“I wish I could stay and see your husband’s look when he finds you dead on the floor, your throat cut,” Ivan said. “And do not think you will delay me with talk this time. I will see this done quick.”
Tavia shut her eyes her only thought her love for her husband and the pain he would suffer over finding her, then she heard the familiar growl. She opened her eyes to see two glowing eyes in the darkness of the passageway coming slowly toward them.
“Once you move that dagger, Fen will attack,” she warned.
“It will be too late for you,” he sneered.
“And you as well. Are you willing to die, or do you want to live to see another day perhaps even find another place to stake claim to?” The scent of burning wood suddenly grew heavy. “The fire has breached the keep.”
“I set a good fire,” Ivan said. “Your husband will lose more than you this night.”
Ivan’s hand was suddenly ripped away from her and she heard him gasp. She hurried and turned once free of his hold to see Ivan’s eyes bulging wide, and his chest arched, and her husband standing behind him.
“As I told you when we first met… when my hand goes to my weapon I never hesitate to use it. But then you can feel the truth of my words since my dagger is embedded deep in your back. Now let’s see you finally use your weapon.” Bhric’s grip was strong on Ivan’s hand that held his dagger. “Never will you bring harm to anyone again.” It was a quick slash across Ivan’s throat, his own blade ending his life.
Bhric released the man to drop to the floor lifeless, stepped over him, and took his wife in his arms to hurry her into the Great Hall, Fen following them.
She clung to him, the scent of burning wood thick upon him. “It was you I smelled. The fire did not breach the keep.”
“Aye, it was me. I saw Fen look around once outside, then he began to sniff the ground until it took him to the kitchen, and he rushed inside. I realized then you were not with us. I cursed myself for not keeping you close to me. Fen entered the passageway before me and when I heard him growl, I knew you were in danger. I hurried to enter through another passageway that leads from the kitchen farther down by my solar which is probably the one Ivan used and found out about after his delayed departure from here.”
“The reason he spoke with so many of the Clan MacShane people to find out all he could about this area and the keep,” Tavia said, not letting go of her husband.
Bhric kept tight hold of her as she trembled in his arms.
“Why? Why did Ivan return when he could have run, disappeared, lived?” she asked more perplexed than ever.
“He knew I would never give up searching for him for what he had done to you and my clan and those I protect. It also would not have taken him long to realize that Finley was tracking him. He was a dead man no matter where he went.” He hugged her tight. “It is over, Tavia.”
She looked up at him. “Not truly, Bhric. I still do not know the truth about my birth.”
CHAPTER 29
Bhric stood on the top of the keep stairs with his wife waiting as the group of riders approached. “You are feeling well enough for this?”
Tavia placed her hand on her rounded stomach. “He is a bit of a devil tiring me out and playing havoc with my stomach, but I do well enough.”
“You have three more months of his antics unless, of course, you carry a lass which means she does as she pleases just as you do.” His hand went to rest on his wife’s stomach, and he laughed when he felt a forceful kick in response.
“Will your mother be truthful with me?” Tavia asked.
“I will make sure of it.”
“My da continues to believe it is nonsense and I hope the same. I do not think I could tell him otherwise. It would hurt him terribly,” she said, thinking how upset he had been insisting Ivan had lied and that he was glad he was dead and could spread no more vicious lies.
She and Bhric decided to say nothing about it to anyone until they talked with his mother, but her visit had been delayed due to winter storms. Tavia had been upset with the delay, eager to discover the truth, but it mattered not after a while, the days spent with her husband too joyful to let anything disturb her.
His mother had certainly been right in seeing them wed… they were perfect for each other.
Tavia stood strong, her chin raised as his father and mother drew to a stop in front of the keep. One look and Tavia saw where her husband got his fine features. His da was a handsome man with light-colored hair like Bhric, and his mum’s hair was pure white, long and artfully braided. Though she had white hair she had not a trace of a wrinkle to her beautiful face, and she was tall and slender standing nearly equal to her husband’s height which was a bit shorter than Bhric.
“I am late to greet you,” Ingrid said, rushing up to her mother who had dismounted with the help of her husband.
Ingrid proudly held her swaddled daughter out to her mother. “Your firstborn granddaughter, Astrid.”
Orianna smiled with delight as she cuddled the sleeping lass to her chest. “She is beautiful, Ingrid.”
“She looks like me,” Sven said, coming up behind his wife.