Children of the Moon 04 - Dragon's Moon

his quest even if the stone had been found…unless he had convinced Ciara to help him. The thought that he might have easily gotten her innocent still-child self to do so sent dread welling in her.
    Apparently not bothered by such disturbing thoughts, Mairi gave a beatific smile to Ciara. “I told you.”
    “You interpreted the meaning of your dreams correctly.” Boisin smiled at his new protégé. “That was well done.”
    Mairi blushed at the praise.
    “But the kelle hid the stone herself, didn’t she?”
    “Aye.”
    “Why?” Eirik asked.
    “Because she knew Fearghall didn’t only plan to withhold the conriocht from his cousin. The kelle hid the stone to stop her son from creating an army of conriocht and destroying the other Chrechte, didn’t she?” Ciara asked.
    “She did.”
    “But again, I ask, why?” Eirik’s face was creased in a frown. “If only the high kelle could draw forth the conriocht , then Fearghall was bound to fail.”
    “Not if he could intimidate or seduce the next high kelle into doing his bidding.” Mairi shivered. “A woman has to be very strong of mind to withstand beating after beating without giving her abuser exactly what he wants.”
    “But you never gave in to your father,” Lais said withfierce pride. “You never told him what you had seen in your dreams and visions about the Faolchú Chridhe .”
    “He would have only beaten me in certainty I had more to give him.”
    “You are wise for your young years, little Mairi,” Boisin said and then continued his tale. “Fearghall accused the Éan of stealing the stone when it was discovered missing and declared war on them. They were in a generation without a dragon and their people were nearly decimated before the few remaining took to the forests in the north in hiding, making their homes high in the trees away from those who hunted them.”
    “But what of the Paindeal?” Eirik asked.
    “They fought the Faol under Fearghall, but every death was a great loss to their race as not even a true mated couple could be guaranteed to produce shifting offspring.”
    “You mean their children didn’t all shift?”
    “Nay. Their griffin fought the conriocht bravely, but it was finally decided they would return to the land of their origin.”
    So the old stories were based in truth, Ciara thought. “They went back across the land bridge that fell into the sea.”
    “More like they left in boats, but the Paindeal live in the lands of the Norsemen and further south amidst the countries the Romans conquered or sought to do.”
    “They must be higher in number now,” Eirik mused.
    “Aye. They live much longer lives and with no wolves hunting them, their numbers have grown.”
    Eirik’s brow creased in a puzzled frown. “You know all this from dreams?”
    “And visions. ’Tis a thing I will teach Mairi as your Anya-Gra will train your mate once you have recovered the Faolchú Chridhe .”
    Ciara wasn’t sure she wanted the knowledge Boisin spoke of, but her time from hiding from her gifts was past. She would serve their people as Eirik had predicted and just as he promised, she would not do it alone.
    For the first time since realizing she had a mate, Ciara felt gratitude instead of fear stir in her heart.
    “So, if it needs to be returned to the sacred caves on Sinclair lands, it stands to reason it is not there,” Lais observed.
    Boisin inclined his head. “I have long believed that to be the case.”
    “Knowing where it isn’t doesn’t improve our chances of finding it by much,” Ciara said worriedly.
    The weight of her people’s future now pressed down heavily on her shoulders.
    Eirik squeezed her hand again, reminding her he had not let go, that the stubborn man never would let her go. “We will find the Faolchú Chridhe ; we will save your race. Trust in our Chrechte strength. ’Tis not limited to the increased physical prowess from our animal natures.”
    She took a deep breath and nodded, trusting in her mate, if nothing else.
    “Perhaps we should begin our search in caves on the lands of the clan with the strongest contingent remaining of the Fearghall.” Lais caressed Mairi’s hair as if he didn’t realize he was doing it. “It stands to reason that would be the clan in most direct descent from the high kelle and her wicked son.”
    “’Tis not such a good measure as you might think,” Boisin said. “When the Fearghall society was formed, so too were the Cahir.”
    “The Cahir?”