Chapter 17

Aaden was still struggling to catch his breath when the door opened, but he hoped he could blame that and the redness of his face on the pain of the injury. In his panic, he had hardly processed what Laird Stewart had told him and now that Ruadh stood there, right in front of him, his expression painted with fake concern, Aaden could hardly keep himself from scowling.

What is he doin' here? Did he come tae see if I am succeedin'?

"Nephew!" Ruadh said, voice booming through the room. "It is good tae see that ye are well. I heard about yer encounter with the brigands an' I had tae come see ye."

Aaden knew there was no way Ruadh could have made it there so soon, so it could only mean he was already on his way when the attack happened. Perhaps he was even nearby, laughing delightedly when his men returned.

"Uncle," Aaden greeted, tilting his head. "Forgive me fer stayin' in bed, I am afraid the healer ordered me tae remain like this until the morrow."

"Ach, nonsense," Ruadh said, waving his hand dismissively. He was the perfect picture of a concerned guardian, so much so that he could have fooled Aaden too if he hadn't known any better. "Stay in bed, lad. We will have plenty o' time tae discuss everythin' once ye recover."

"I wasnae expectin' ye. Tae what dae we owe the pleasure o' yer visit?" Aaden asked, unable to hold the question back. He itched with curiosity, and if he came across as a little rude, then he could blame that, too, on the pain.

"I came tae see the brides, o' course," Ruadh said. "I heard Evander an' the young Miss Stewart are very much in love. I can only hope it's the same fer ye."

It was a threat, no matter how well-veiled. Aaden knew what Ruadh was truly saying, but he wouldn't get an answer as long as Laird Stewart and Lilith were in the room. It was a relief, at least, that Laird Stewart was with him. Had Ruadh thought he and Aaden were alone, he could have revealed much to Lilith while she was hiding under the bed.

"It is," Laird Stewart said.

"It is?" Aaden asked with a frown. Despite the hushed confession Lilith had made only moments prior—the confession he hadn't had the chance to respond to—he didn't know if very much in love was an accurate description for what Lilith felt for him. He didn't allow himself to get his hopes up like that.

"O' course," Laird Stewart said. "An' I came tae tell ye that ye have me permission tae ask fer her hand in marriage. I cannae thank ye enough fer savin' me daughter's life, Aaden. If anyone deserves me daughter as his wife, it is ye. I ken ye will protect her."

Aaden was speechless, but neither Ruadh nor Laird Stewart seemed to care, too busy congratulating each other on a match well done. He had almost completed his task. All that was left now was for Lilith to agree to this marriage, though perhaps that was more easily said than done.

Will she wish tae wed me? Or will she reject me, too?

"I kent ye two would wed the moment ye sang fer her," Laird Stewart continued, a fond smile spreading over his lips.

"He sang fer her?" Ruadh asked. He raised his eyebrows as he spoke, and Aaden could see the effort it took him to keep the mockery at bay.

"He did," Laird Stewart confirmed. "I used tae dae such things fer me wife, too. Crazy things just tae make her laugh. I think that's what Lilith needs, lad. Someone tae make her laugh like that."

"Aye," Aaden said rather dumbly, for lack of anything better to say. It had all come as a shock to him: the sudden appearance of his uncle, the two men barging into the room, the permission to ask Lilith for her hand. He didn't even have the chance to celebrate Read's presence, too unnerving to allow for any sort of joy at the news.

"It seems like ye're tired," Laird Stewart said, misinterpreting Aaden's surprise for weariness. "We'll leave ye tae rest."

For that, at least, Aaden was grateful. With the two of them gone, he could take a breath and try to make sense of everything. If he proposed to Lilith, would she agree? If she did, would that save his mother? And what would Ruadh do once the two of them were married?

"I'll see ye soon," Ruadh told him as he and Laird Stewart left the room. Aaden didn't respond before the door closed, finally leaving him alone.

A few moments passed in silence before he heard something under the bed and remembered Lilith was still there. Cursing, he jumped out of bed and helped her up to her feet, unable to hold back a chuckle at the ridiculousness of their situation. There they were, Lilith's shift wrapped around her torso, her dress rumpled around her waist, her hair a mess around her head, and Aaden's hands shaking with adrenaline and, perhaps for the first time, the fear of rejection.

"I can only assume that ye heard everythin' they said," he told her.

Lilith smiled and gave him a small nod, gesturing towards the bed. "Difficult tae avoid it, considerin'the circumstances."

Laughter bubbled out of Aaden and he nodded, considering his next move. Should he ask Lilith what she wanted to do? Or should he simply continue with the confession he had never got to make?

In the end, he decided to be direct and fell to his knees in front of her, taking her hand. There was no point in dancing around the matter at hand. As much as he feared Lilith would say no, he had to ask her.

"Lilith… may I have yer hand in marriage?"

Lilith didn't respond right away and suddenly, Aaden felt like a fool on his knees like that. She pursed her lips, her hand twitching where he was holding it. "Is this what ye want?" she asked. "Marriage?"

"Is it what ye want?" he asked instead of answering.

"I asked ye first."

Drawing in a deep breath, Aaden raised his free hand to comb through his hair only for his shoulder to burn with pain, his injury reminding him of its existence. He let his hand fall back down and instead chewed on the inside of his cheek.

The truth was that he didn't want it if it wasn't what Lilith wanted, too. As much as he wished to make her his wife, this was neither a game to him anymore nor just a means to ensuring his mother's safety. The latter was still important to him, of course, but condemning Lilith to a marriage she didn't want seemed too cruel. He didn't want to force her to do this. Lilith had spent her entire life avoiding this very moment; she had chased away suitor after suitor, until no one but Aaden remained, and he certainly didn't view himself as a catch.

What happens when we wed? Will she ever find out the truth? Can I keep it from her fer the rest o' our lives?

In the end, he decided to tell her the truth—as much of it as he could for now. Once his mother was safe from Ruadh, then he could tell her everything. He couldn't risk it now. He couldn't risk revealing anything as long as his mother was in danger, but Lilith deserved to know the truth, even if she never forgave him for sustaining the lie for so long. He could only hope she would understand why he had had to do this once he explained it to her.

"I want it if ye want it. I willnae force yer hand here, Lilith. I ken what ye think about marriage, so, if it isnae what ye want, then I will accept yer rejection."

"I want it," Lilith was quick to say. Before Aaden could speak, she fell to her knees before him and pulled him into a kiss, nodding firmly. "I want tae wed ye.

Aaden laughed again, half in disbelief and half in delight as he pulled Lilith close and scattered kisses all over her face. She echoed his laugh, the two of them kissing and pawing at each other until they collapsed onto the floor, tangled together until separating seemed impossible.