Alaric slowly pulled away, and she knew that the time had come to let him go. Her chest hurt so badly that each breath was agony. She steeled herself, determined that she’d be brave and would bear the parting with dignity and grace. Alaric deserved that much. The last thing he needed was a hysterical ex-lover on the eve of his wedding to another.

She reached up to touch his face and traced the lines of his strong jaw and the angles of his cheekbone.

“Live long and be happy, my love.”

He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. When she pulled her hand back, it came away damp with his tears. ’Twas more than she could bear, the thought of her warrior grieving for what was not to be.

She turned and walked briskly toward the woods. “Caelen,” she called softly.

“I’m here,” he said as he stepped from the shadows.

“Please take me back,” she said in as level a voice as she could manage.

Caelen took her arm and guided her toward the keep. With each step, the pain became so unbearable that she thought she might die.

They returned to the keep in silence. Caelen escorted her to her chamber and opened the door. For a long moment she stood, so numb she wasn’t sure if she could even manage the short distance to her bed.

“Are you all right?” Caelen asked gently.

When she didn’t answer, he led her into the chamber and closed the door behind them. Then he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

“There, there, lass. Cry if you’d like. No one will hear you but me.”

She buried her face in his tunic as the tears began to fall.

Chapter 35

CHAPTER 35

“Keeley, you must hurry! The priest is going to wed me and Cormac in the hall before he weds Alaric and Rionna in the courtyard at the noon hour,” Christina said.

Keeley rubbed some of the weariness from her eyes and hoped that they didn’t look red and swollen. She’d gotten no sleep after her meeting with Alaric, and ’Twas the truth she had no desire to leave her chamber.

But she didn’t want to dampen Christina’s happiness. The girl was so excited for her wedding to Cormac that she was about to bounce right out of the beautifully sewn dress that Maddie and Bertha had gifted her.

She looked over at Christina and smiled. “You look beautiful, lass.”

And she did. Her face was a wreath of happiness and her cheeks glowed. She hadn’t stopped smiling the entire morning.

“Thank you,” Christina said. “Now hurry! I don’t want to keep Cormac waiting.”