“Not if I find a way to make it clear I’ve decided to align myself with her,” he said. “Several things might work in my favor. First, how confident she might be about having created a divide betwixt you and me. Secondly, if shehadsucceeded in coming betwixt us, I might find it wiser to align myself with her and Aodh’s kingdoms. Thirdly, I might simply be determined to come betwixt her and Aodh out of jealousy.”
“That’s one too many ‘what if’s’ for my taste.” Clearly looking for anything she could to stop this, Shannon frowned and looked back and forth between Tréan and Riona. “You claim Siobhán can no longer influence Liam and me now that I’ve come into my Unknown One status. If that’s true, wouldn't she have sensed any control she might've had over us gone? Likely even assumed Liam and I had fallen in love again?” She perked a brow at Liam. “Which would make your various explanations to her pointless.”
“If the magic Siobhán used wasn't residual,” Liam reminded. “Which means, outside of the lightning that set my ship afire, her magical connection to us was pre-laid spells no longer attached to her.” He shook his head. “So she knows nothing of how far we have progressed. You could have come into your magic without reconnecting with me. As you said in New Hampshire, love isn't necessary.”
“Be that as it may, and assuming any part of your plan might work,” she countered, “how do you intend to get away once Siobhán realizes what we’re up to?”
“’Twill be left in fate’s hands,” he said softly.
“Fate’s hands?” she mouthed, seeing the entirety of it now. How he intended to sacrifice himself for Aodh. “Absolutely not.” She grew more and more upset. “No way.” Fear lit her eyes. “Liam, that’s a suicide mission!”
“There’s no other way.” He cupped her cheek and hated to say it, but what choice did he have? “We’ve secured three kingdoms so far, and ‘tis your magic protecting this one. If Aodh’s kingdom falls under Siobhán’s rule, they will have us from the north and south, and we cannot have that. Not when they have a dragon at their disposal. If all that isn’t enough, there’s no hope of fulfilling the prophecy if Aodh and Constance don’t come together. Surely you see that?”
When her eyes filled and she shook her head, he wiped away a tear and spoke telepathically.“I know ‘tis not easy, mo leath eile, but our people need to see strength right now. They need to know ye can lead them well without me because ‘twill fall to ye to do such. And ye will be good at it. I don’t doubt it for a moment.”He glanced from Tréan to her.“Then, when ye think he’s ready, ye will let Tréan rule, ta?”
She blinked back tears the best she could.“You’re asking an awful lot of me.”
“Yet ask I must,”he said.“If I don’t make it back, ye’re not alone. Wherever ye may end up after the prophecy is fulfilled, ye have yer sisters and my brothers. Their children. Wee nieces and nephews. And ye’ll have our son. Ye deserve to have a life with him. Please, Shannon,”he managed, as upset as her when her lower lip wobbled, and she kept shaking her head in denial.“I need to see that ye can do this for him. For our people. But most of all, for Aodh and Constance.”
“This isn’t how things are supposed to go.”She squeezed her eyes shut for several moments, trying to gather herself.“I don’t want to lose you when we’ve only just found each other again.”
“Any more than I want to lose ye.”He dropped a soft kiss on her lips and met her eyes.“So let’s not think that way because ye have my word I’ll do whatever it takes to come back to ye.”He brushed his lips over hers again, never meaning anything more.“Ye have to know I will. That there’s nowhere I wish to be more than by my queen’s side.”He spoke aloud. “So might we marry as planned this morn?”
She nodded, and more tears fell, but this time they were bittersweet. “I’d like nothing more.”
After they told their people their plans, they announced they would be married within the hour. She would become their queen, and if anything happened to Liam, eventually, Tréan would be their king. Normally, the throne would revert directly to their son, but these were unusual times, and this an unusual situation. So, an Unnamed One would rule until this was all over.
His announcement was met with approval, and soon thereafter, they were married. A simple ceremony made much better because Tréan was there when Liam placed a delicate crown on her head. Finally made her his in a way she should have been in their previous life.
“Do we have time for this?” she exclaimed, managing a small smile when he swept her up into his arms and headed upstairs. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“Good because we would make time as ‘tis best things are consummated.”
Stunning revelations or not, he had wanted her again since last he had her. “Dúghlas, Conall, and my brother will see to things and ready the ships.”
He knew the moment he said it he shouldn’t have because her smile faded.
“I’m sorry, lass,” he said softly, wishing her only to smile again. “Let us focus on the moment,ta? Let us have this time together?”
“Absolutely,” she whispered hoarsely as he lay her on his,their, bed.
After that, talk ended. He didn’t waste time undressing either of them but chanted their clothes away and kissed her. Worshiped her flesh as much in this life as he had in the last. Loved her with every ounce of his being.
He started with her lips and neck, then worked his way down. Kissed and touched every part of her, from her delicate shoulders to the curve of her waist to her slender calves. When he found his way to the sweetness betwixt her thighs, she groaned and dug her hands into his hair. Arched and kept groaning as he saw her well-satisfied.
“No more,” she managed after finding her peak. “I want you over me. In me. Part of me.” She yanked at him. “Please.Now.”
Determined to give her anything she wanted for as long as they had, he hooked his arm under one of her knees and worked his way into her hot sheath. She was so aroused that she cried out and peaked again before he had a chance to make his way entirely in. It took almost more than he had not to let go then and there. Determined to fight it, he closed his eyes to the feel of her and tried to maintain control when nothing felt so good.
“I’m sorry,” she eventually whispered. “You just...this is just...”
“’Tis all right.” He cupped the side of her neck and waited for her to float back down. “I enjoy it as much as you.” He brushed his lips across hers when they parted in pleasure. “Mayhap more than you.”
“Doubtful.” She smiled against his lips when he kissed her again. “Because I feel...amazing.”
“Yet you can feel more amazing,” he promised and kissed her deeply. Wrapped his tongue with hers and finally filled her completely. He continued kissing her until he eventually moved, rolling his hips while he thrust, sure to hit the tiny nub at the apex of her pleasure.
Kissing soon became impossible as their pleasure built. So they breathed against each other’s lips. Took one another in. He looped his arm under her other knee and pulled her legs up higher. Hit spots that made her dig her nails into his back. Moved faster. Harder. Rode her until she issued a sharp cry of release. Right there with her, his ballocks tightened almost painfully before pure ecstasy hit, and he locked up against her.
