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Her dragon said softly, It's time.
Aware that the entire clan was watching her, Brenna kept her head high and shoulders back. Reaching the pyre, she sent one final silent I love you to her mother before lowering the torch to the wood stacked underneath the shrouded figure. Leaving the torch in the open space left for it, she stepped back to join her father. Caitlin began another song about how the fallen member wouldn't be forgotten as the flames licked and then consumed her mother's body.
Her father wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they stood for who knew how long, watching the dancing flames. They wouldn't stay the entire time since it would take hours for the pyre to fully burn and extinguish. But once the blaze roared, concealing her mother, Brenna looked up at her dad. "She has been honored."
Bram took the cue and raised his voice. "The commemoration continues in the great hall. We have mourned Sharon Rossi's passage and now will honor her memory with a celebration."
As members left, Caitlin sang one final song about fostering the next generation and taking care of one another when times turned tough.
Only when everyone but Brenna’s family and Bram had left did she take her little brother from her father and say, "We should go, too."
Her father stared at the flames. "I'll be along shortly. I want to sing one final song to Sharon alone."
Pushing past the emotion in her throat, Brenna nodded. "Find me when you're ready. I'll watch over Ethan until then."
Her father kissed her cheek, shook Bram's hand, and moved closer to the pyre.
At her father's silhouetted figure, tears threatened to fall again.
Her dragon spoke up. We must be strong for Ethan.
She glanced down at her brother and adjusted his blanket. I know, but sometimes sadness can't be contained that easily, no matter how much I wish I could do so.
Killian placed a hand on her back. "You did brilliantly, love."
Adjusting her brother in her arms, she leaned against Killian's side. "It's easier when you're older. I can only imagine how difficult it must've been for you and Teagan when you were children, at your father's mourning ceremony."
He grunted. "Yes and no. I promised myself that I wouldn't cry because I needed to be strong for my family."
"You weren't even ten at the time."
"That didn't matter to me. Without my dad or either of my grandfathers alive, it was up to me as the only male in the family to be strong and take care of my mother and sister."
She smiled. "Even at that age, I'm sure Teagan didn't take that well."
"No. I suspect that if it had been any other circumstance, she would've challenged me and won. However, she took dad's death even harder than me. It took years for her to smile again." He lightly caressed her cheek. "But this circumstance is different. You have me. And even if it means allowi
ng Blue to take charge to charm you, I want to make our lives from here on out happier. That doesn't mean forgetting your mother, but there are other ways to honor someone than with tears."
Her dragon spoke up again. He's right. Protecting Stonefire means protecting everyone we love. Mum would've approved of that, I think.
If what Dad said is correct, about her being proud, then I think so, too.
Glancing down at her brother's sleeping face, she wished she could just kiss Killian and enjoy the celebration being held in her mother's memory.
However, that would be the coward's way of handling things. There was one remaining thing she needed to tell Killian before making any sort of plans with him.
The hard part was that it might drive him away.
No. She'd put it off long enough.
So, she mustered the courage to say what she'd been trying to say for the last two days. "I know that previously I wanted to return to Glenlough, but I can't do that anymore." She looked up at Killian. "My brother and father need me here. I understand if that's too much to ask, giving up your family and everything you've known, and that you'd rather go back to Ireland."
He frowned. "Why would I go back to Glenlough without you? You're my future, Brenna. I thought we were supposed to decide it together?"
"You may regret staying here."
He stopped and gently took hold of her shoulders. "Why? Because I can be treated as I am now, with two dragon personalities and no past to tie me down? If anything, it's a sort of blessing. I'll miss my sister and I hope we can visit her often, but Glenlough is her home and future. Stonefire is mine."
