Page 72 of A Healer for the Wicked Highlander

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

The castle came into view, its stone walls rising in the distance, a familiar sight after what had felt like an eternity. Michael’s head was still swimming with exhaustion from the fight, the poison, and the near-death he had just escaped, but he could feel the warmth of the castle’s embrace already.

The men who had been with him in the search were scattered about, but near enough for him to know they all made it back. As they approached the entrance, Michael felt his pulse quicken, his chest tightening despite the relief of being home. He could hear footsteps running toward them. They were fast, light, full ofhope.

It was Cody.

The young boy skidded to a halt in front of him, eyes wide as he took in the sight of his father.

“Da!” Cody’s voice cracked, and Michael could see the fear and concern clouding his boy’s innocent face.

Before Michael could speak, Cody reached out, his small hands tugging at Michael’s arm with a desperate need to make sure he was all right.

“Da, ye’re hurt!” Cody said in a trembling voice.

Michael knelt down in front of him, forcing a smile, though the pain from his arm throbbed with every movement. “Aye, lad,” he said, his voice a little rough, “I’ve got a scratch, but it’ll heal. Nay need to worry.”

Cody’s brow furrowed, his small hands still clutching at Michael’s sleeve. “But it looks bad...”

“I’ll be fine, Cody,” Michael assured him, pulling the boy into a gentle hug. “Ye ken I’m tougher than that.”

As he stood, the sound of Marissa and Abigail running to them caught his attention. The two girls burst out of the door and before Michael could say another word, they flung themselves into Freya’s arms.

Freya staggered back slightly from the force of the embrace, but she immediately wrapped her arms around them, squeezing them tightly.

“Freya!” Marissa gasped. “We were so worried!”

Abigail was even less composed. She pressed her face into Freya’s shoulder, her quiet sobs betraying how much she had feared for her sister.

Freya kissed the top of Abigail’s head softly, holding them both close. “I’m here. I’m here, and I’m nae going anywhere.”

Michael’s heart clenched as he watched the reunion. It was a sensation he had rarely felt before. There was something so tender about the way Freya held them, how she was their anchor. He felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude, not just for her strength, but for the way she had protected them all.

As Freya pulled away from the girls, her eyes found his, and for the first time since the battle, he let himself relax.

They were home. Safe.

They all moved to the great hall, and it wasn’t only the fire that made the room feel alive. It was the buzz of conversation, the flicker of relief on every face, and the sheer weight of what had passed, what they’d survived. Michael stood just a few steps behind Freya, watching her as she caught everyone’s attention.

Freya’s eyes met his, a spark of mischief in them as she smiled. “There’s somethin’ we want to tell ye,” she announced.

The murmurs all stopped and everyone turned toward her. Michael stood still, knowing what was coming, yet his pulse quickened nonetheless.

Freya glanced at him again, her smile softening into pure love. “Michael and I?—”

A pause, the room hanging on the edge of her words, then she finished, the words ringing with such finality and joy that they seemed to brighten the very air around them.

“We’re getting’ married.”

The reaction was immediate.

Marissa’s hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide in shock before they softened with happiness. “Oh, Freya, that’s wonderful!”

Abigail’s smile lit up her face, and she nearly bounced on her heels before rushing forward to hug Freya tightly. “I’m so happy for ye both!”

Cody, unable to contain himself, grinned from ear to ear, his face practically glowing. “I kent it! I kent ye’d get married!” He tugged at Michael’s sleeve as if to share in the joy. “Now, we’re all goin’ to be together, always!”

Brodie chuckled from the doorway, his arms crossed with an amused glint in his eye. “Aye, we all saw it comin’, dinnae we?”