Mac glanced to the side. “Ryon, see to it, our best men.”
“But, Mac, we can’t –” Ryon began and Callum watched his father’s eyes narrow.
“See to it,” Mac ordered.
“We’re at war!” Ryon hissed. “We need every brother we have. We can’t afford –”
Mac cut Ryon off by repeating, “See to it.”
Callum watched his brethren shift and glance at each other.
Then their gazes moved back to him with dawning realization.
Callum had the same thought they did and he felt his body grow tight.
He looked back to Mac and asked with extreme unease, “She’s my queen?”
He watched his father nod and anguish tore through him but he didn’t allow it to show, instead, he lifted his chin.
“When?” he demanded to know.
“It matters not,” Mac replied.
“You’re my father and you’re my king, it f**king matters that you’re soon to die,” Callum ground out.
Mac didn’t answer.
Callum leaned forward. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I have my reasons,” Mac responded.
Jesus but Mac could be mysterious and in the three hundred fifty years of his life it never failed to piss Callum off.
“Mac –” Callum began but his father lifted his hand and placed it on Callum’s shoulder.
“We’re at war and this war will not end under my reign. You and she,” he glanced down at the girl before his eyes moved back to his son. “Will lead our people to peace.”
Callum didn’t know what he was feeling because there was too much to feel.
What he did know was that he didn’t like any of it.
His eyes leveled on his father’s and he promised, “If they bring you down, it’ll be a f**king bloody peace and only on my f**king terms.”
Mac leaned close as his fingers tightened on Callum’s arm.
Then he whispered in his son’s ear, “I’m counting on that.”
Chapter One
Clear
Sonia Arlington walked through her store and switched off the many Christmas lights decorating the space.
She loved Christmas.
She couldn’t help it. Her mother and father had both loved Christmas. They made it so special that the ones she remembered made the season one she always looked forward to even though her parents died during it.
She adjusted her fluffy, white scarf around her neck, pulled the white knit cap down over her ears and transferred her dove gray suede gloves to one hand, pulling the strap of her matching stylish suede handbag more securely over her shoulder.