I’m beginning to remember parts of her life...parts that the warlock remembers.” He scowled. “In truth, parts that are actually mine to remember.”

  “Aye,” Adlin said softly, a touch of worry and sadness in his eyes as they met Jessie’s. “If ‘tis as you say and this warlock took a piece of Bryce’s soul or essence before he was ever born, then ‘tis verra much Bryce himself though not whole, right?”

  “That’s right,” she said, clearly glad that he understood the dynamics so well. “And that’s what I explained to Bryce.”

  Adlin nodded slowly. “Lass, has it ever occurred to you that the love you feel for Bryce can only ever be in its entirety when a true MacLomain, Broun connection is made?”

  “Yes, of course.” She nodded. “And I do.” Her eyes went from Bryce back to Adlin. “I love all of him with all my heart.”


  “All of him,” Adlin said gently. “Is not standing right here, Jessie.”

  Bryce felt her flare of distress at that. “But he will be once the warlock is defeated.”

  “Will he?” Adlin’s brow furrowed in uncertainty though his voice remained gentle. “Because if this warlock does indeed possess a part of Bryce then ‘twill be Bryce himself that you must kill in the end. After all, you cannae truly be in love with Bryce without loving the warlock and vice versa.” He shook his head. “Because they are deeply interconnected if not one and the same.”

  Silence settled as Jessie blinked, swallowed hard and shook her head as she clearly tried to wrap her mind around that.

  “I suspect love has as it sometimes can, blinded you to this fact,” Adlin murmured. “Though on some level, you were always aware of it, weren’t you?” His eyes flared light blue as his magic ignited. “You often saw Bryce in the warlock. Not just his soul but his appearance.”

  Jessie pressed her lips together and nodded once.

  “’Tis a verra difficult thing.” Adlin closed the distance and took her hand, his eyes never leaving hers. “Yet ‘tis something you will have to face.” His eyes flickered from Bryce to her. “Both of you.” He squeezed her hand. “But you will be together, and in that, you will find unparalleled strength. Not just you but Bryce. And ‘tis in that, your mutual strength and a love so strong you’re willing to let it go, that I believe you’ll find freedom.”

  Though Adlin could be as cryptic as Grant, the gist of his words was more than apparent. This warlock might mean Bryce’s death, but they had to face it to see what was on the other side for them. It was the only way. And they had to trust in that to find out if their love would survive...if it was truly meant to be.

  Jessie blinked away moisture, stood up straighter and nodded. “I have not quit being strong since I was ten years old and I don’t intend to start now.” Her eyes went to Bryce. “I’m more than willing to go to Hell and back if that’s what it takes.” She flinched. “And I’m not speaking figuratively.”