“I’m okay.”Shannon’s cheeks pinkened when she realized just how vulnerable she looked sitting on Liam’s lap.“I need to stand. They shouldn’t see me like this.”
And just like that, she was off his lap.
When he stood to catch her lest she swayed again, she shook her head.“I’m fine...everything’s fine.”
“Is it?”He discreetly put his hand to her elbow, just in case.“You need not—”
“I’m fine,” she reiterated aloud but softly, pulling her elbow away. “Honestly, I feel a lot better. Just embarrassed.” She glanced from him to his people. “What am I supposed to donow? What do they need to see other than me standing on my own?”
“They don’t need to see anything,” he began, but she took matters into her own hands before he could finish.
“Yes, they do,” she said. “They’re scared and need to understand what’s going on. Who I really am. What I’m about.”
Before he could stop her, she headed into the crowd with Tréan by her side and talked to his people. Introduced herself and her wolf. Smiled as though it came naturally to her when he sensed it hadn’t in a long time.
When he looked at Madison in confusion, she seemed just as baffled.
“I wish I knew what to tell you, Liam.” She shook her head. “All I can say is the Shannon I know isn’t a big fan of people. A few are okay, but she typically avoids crowds. Had this courtyard been full of animals, sure, she’d be right at ease, but this is...unexpected.”
“Do you think her possessed?” Cian asked, joining them. “Should we be concerned?”
“She’s definitely not possessed by anything with ill intent,” Madison said. “It’s as if she’s coming into her own. Finding her true self.” She contemplated Shannon. “But yeah, in a strange way, she does seem possessed by something.” Her eyes narrowed. “Yet nothing at the same time.”
“What does that mean?” Liam asked.
“I’m not sure.” Madison eyed her sister and seemed aloof. “Only that she’s herself but not herself, if that makes any sense.”
He had no idea what to make of that. All he knew was he should be by her side, so he joined her as she kept greeting his people. They’d need to be seen together more and more as rumor spread that he was home with his druidess.
“This isn’t me,”she murmured into his mind at one point, even as she smiled at another and another. As more and more became enchanted with her.“I feel...off.”
She didn’t necessarily feel off to him. If anything, she felt less uptight. More herself in a way he shouldn’t be able to understand, yet did. Madison was right. Somehow she was herself but not herself. It was difficult to explain. Nevertheless, the lass he’d met in New Hampshire was still in there. Especially when she spoke to him. When that happened, the Shannon he had come to know over the past week resurfaced.
In fact, the more time that went by after she passed out, the more she reverted back to the woman he knew. It didn't much matter by that point, though, because whatever happened to her had eased her way with his people. They clearly adored her. From her straightforward yet kind way of speaking to her love for animals. She didn't share a lot about herself, but it was enough. At least for now.
By the time they made it into the great hall, the sun had set, wall torches burned, and a fire was lit on both the new wall hearth and in a stone-encased fire pit in the middle of the chamber.
“This is,” Shannon seemed speechless for a moment as she took everything in, “unreal.”
He wasn’t sure what to make of that. Did she like it? Dislike it? How much should he care? Yet he knew as he waited for her to go on with nary a breath drawn that hedidcare and too much at that.
As her gaze traveled from the array of large, heavy tapestries of Ireland’s wildlife and oceanscapes to the well-crafted yet simple furnishings, he became acutely aware his wasn’t a feminine castle. As a rule, he preferred function to pomp. Less clutter helped him think better. His was primarily a seafaring kingdom with fishmongers and seamen in and out regularly, sohe preferred rushes changed daily rather than carpets in the great hall because of all the foot traffic.
“Look atthis.” Madison gazed around in awe at the tapestries. “It’s like a medieval version of your old apartment, Shannon.”
It was? When he glanced at Shannon curiously, she merely shrugged, most definitely back to herself. “Not sure what she means.”
“Yeah, right.” Madison chuckled. “Your walls were covered with pictures of just about every animal imaginable. And what little space was left, you had pictures of the sea. Then there was your furniture and—”
“And nothing.” Shannon shot Madison a look before tossing Liam a tepid smile. “Your castle is very nice, as are your people. I appreciate you having Tréan and me.”
Having her? As though she were a guest who stumbled in unannounced? All he could manage was a nod because he had no idea how else to respond. She confused him more by the moment.
“Ah, this must be her,” the man who had all but raised him declared, joining them with a wide smile. He dropped to a knee and bowed his head to both Madison and Shannon. “Welcome, Queen Madison and Druidess Shannon.” Before Shannon could shy away, Dúghlas leapt to his feet and wrapped her up in a big hug. “’Tis good to have ye amongst us, lassie!”
Shannon clearly had no idea what to make of Liam’s towering white-haired mentor as he pulled back and looked her over with approval. “Ye’re a good fit for me boy.” His smile only grew wider as he continued taking her in. “Ye really are.”
“Thank you.” She frowned where minutes before she would have smiled. “And you are?”
