a Touch of Intrigue (29 page)

While Tynan and I were choosing our presents for each other, Siofra had been sorting through bottle stoppers. She held one up. “I think this one, with gold, silver, and purple cords for the binding part of the ceremony.”

“We know what the purple signifies, but what about gold and silver?” I asked the artist.

She shrugged. “I’ve only studied glass, so I’m not sure.”

“I’ve been reading a bit about hand-fasting to prepare for yours,” Siofra said. Gold stands for unity, prosperity, and strength; the silver for inspiration, creativity, vision and protection. And I think the cord meanings correspond nicely to your leather choices. The black brings you strength, and pure love, while the white offers spiritual peace and serenity.”

“Everyone wants to calm me down.” It was more than a little disconcerting.

Pierce tugged on a handful of curls. “Lots of energy in there, Belisama.”

Siofra smiled with enigmatic wisdom, then wandered to far end of the workshop to look at some finished pieces. She dropped a long strand of pearls around her neck, and fondled the two pieces of purple glass that hung from it. They were wrapped with gold wire.

I nudged Pierce. “We should buy that for your mother. To wear tomorrow.”

He squinted at her, then nodded. “And Millie?”

“The cobalt one. It’s wrapped in almost the same design, and the blue would match mine. I think it would honor her for being my surrogate mother if the color of our sea glass matched. And she would want a necklace. Nothing on her wrists because it would draw attention to the scars on her hands. Millie is shy.”

Pierce leaned toward the artist, and handed her several large denomination bills. “Will this cover it?”

I dug some money out of my bag. “I want to pay for my gift to Tynan.”

The artist sorted through the money, handed us our change, and sat down to work. She beamed at us. “You’ve made exquisite selections to celebrate your union, but you’d best make it a long lunch since I have two bracelets, and some hand-fasting ropes to decorate.”

“We can do that.” It was an easy promise. We had wedding clothes to buy, although I hadn’t mentioned that to Pierce yet.

“
Mháthair
.” Pierce, summoning his mother.

She reluctantly put the necklace back on the display, and hurried toward us. “Lovely piece of artistry. Are we ready for lunch, then?”

We made a quick stop at a North Shore boutique where I purchased a deep blue, chiffon pareo. It would match my hand-fasting bracelet, and wasn’t so dressy as to look out of place in the garden. Pierce wouldn’t have cared if we hand-fasted in our cargoes, but I wanted something special to go with that gorgeous piece of sea glass. It deserved to be showcased with blue chiffon.

We ate outside. Big waves rolled onto the beach below the restaurant. The food was delicious. Pierce barely touched a bite, and I’d swear he didn’t notice a single thing about the scenery, but he’d memorized every face in the restaurant, and could probably tell me who had come and gone, and in what order. I needed to get him away from this public exposure, and soon. “Would you mind if I steal Tynan for a walk on the beach, Siofra.”

She was busy drinking a tall glass of lemonade, and shooed us away.

“What?” Pierce asked, when we’d left the crowd behind.

We’d reached the beach, eerily deserted for so late in the afternoon. I shivered, then drew in a breath, and inched the folder out of my handbag. “It’s time. I need to share these pictures with you.” I dropped my bag on the sand, then handed him the folder. “But give me a minute first.”

Kicking off my slippahs, I ran into the surf and buried my hands and wrists in a tumbling ocean wave, and soaked in the pure energy. My bracelets needed it. I needed it. They sang to me, telling me it was going to be all right, that Pierce wouldn’t totally freak.

I ran back to him, laughing when I saw that my handbag was hanging off his shoulder. “It’s not a good look for you,” I said, taking the bag and the folder. “Let’s sit on that log.”

He picked up my slippahs, and followed me. “Stop it.”

“What?” Four letters, each one filled with confusion.

“You’re forgetting how to trust me.”

My stomach churned. He was right. “I…probably because I’m scared, so I assumed you would be too. My bad.”

He slicked his hand over the crown of my head, down through my hair. “Sharing fear is like sharing blood. It’s a commitment.”

I patted the space next to me.

He sat.

Makani signed these drawings, so she must have seen… I opened the folder, and spread three drawings in front of him. Two boys and a girl were sketched in intricate detail. I traced the lines of the girl’s face. “She’s the youngest.”

Tynan’s hands shook when he gathered the sketches and returned them to the folder, and handed it to me. “Scares the shit out of me. Three more precious lives to protect.”

My heart broke with the burden he faced. We faced. I stuffed the sketched into my handbag, knelt in front of him, and took his hands. “We don’t have to go there. Makani’s visions are just that, and they don’t take away our free will.”

He stood, pulled me to my feet, and crushed me against him. “I want those children more than I want my next breath. They’re ours. Will be ours.”

“Not until our land is safe again. After our hand-fasting I’m going to take Siofra on a walking tour of the perimeter, and we’re going to create wards, strong ones that will augment Aukele’s protective field. And he’ll have to replace what’s there with a new one. A stronger one. We’ll make it safe again, and we’ll test the hell out of it. I’m sure Fred would be more than willing to try and gain access.”

A low rumble sounded under my ear. I leaned back, and looked into Tynan’s eyes. “What?”

“I’m not alone anymore.”

EPILOGUE

BILLOWY WHITE CLOUDS FLOWED LANGOURSLY
across the deep blue sky. There had been a heavy mist in the air at dawn when Millie, Siofra, and I gathered in the garden to bury the large piece of purple sea glass. But once it was done, and we’d blessed the land, each with our own words, the trade winds whipped through the forest bringing sunshine and low humidity. I figured it was a gift from the goddesses.

When it was time for the ceremony, everyone circled the garden holding hands: Annie, Sean, and Madigan; Adam and Ben; Millie and Harlan, Lorcán and Siofra, and Aukele. Tynan and I stood under the rainbow eucalyptus. Siofra and Millie looked especially pretty with their new necklaces, perfect choices for my “moms.”

Everyone stilled, and Tynan took my hands. “I can never offer you traditional marriage, but you have my heart, my love, my family, and my protection. I will stand for you, and I offer you what is mine to give.” He fastened the cobalt blue sea glass around my wrist.

“Thank you, Tynan Ailill Pierce. I offer you my living and my dying, I honor you, and will stand for you. You have my heart and my love. And, Tynan, I shield your back just as you shield mine.” I fastened the red sea glass on his wrist.

“Thank you Everly Gray Hunt.”

We held crossed hands for the binding ceremony, which began with Aukele. “Everly and Tynan.” He draped a white cord around our hands. “You will honor each others spiritual path. And so the binding is made.”

Annie grinned as she and Sean wrapped a purple cord around our wrists. “You will respect each others truth. And so the binding is made.”

In contrast, Adam and Ben wore serious expressions. “You will be each others strength.” They added a gold cord. “And so the binding is made.”

Madigan ran toward us, laughing. “You will bring each other joy and laughter.” Her purple cord slipped off, she scooped it off the ground, blew imaginary dirt off, and wrapped us up tight. “And it’s binding.”

Harlan’s hand shook ever so slightly as he passed a white cord under our hands. Millie took it, folded it over the top, then interlocked her fingers Harlan’s. They said the words together. “You will bring peace to each other. And so the binding is made.”

Siofra and Lorcán approached us. They each held one end of a gold cord, and wrapped it around our hands together. “You will live as one with the blood oath of unity. And so the binding is made.”

Aukele bound all the cords together with a large piece of white sea glass wrapped in twisted gold and silver wire. “May you be blessed with pure vision. And the binding is done.” And then he slipped the cords off, handed them to Pierce, took my right hand, and placed a purple heart-shaped diamond on my middle finger. “Your mother and father left you this ring. It was your paternal grandmother’s, and her grandmother’s before that.”

Siofra gasped. “It’s the Circle of Nine diamond. Oh my merciful heavens. I never thought to see it.”

The ring weighed heavy on my finger. “What does that mean, Siofra?”

“It’s linked to all the wisdom in the Circle. Of course I should have realized it was passed down through Jayme’s family.” She folded me in a tight hug. “It is so right that it belongs to you, the only person who can access the energy. It’s genetic, your connection to the energy in the diamond. Just like with the sea glass. This is your birthright,
mo iníon
.”

Pierce rubbed his thumb over the diamond. And then Annie did. She looked deep into my eyes. “You’re going to be an excellent partner for Pierce.” She hugged me hard, tears pooling in her eyes.

Weddings did that. And pregnancy hormones. “Thanks, I—”

“Haven’t asked her yet, A. J.”

She gave him an eye roll. “Seriously? She tossed her hands up. “Well. Now would be an excellent time.”

Tynan took my hands. “I want you to step into A.J’s position, Everly, be my partner.”

My knees shook. “On missions? Like a team?”

“We work well together. We love each other. And Annie is benched. You’re up, Belisama. There isn’t anyone I trust more.”

Panic flashed in his eyes. Just for a second. Like he was afraid I’d say no.

It was my turn to panic. Another second passed, and then everything slid into place. “Yeah. We can do that.” I threw my arms around him and held on. “We’re going to have a good life, Tynan Ailill Pierce, but we’re not naming either of our sons Ailill. Much as I love the way it sounds, two of you would be my undoing.”

Laughter rumbled deep in his chest. “Good to know I’m enough for you, Belisama.”

A note from L. j.

Dear Readers,

A quick note to let you know this is the last book in
this
segment of the Everly Gray Adventures. However, the next story will be the
beginning
of the Everly and Pierce adventures.

Happy reading…and as always you have my thanks for reading
a TOUCH OF INTRIGUE
. I hope you enjoyed it. You can reach me…

Website:
http://www.ljcharles.com/

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