Kilted Sins – Extended Epilogue
Three months later
“Ye’re the bonniest bride I’ve ever seen,” said Thora as she stared at Enya, holding her hands in hers with tears in her eyes. Enya didn’t think she had ever looked so moved before, so emotional.
“Ach, ye havenae seen many brides,” said Enya, waving her off dismissively, but Thora shook her head, fresh tears running down her cheeks.
“Ye’re still the best one.”
Enya smiled, pressing a kiss to her sister’s cheek before she took a look at her reflection in the looking-glass. She wore a deep blue dress to match her eyes, trimmed with gold, and had a cloak to match with fur around the collar. Though the worst of the winter had passed, it was still cold, and she knew the celebrations would last several days, taking place inside and out of the castle.
There had already been a hunt, and this one had gone much better than the last, though Enya had refused to participate this time. After all, she couldn’t stomach the thought of killing any creature and the last time she had tried, she had lost that bet with Cillian. Surely, if she tried to participate, he would find another way to frustrate her, just to see her squirm.
They still bickered. Enya had quickly discovered that after they had returned from that cottage and the battle that had almost torn them apart. Once they had fallen back into a routine, the bickering had resumed, only this time, it was about silly things and it always led them to bed within a matter of hours.
“Are ye ready?” Thora asked and Enya wasn’t certain what her true answer would be. Would she ever be ready for this? Marrying Cillian seemed like such an important moment that the more she thought about it, the more she began to believe she wasn’t ready for it, but at the same time, she had never wanted anything more in her life. She longed to be his wife, to belong to him and have him belong to her fully, and until the ceremony was over, she knew she wouldn’t rest.
It still didn’t stop her heart from drumming in her chest, beating so fast she feared it would burst right out of her.
“Aye,” she said after a moment of hesitation. “Let us go.”
Though all the MacLeods had gathered in MacDonald Castle for the wedding, her siblings were in the drawing room, waiting for her, giving her and Thora a few moments together. It was there they headed first, and when the doors opened to let Enya in, all her siblings turned to look at her with matching smiles on their faces.
It was Domhnall who spoke first, standing from the couch to walk over to her and grab her by the shoulders, his eyes—the same blue they all shared—looking at her from head to toe.
“Ye look just like maither,” he said and Enya had to swallow around the knot that suddenly formed in her throat. It was bittersweet, hearing those words. On the one hand, she was glad to resemble their mother, having something of her, even if it was simply her appearance. She had been the one to inherit her gift, too, as their mother was a healer like her, but she had never thought they looked that much alike, perhaps because everyone always remarked on how similar she and Thora looked. On the other hand, it reminded her that neither their mother nor their father was there that day to watch her wed the love of her life.
She missed them both terribly. It was like a constant ache in her chest, one she could never rid herself of. She had to live with it for the rest of her days, knowing it would only intensify whenever they were mentioned, but then again, it was true for all of them. They had all lost their parents and her siblings ached as much as she did.
“We are all already late,” Magnus said, the second oldest after Domhnall and always the responsible one when it came to keeping appointments. He stood and offered his arm to his wife, Ciara, who took it with a smile, patting his shoulder placatingly. “I’d say it’s time tae go.”
“Have ye tried enjoyin’ yerself fer once?” Kai asked from where he was sprawled over one of the couches, taking up its entire length.
“I am enjoyin’ meself just fine without bein’ late, I can assure ye,” said Magnus with a roll of his eyes. “If yer idea o’ a good time is bein’ late, then ye are the one with the issue.”
“Alright!” said Domhnall, clapping his hands together and effectively ending Kai’s teasing, as well as Magnus’ response. Enya couldn’t help but wonder when Magnus would stop taking the bait every time Kai teased him, but judging by the fact that they had been like this ever since Kai was old enough to talk, she doubted it would ever happen. “Magnus is right. Let us head out.”
With that, he too offered his arm to his wife, Katherine, who pushed herself off the couch with a little difficulty, as she had now truly started to show. With everything that had happened, Enya had lost count of the weeks, but now that she was looking at Katherine, it was obvious she was far along in her pregnancy, and Enya couldn’t wait to meet the baby.
Their entourage made their way to the chapel. The ground was no longer frosted or slippery, but there had been a recent storm which had left it covered in mud, and Enya held onto Kai as they walked down the path. Once at the chapel, she took a moment to breathe, but she hardly had the time before Kai pushed her inside and she was suddenly face to face with Cillian, who looked just as pale and anxious as she felt—at least until their gazes met and all the anxiety seemed to melt off him, his lips stretching into a joyous smile.
It was in that instant that Enya knew she was, in fact, ready.
When she approached Cillian, he took her hand and laced their fingers together, bringing it to his lips to press a tender kiss to her knuckles. There was no time for them to exchange any words before the ceremony began, and when it was finished, Enya felt as though she was in a dream, time slipping right through her fingers. It was all done before she could even realize it was over, and by the time she and Cillian were in the great hall, surrounded by their friends and family, Enya was dazed, barely remembering any of it.
“It’s truly done,” she said as the servants brought out the first course. The wine and the ale flowed freely in the room, the roasted meats from the hunt rested heavy on the tables, and the servants had outdone themselves with the decorations, to the point where Enya could hardly recognize the room. She had no words; only a sense of complete satisfaction and joy.
“It is,” Cillian said as he looked at her over the rim of his cup. “Is it what ye imagined?”
“An’ more,” Enya said with a smile, leaning in for a kiss. She couldn’t have asked for anything else, but then again, she would have been perfectly happy marrying Cillian without any of this fanfare. All that mattered to her was that they were together, and that her family was there to share in their joy.
As the day progressed, Enya spent her time receiving gifts and congratulations, and by the time most of them had already passed by their table, she had forgotten every single name and face of those she had met that day. Cillian didn’t seem to be in any better condition, looking a little weary, but soon, Enya knew, they would get to be alone.
Around them, the feast was still going strong, everyone dancing and drinking and enjoying the celebrations. Most of all, it seemed, Kai, who was even rowdier than usual. When Cillian nudged Enya, pointing to her brother, she found him with a servant girl in his lap, laughing. Even so, his eyes were strained and something about his expression told Enya he was not as merry as he wanted people to think.
“Dae I have tae warn me servants?” Cillian asked, but there was no real concern behind his words, only a slight tease. “Ye’re braither’s a handsome lad… he’ll get many o’ them intae trouble.”
Enya couldn’t really understand his behavior, and she doubted any of their siblings did, either. It was true that Kai had always been a little raffish and popular with the ladies, but such a blatant display of a disregard for what was proper was odd even for him.
“There is somethin’ wrong with him,” Enya said.
“Ach, he’s just a lad,” said Cillian dismissively. “He’s only enjoyin’ himself.”
“Nay,” said Enya. “I can tell there is somethin’ wrong.”
Cillian looked at her with some concern then, eyes narrowing. “Somethin’ wrong?”
“Aye,” said Enya. “He seems… sad, almost.”
Cillian looked back at Kai and Enya knew he couldn’t see what she could. He only saw a young man enjoying himself, but Enya knew him better, she could understand that something was bothering him, but she didn’t know how to ask him what it was. Close as they were, Kai still avoided talking about his feelings, closing himself off behind a mask of careless joy and indifference, even as Enya suspected he felt more strongly than anyone else in the family. Perhaps it came with his powers, she thought. The ability to manipulate people’s thoughts and emotions was bound to take a toll on him.
“I’ll talk tae him,” Enya said. “But nae tonight.”
This was not the time or the place to have such a conversation. Enya had to corner him, and she had to do it while he was sober if she wanted to get anything out of him.
Still, throughout the night, she observed him every now and then, taking the time to watch as his gaze drifted from whoever he was speaking to back to Ava. His eyes kept searching for her in the crowd, and Enya began to suspect why he was acting the way he was.
There was talk of Ava getting married. She had told Enya so herself, revealing that her father thought it was the right time and that he could get a good alliance out of it. Kai had been there to hear the news and ever since, something inside him had changed.
Enya didn’t have time to dwell on it, and soon after her realization, Cillian grabbed her hand and began to drag her away. At first, she was about to protest and point out that they couldn’t leave in the middle of the feast, but she soon saw that no one was paying them any mind. They were all already inebriated, too busy dancing or chatting or still drinking to notice when she and Cillian were gone.
They didn’t get too far. Cillian was too impatient, pawing at her in a way that made Enya laugh, as though he could hardly control himself. He, too, had had plenty of wine that night, and his dark hair was mussed, strands of it standing all over the place, making him look like an overeager puppy. They had barely made it to a secluded corner near the great hall before he pressed her against the wall, stealing a heated kiss.
“Lady MacDonald,” he said, his words just a little slurred. “I like the sound o’ that.”
Enya laughed once more, tilting her head to the side when Cillian began to scatter kisses all over her neck. She, too, had had more than enough to drink, and that only served to intensify her lust, heat travelling down her body as Cillian dragged his lips over the sensitive skin of her neck before tracing the same path with his tongue.
“So dae I,” said Enya, one hand coming up to curl around the back of Cillian’s neck. “Let us go tae our chambers.”
“But they’re so far away,” Cillian said almost petulantly. “I want ye now.”
“Ye have me,” Enya said, pressing her forehead against Cillian’s. That seemed to soften his urgency, and he smiled, letting his eyes fall shut.
“I have ye,” he said, arms snaking around her waist to pull her close. “An’ I’m never lettin’ ye go.”
Enya couldn’t ask for any better.
The End.
If you haven’t already, please leave your review on Amazon
Shona, what a terrific ending for the next beginning! Love this series!
Thank you so much, my dear Young at Heart! 💖 I’m thrilled you loved the ending and are enjoying the series. Your enthusiasm is truly inspiring. Here’s to many more adventures together in the stories to come! 📚✨
Loved the banter! Overwhelming emotions and sinister plot culminated in an exciting, romantic adventure. I give it 5 stars!
Wow, thank you so much for the amazing review! I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed the banter, the emotional rollercoaster, and the suspenseful plot. It’s so rewarding to know it all came together for you in such a way! Your 5-star rating truly means the world to me. 💖✨