Children of the Moon 04 - Dragon's Moon

mind that the cavern is deep in the earth,” Ciara said. “It would not be so far a stretch to think there are passages we have forgotten that were once used by our ancestors.”
    Her father nodded, not questioning her belief the cavern was deep in the ground. Unlike her brother, the Sinclair laird was clearly not stuck on the idea that the Éan had stolen the Faolchú Chridhe .
    “Not all such caves are on friendly lands,” Guaire said and then pursed his lips at the look his laird cast him. “Niall does not keep secrets from me, but one.”
    Her father jerked his head in acknowledgment.
    Further discussion revealed that there were four sets of caves that Talorc knew about which the Faol of the Chrechte had considered sacred for many generations. Two were on Sinclair and Donegal lands, one was located in the MacLeod’s holding and one was in the unclaimed forest to the north.
    “Mayhap the Balmoral will know of others,” Talorc suggested. “I dinna think they come across the water to perform their sacred rites, so they must have someplace consecrated on the island.”
    “We’ll start the search there then, after we talk to his elders,” Eirik said, though he didn’t sound as if he expected to find the Faolchú Chridhe on Balmoral Island.
    Her father frowned. “If Ciara’s family of birth came from land near the Donegal holding, mayhap you should start there.”
    “I don’t know if they did,” Ciara said. She knew far too little about her first family’s history, she’d come to realize. “After all, Eirik—prince of the Éan—ended up here, though his family used to live in the wild forests of the north, but closest to my former clan’s lands.”
    “And the Clach Gealach Gra is here on Sinclair land, in the caves that have been considered sacred by our people for longer than any can remember.”
    Perhaps that was where they should start their search, Ciara mused to herself. Only, those caves were still used so frequently for Chrechte sacred rites, what chance was there that a forgotten hidden cavern existed that had not been discovered in all these generations?
    “It used to be Donegal land,” Abigail reminded them all. “Circin was certainly upset about that strip of land being ceded to the Sinclairs by Scotland’s king as part of my dowry.”
    Talorc nodded, looking rather pleased by the memory.“But before that, it was claimed by the Sinclair and more importantly, the pack that hunted on Sinclair lands before joining the clan.”
    “Your pack?” Guaire asked.
    Ciara’s father nodded. “Aye. My ancestors were the original Chrechte of this area, though the pack split when joining the clans and some went to the Donegal while others came to the Sinclair.”
    “Which simply proves that those particular caves are on a piece of land that has been in dispute for generations,” Eirik said.
    Talorc sighed and nodded. “We will continue with the original plan.”
    “I know you do not want Ciara away from your holding any longer than absolutely necessary, but I will keep her safe,” Eirik promised.
    “See that you do.”
    T he ride through the forest was quiet, the only sound from their party the carefully placed footfalls of the well-trained warhorses under the four travelers. An eagle and two ravens flew above them in the sky.
    Eirik had surprised Ciara; taking heed of her worry for the young Éan, Fidaich and Canaul, he had assigned a seasoned warrior to join them in watching over the horses. She was even more surprised to discover both boys could shift.
    “You said your coming-of-age ceremony was only seven years ago,” she said quietly, bringing up the topic that had been worrying at her mind as they rode.
    “Aye.”
    “But Fidaich and Canaul can shift already.”
    “The ability to shift comes early for the Éan; some can take their bird form when they are small children, though most wait until that time when bodies change from child to adult.”
    “And these two?”
    “Fidaich started shifting this year, which was no surprise,but Canaul began shifting soon after. He is a year younger.”
    “Having his best friend shift without him must have been too much for his raven.”
    “Aye.” There was a hint of a smile at the edges of Eirik’s lips. “I was the same with my cousin who was two years older than me.”
    “I imagine everyone attributed your early shifting to you being the prince and of royal blood.”
    Eirik shrugged, but Ciara was sure she was right. “Still, I