Page 19 of The Shadow Path
“Oh yeah?” Carys felt her cheeks warm. “Couldn’t wait to dig into those famous Anglian royal banquets, right?”
“The food is far better in Anglia than in Alba,” Cadell said. “They have greater access to spices from the continent.”
Yet another misconception Carys was going to have to get over.
“I can’t argue with the dragon,” Lachlan said. “But it wasn’t the food I was looking forward to.” His green eyes were fixed on her face. “It’s good to see you again.”
Carys glanced at Duncan, highly conscious that the man hadn’t said a thing to her since Lachlan showed up. “What’s Angus doing here?”
Duncan kept his voice low. “He won’t be staying.” He glanced down at her. “But he had something of importance to deliver while I’m here.”
Something of importance had to be Duncan’s dragon-steel sword that he and Angus had forged in Sgain. According toDuncan, there were rumors about the sword now, but they were just rumors.
“Is that wise?” Carys asked. “To bring something like that to a royal coronation?”
A steel sword in the Shadowlands was akin to a weapon of mass destruction according to the fae.
“Just a precaution.” Duncan stared straight ahead.
Lachlan glanced at his Brightkin. “Perhaps you’re being overly cautious.”
“Perhaps I like to be prepared,” Duncan growled. “Some of us don’t have their father’s army to watch their back.”
Before they could start snapping at each other, Carys jumped in. “We should go for a walk later,” she said. “I’ve had time to catch up with Duncan, but it would be good to catch up with you too.”
“Wonderful idea.” Lachlan’s smile was a triumph while Duncan’s face only looked more stormy.
Great.
She wasn’t trying to cause a problem, but Carys wondered why Lachlan hadn’t mentioned his brother returning to court. It sounded like Rory’s arrival had caused some upheaval, and she wondered why he hadn’t written to her about it.
Lachlan’s voice lightened. “How did the end of the semester go? First classes after your sabbatical. Were you stressed?”
“Not at all.” She caught herself. She could always be honest with Lachlan. “Okay, that’s not true. I was at first, but when I got into class and started interacting with the students?—”
“It all came back.” He nodded. “I told you it would.”
“You were right.” She smiled. Lachlan had always been encouraging. It was one of his best qualities as a person. “How are your parents?”
“Thrilled. They officially have all their children back in Alba. My sister Nora has returned from Ireland and recently marriedone of the Northern chiefs. She’s spending some time in Sgain though and working to renovate and update the library.”
“Your mother must be pleased.”
“She is, and my father is less of a tyrant with his favorite child close.” Lachlan smiled. “Neither Rory nor I can hold a candle to Nora in his eyes. He is—as you would say in the Brightlands—a complete ‘girl dad.’”
“I’d heard Rory was back too.” She glanced to her right. “Duncan mentioned it.”
“Hmm.”
“That’s it?” Her eyebrows went up. “Just a ‘hmm’?”
“Rory is back from Cymru with ambition on his mind.” Lachlan’s sunshine expression clouded. “We’ll talk more about that later.” He glanced at Duncan. “Duncan, how is your mother?”
“She’s doing well,” Duncan said quietly. “Thank you for asking.”
Dru looked over his shoulder. “We’re crossing into King Dafydd’s estate.” He pointed ahead where the massive English oak trees, birch, and alder thinned out. The fog was lifting, and the stone-lined path disappeared, leaving them walking on a hard-packed dirt road rutted with carriage tracks.
Moments after their group left the cover of trees, Carys saw them. Flying through the drifting fog and slipping in and out of the clouds, half a dozen dragons filled the sky.
