He cupped her face between his palms. ‘Must you always make a joke and try to deflect me from something serious? Why can’t you think more of yourself?’
‘It is easier than believing in things I shouldn’t.’
‘What, like lasting passionate love between a man and a woman?’
Ceanna gave a slight nod as her throat closed. ‘A sweet fantasy, I have always thought.’
He laced his fingers through hers. ‘Then I will have to believe in it twice. For the both of us.’
He lowered his mouth.
‘There is no need. I am willing to believe if you are,’ she whispered against his lips.
He lifted her chin, so she was forced to look into his deep gaze. ‘I love you, Ceanna, with all my soul and every fibre of my being. I have liked you since I first saw you in the tavern when you stood up to the owner and I have loved you since you fell asleep in my arms. My heart knew that I always wanted to wake up watching you, but I had to be worthy of your love. But then when I said Ingrid’s words to Brandt and thought about her struggle to say them, I knew that waiting until my final breath before I said something was wrong. I may never be worthy of your love, but you need to know you have mine.’
‘I love you as well. I meant it when I said it that day in the square when you took Danr’s place,’ she gasped out before he could say more. ‘It happened when I wasn’t looking for it. I know you will carry my heart with you wherever you go.’
He drew his brows together. ‘Where am I going?’
‘Your brothers may need your help and I can’t stay. My father needs me, but more importantly the people of Dun Ollaigh need me.’
‘Your commitment to your responsibility is one of the many things I love about you.’
‘I thought you found it infuriating. I forced you to do so many things, to make so many oaths.’
‘I can think both things at the same time.’ He gathered her into his arms. ‘Skadi, you are very wrong about where I am needed. My brothers might want me to stay, but they don’t require my help. Brandt was right long ago—they can solve this without my interference.’
‘Interference?’
Sandulf gave a half-smile. ‘I was a very annoying nuisance when I was a boy and desperately wanted to be included in everything they did.’
‘What are you saying?’
‘I need you at my side and in my bed. I know that means Dun Ollaigh, rather than being with my brothers, but it is where I want to be, if you’ll have me.’
‘I thought...’
‘I said things I regret because I was afraid to come here. If I hadn’t, I would always have wondered if I could keep my oaths, if I could be trusted. If I could truly be the husband you require and deserve. I want to believe I can be, with your love to give me hope.’
‘You are already the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I tried to stop loving you after you rejected me, but I failed miserably.’
‘I’m pleased you failed. That day I pushed you away, it was because I was afraid. I want your love. I have always wanted it. It keeps me breathing.’ Sandulf traced a gentle line down her cheek. ‘Ceanna, understand this: I may carry my brothers in my heart, but all of it belongs to you, my whole heart. And I’m no longer afraid to tell you how I feel.’
Ceanna stared at him in astonishment. He wanted to be with her. He loved her. Truly loved her. ‘I thought all heroes were figments of my fevered imaginations, but I was wrong. You are my hero. I have been dreading us parting. You carry my heart with you. I tried to become indispensable to you when we were at Nrurim so you would keep me with you, but I realised I had to be me, as I am, with all my faults and flaws.’
‘Indispensable, vital, crucial and essential is what you are simply by being you.’ He laughed. ‘You were magnificent with my brothers. I’ve never known them to quieten so easily.’
‘Let’s listen to what they have to say. Our help from Dun Ollaigh is there if they require it. Always.’
‘And afterwards, we cross the sea to our home, our people and our lives.’ He put his hand on her belly. ‘And one day, our children.’
‘Agreed.’ She gave her mouth up to his.
‘Sit and explain yourself,’ Alarr said, gesturing to a pair of stools and Lady Breanne poured two cups of ale.
Sandulf rapidly explained about the voyage out to Constantinople, the attempt on his life on board ship and how he’d survived. Then he explained about hunting the assassins after he’d overheard a conversation in Constantinople and how he’d recognised who they were. And how he’d finally tracked Lugh down to Nrurim.
Ceanna took up the tale and explained how Danr had been rescued, how he’d saved her life and how he’d volunteered to find out the truth about the pendants they’d recovered from the assassins. Sandulf was grateful neither of his brothers objected to his passing that duty on to their half-brother.
‘A good choice,’ Brandt commented. ‘Our mother knows how to bend us to her will. Danr is the most likely to be able to discern the truth from it. Is it too much to hope for that you saw our father’s murderer’s face that day?’
Sandulf shook his head. ‘Only the back of a shadowy figure.’
‘Then the search goes on. Honour will be restored, if not our land.’
The brothers lifted their ale and Sandulf swore an oath to the sons of
