Children of the Moon 04 - Dragon's Moon

truth. “I think even more than they realize.” Eirik raised his brows in question, but she shook her head. “We can discuss it later. For now, we had best begin our trek to the castle.”
    The only way to the castle was a narrow switchback path up the side of the cliff overlooking the ocean. She wasn’t looking forward to the walk. She might be Chrechte, but the long horse ride from the keep to the beach was tiring. Her ride on the dragon had drained the last of her reserves, though for a very different reason.
    It had been so wonderfully pleasurable, she’d exhausted herself with joy.
    “We will wait for night. Lais will have arrived with the boat by then. I will fly you and Mairi to the keep. Lais will allow her the short ride on my dragon to preserve her strength. Besides, he will fly beside me.”
    Right. They would have to wait and see if Mairi was really Lais’s mate , Ciara thought with a heavy dose of sarcasm. She almost snorted her disbelief but kept the unladylike sound inside her.
    Warriors and their games of the mind. As if women were so easily fooled.
    “I thought you wanted to get to the keep sooner. That is why we didn’t just fly the whole way at night, is it not?”
    “The MacLeod soldiers in the forest waylaid our original plans, if you will remember.”
    “I suppose.”
    He laid what she thought was a very proprietary hand on her neck. “I am not certain we should go to the keep tonight and not wait for the morning now as well.”

Chapter 16

In critical moments even the very powerful have need of the weakest.
    —A ESOP
    “W hat?” She should step away, but she did not. “Why?”
    “I can sleep here in my dragon form more easily and guard your dreams this night.” He frowned. “You look almost as exhausted as you did before your sleep last night. I do not like it.”
    She gave in to the urge to lean into his touch. “I don’t, either, but it will take more than one good rest to recover from months of hardly any sleep at all.”
    She didn’t have to be a healer to know that, though Abigail had warned her of this very thing as they said good-bye back at the keep.
    Remembering the potent sleep Ciara had experienced with his dragon before, she didn’t even consider protesting. Surely speaking to the Balmoral would be just as good in the morning.
    “I am surprised to hear you admit as much.”
    “Why? I am no arrogant warrior, certain I am imperviousto weakness.” She was all too aware of how vulnerable she was to the dreams and visions.
    She had lived with it for most of her life after all. He could not know just how great the gift of his dragon’s protection of her dreams was.
    His chuckle warmed her through. “You are an impertinent lass, I think.”
    “Forthright, mayhap.”
    “Bossy.”
    “Bold.”
    A throat clearing reminded her that they were far from alone.
    Blushing, she stepped away from Eirik’s touch and turned to face the Balmoral guards. “I apologize. We did not mean to ignore you.”
    Eirik made a sound suspiciously like a snort, but when she looked at him with a frown, he looked as innocent as a babe.
    She shook her head. “Do not think to bamboozle me with your appearance of blamelessness.”
    He shrugged, but the smile tickling at the corner of his mouth pleased her.
    “If we might offer some refreshment?” Artair asked, his expression indicating that he had been listening with avid interest to Ciara and Eirik’s conversation.
    The poorly suppressed mirth on Gart’s face implied he’d been likewise engaged.
    Nosy wolves. Her mother often said there were no secrets among the Faol, but her father always disagreed. Talorc said that a clever enough woman could always keep secrets and Abigail always blushed.
    “Thank you for the offer; a cup of watered wine would be most appreciated.” She gave the Balmoral soldier her best smile.
    Honestly, she wouldn’t mind a small repast as well, but she would not ask for what they might not easily provide.
    Eirik growled beside her and the bigger warrior, Gart, scowled first at her and then his companion, but he turned to lead the way back toward the forest.
    L ais pulled against the oars, making a direct line for Balmoral Island. Mairi had been quiet since they got on the boat and Eirik had leapt into the sky with Ciara on the dragon’s back.
    Lais was so proud of Mairi’s ability to mask her scent, but it was clear the effort had cost her. He was content to let her rest in the stern of the boat, settled