Lilith froze, understanding what Willow was getting at.
“Ye…Ye think there will be some that will try to kill us.”
All Willow could do was nod.
“I see.” Lilith sucked in a breath. “I…I havenae enjoyed livin' within Castle McCallum. I…Och, well, perhaps this can be a better home. And any place that I am with ye is the best of all.”
Willow pulled Lilith into her arms. The embrace lasted several moments, and for a time, Willow just absorbed the feeling of her sister against her chest. Their hearts beat in a twin rhythm, and in this, like so many moments, Willow knew without any doubt that Lilith held a part of her soul.
They had shared a womb and, in so doing, shared bits of themselves with each other.
“Ye are me best friend, Lilith. I willnae let anythin' happen to ye. Ever.”
Lilith clutched her back, mirroring Willow’s need to know that they were together. “And ye're mine, Willow. I love ye with all me heart. Whatever happens to us, I vow to do whatever I can to be with ye till the end. Till we are but spirits and beyond.”
Willow choked up, the tears sliding down her face as she leaned back to look into Lilith’s eyes.
“Till we are spirits and beyond, me sweet Lilith.”
Allowing herself to soak in the moment, Willow sucked in a deep breath. She needed to go speak to Keegan. There was no point in delaying the matter, either. The situation was too tenuous, and if he was going to permit them to bury Magnus’s body, it wouldn’t be because she waited for something else to happen before asking.
“I shall go speak to Keegan. Wait here in the chambers. I’m sure…I’m certain that it will be fine. Still, it is verra likely that the halls will remain tense, so it is best if ye’re nae seen for now. Aye?”
Lilith nodded. “Aye. I understand. I’ll be right here when ye return.”
“Thank ye, Sister.” Willow cupped her cheek, smiling gently at Lilith before pulling away to go speak to her husband.
30
“He has stabilized. I’ve done what I can to ensure the wound willnae seep and to prevent fever.”
The healer addressed Keegan as Willow pushed into the quiet room. She slowed the door to keep it from slamming and stood at the back of the space to allow the man to finish before she approached her husband, who visibly relaxed at the healer’s words.
“Yer brother will require tremendous rest as well. I will leave that order to yerself, me laird. Ye ken that he can be a bit of a stubborn man.”
Willow shifted her attention from the healer to Keegan, and he nodded, patting the older man on the shoulder. Just past them, Melissa sat next to Damon’s bed, holding his hand. His eyes remained closed, but Willow could see the steady rhythm of his chest rising and falling.
“Thank ye, Collin. I will call for ye if there is any change.”
The healer nodded, then turned to leave the room. He likely needed sleep as the rest of them did, and Keegan was at last allowing the man to retire for a time. As Collin passed by her, Keegan’s stare found her, and he raised his brows.
“Willow.” Stoic at the best of times, the laird was unreadable at present. “Ye are safe.”
Keeping her steps quiet, Willow approached his side with a soft nod of her head. “Aye. I am safe. As is Lilith, for which I’m eternally grateful.”
She looked around the room. “I daenae see Rodrick. I would have thought he would come this way.”
“He was,” Melissa offered from across Damon’s bed, “but the man could hardly stand, so I sent him to get some sleep.”
All she could think to do was nod again. It felt useless and unhelpful at the time, but what more did Willow have to offer? As she returned her stare to Keegan, she noticed how rigid he stood. He was focused intently on Damon, and she could see his hand gripping the pommel of his sword so much that it turned his knuckles white.
He was also littered with cuts and slashes. Willow noted the dried blood clinging to him, and her stomach clenched as worry with no place to go consumed her. It was obvious that herhusband wasn’t too badly injured, but seeing him in his present condition made her heart ache.
“Are…are ye all right, Keegan? Did ye require the healer yerself?”
He shook his head, not looking at her. “Nay. I am nay worse for wear.”
Melissa scoffed, and Willow looked over in time to see her roll her eyes. “So ye say, and still ye hiss and creek every time ye move. And ye’re covered with filth, Brother.”