Page 86 of Leila’s Legacy

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Leila swiped clean the last bite of stew with a bit of bread and popped it into her mouth.

“Doesn’t that feel better?” Nan asked with a proud smile on her face.

“Aye,” Leila agreed. “This is some of the best food I’ve eaten since my capture.”

“Ach, don’t speak of it.” Nan’s eyes went glossy and she dabbed at them with the corner of her apron. “I couldn’t bear to think of you trapped there with such terrible food and horrible conditions.” She rushed over and wrapped her large arms around Leila. “I was so worried about you.”

“I’m fine now,” Leila said when Nan released her. “More than fine now that Niall is here.”

“I’m so happy for you, child.” Nan ran an affectionate hand down Leila’s clean hair.

She was glad she’d taken Marin’s advice and bathed while she was waiting for Isla to finish with Niall. But now after cleaning up and eating food, she wanted nothing more than to be with him again, to ensure he didn’t have pain after being stitched up. More than anything, she just wanted to see him again and revel in the timbre of his warm voice.

“Off with you now.” Nan shooed Leila from the kitchen. “Go see to your man.”

Leila didn’t need to be told twice and rushed to the healing room. Except when she opened the door, she found the pallet empty and Isla sorting through a stack of dried herbs.

She looked up as Leila entered the room. “That man of yers did fine and is already in his own chamber getting ready to see ye.” She winked. “Are ye well, lass? Do ye have any injuries I need to see to?”

“Nay,” Leila answered readily, but hesitated to leave. “Or rather, my body is fine.” She looked down at her hands. “I think…mayhap I have lost the sight.”

Isla considered, her thoughtful forehead furrowed into a map of crinkles. “Sometimes such things work in curious ways,” Isla said carefully. “Ye had visions long enough to save yer family from the pestilence. And ye fulfilled yer own destiny when ye met the Lion.”

Leila nodded slowly as she processed what Isla had said. She had been able to save her family. Of that, she was grateful. The more she’d thought on it though, the stranger it seemed to not have visions, especially when it had been part of her for so long.

“Do you think they will come back?” she asked.

Isla smiled sadly. “I dinna know, lass.”

Leila chewed her lip. “I don’t even know if I want them back.”

“’Tis been yer burden to bear for yer entire life.” Isla approached and took Leila’s hand in her cool, dry one. “Ye’ll just have to live life like the rest of us, no’ knowing what will come next.”

“I like the sound of that,” Leila said. And she did. To not be plagued by terrible dreams of the past or see terrible things in the future she feared telling others about. To live a normal life.

“Go on to yer man.” Isla winked at her. “I imagine he’s waiting on ye.”

Leila hugged Isla, then made her way to the chamber set aside for Niall and rapped softly on the door.

“Aye?” Niall called out.

“’Tis Leila.”

The door swung open immediately and there he was: the Lion. His gold hair hung in damp waves and he wore only a linen shirt over a pair of trews that appeared to be too short and ill-fitted.

“Leila.” He gave her a lopsided grin and opened the door wider to allow her to come in. He closed the door behind her. “I suppose this isna proper.” Leila rose on her tiptoes to kiss him. “I don’t care about proper.”

He lowered his head and caught her in his arms, kissing her bottom lip, then her top lip, then her whole mouth, as if he was savoring her. Her moan hummed between them.

“I need to ask ye something.” Niall straightened.

There was a seriousness to his expression that made Leila tense with concern. “Is everything all right?”

Niall took her hands in his and gazed down at her. “I canna imagine ye no’ being in my life. I want to build a home with ye here and have bairns of our own together. I dinna ever want to be separated from ye again.” His brows knit together with sincerity. “Leila, mo chridhe, will ye marry me?”

Her heart caught midbeat. Words failed her as she stared up at the man that she loved more than life itself. In the time they had known one another, she had hated him and loved him, she had feared she’d lost him several times over and he had killed her and saved her.