Brogan grinned. “I haven’t been as happy as I have been in I cannot remember when, even though my wife can be difficult at—OW!” He rubbed his arm where Annis punched him though it was barely a tap, and he laughed. “I was missing your love taps.” He kissed her quick. “Though I intend to have a word with Troy since he is supposed to be my right-hand man and he went off with you without a word to me.”
“He didn’t have time to alert you. He saw me leave and took off after me, his men following without question.
“You did not plan this?” Brogan asked, surprised.
“Of course, I planned it. I always make plans. You cannot succeed without plans and these plans of mine proved that. Everything went according to plan, though I did expect you to catch up with me just before arriving here so you could arrive with me,” Annis explained.
Brogan shook his head and went to say something when he noticed Rannick lost in thought, staring down at his wine goblet.
“Something on your mind, Rannick?” Brogan asked.
A small grunt came from Rannick before he said, “I believe there is more to this group that hunts us. The answer to it lies with the one who leads them. But he hides his identity well.” He shook his head as if clearing his thoughts. “Annis is right. A plan is needed if we are to catch the culprit.”
Annis rubbed her hands together. “Time to make a plan.”
Rannick kept his wife snug against him after a hasty bout of lovemaking. When they had retired for the night after a day full of unexpected revelations that was sure to cause difficulties ahead, he had an overpowering need to sink himself deep inside her and escape.
It was there he always felt as if they were one and, no one or anything could ever separate them. That was the escape he needed, to a place that no one could ever invade.
His hand drifted to splay over her stomach. “I should not have pounded you so hard now that you carry our bairn.”
A soft yawn escaped her. “Later when I am heavily rounded, a pounding might not be wise, but you have pounded me the last three months and the bairn still does well.”
“You will tell me if anything I do causes you discomfort.”
“Having me followed everywhere does get uncomfortable,” she said.
He poked her in the side. “That is not what I meant, wife, and you know it.”
She turned to face him, his arms remaining snug around her. “I worry as you do, not just for us but my sisters and their husbands as well. I am glad we agreed that once discovered, the MacWilliam lass’s identity should remain a secret between us all.”
“Still, we search to make sure the curse will be brought to an end and take the chance of revealing the MacWilliam lass’s identity, possibly exposing her to danger,” he reminded and gave a gentle squeeze to her side. “If it turns out to be you, I will do right by you, Bliss, and see you and our bairn kept from harm.”
Bliss smiled. “I have no doubt you would, but the MacWilliam lass has three courageous warriors to protect her if necessary. Whoever she turns out to be, she has nothing to worry about.”
Rannick grinned. “If it turns out to be Annis, she certainly has no worries. She appears fearless.”
“Blood,” Bliss said. “Annis faints at the sight of too much blood.”
“I have to remember that,” Rannick said with a grin.
Bliss yawned and rested herself against her husband. “I am so happy Annis is here. I just wish Elysia could be here as well.”
“In time, you will all be together again,” he assured her.
“But it will be different,” she said softly, sleep creeping up on her. “Fate has seen that none of us are who we once were.”
Rannick kissed her brow and watched her drift off to sleep before he whispered, “And that is for the better.”
CHAPTER 28
“A cottage just for healing,” Annis said, glancing around. “This must make you happy.”
“Much has made me happy of late,” Bliss said and pointed to a bench by the table. “Sit and tell me about you and Brogan while I fix us a hot brew to chase away the chill.”
Annis’s face lit with delight. “I love him, though I have no idea how that came about. It surprised me as much as our marriage did.”
“How is it you wed him when you were so against it?”
All delight fled from Annis’s face and tears were quick to gather in her eyes. “I am so sorry, Bliss. If I had wed Brogan when I was chosen to be his wife, you would not have had to sacrifice yourself. I feel as if I betrayed you.”
“Nonsense!” Bliss scolded. “If you had wed Brogan, I would have never gotten to meet Rannick, never gotten to fall in love, and never gotten to have a bairn of my own. I do not, nor will I ever regret the bargain I made to see you kept safe. I am overjoyed that you got to wed the man you loved and in your time. Now tell me how it came about.”