Page 29 of The Shadow Path
Carys shook her head. “I’m honestly not sure what happened.”
Where did you go?Her dragon was shouting in her mind.
“Calm down,” she hissed, looking at the sky. “You can land now. I was never in any danger, Cadell.”
“It was just a little mischief from the Crow Mother.” Dru handed Leuca’s reins back to Carys. “She couldn’t have kept them for long. It was a temporary ward, and Auld Tamis’s magic is strong this close to the water.”
Carys looked toward the river, but the glowing blue lights were gone. “Oh shoot. I missed it.”
Dru smiled. “It was a lovely show though, wasn’t it?”
Cadell walked through the forest, glaring at Dru and at Carys. “You need to discharge your debt to that fae woman and be done with this bargain.”
“I tried, but according to Dru, she’s not ready yet.” Carys shrugged. “Whatever that means.”
“Dragon, don’t be too eager for your mistress to settle her debt.” Dru pulled his cloak closer around his body. “And all of you should ride back to Dafydd’s. I can feel the wolves stirring in the forest.”
Carys looked at Dru, watching how the tall fae seemed to shrink into himself, his power growing less and less obvious by the moment, and she remembered Cadell’s words:The fae do not recognize human rulers. This is for something else. Something far more powerful.
“Any idea what that singing was about?” Carys asked Dru. “It sure was beautiful.”
Dru smiled and melted into the shadows of the forest. “Good night, Carys Morgan. And don’t forget to give Leuca an apple when you get back to your uncle’s stables. They’re her favorite.”
Duncan frowned as Carys mounted her horse. “Who’s Leuca?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
The next morning—way too early—a knock sounded on Carys’s door. She rolled out of bed, threw a cloak over her shoulders, and walked to the door. “If you’re coming to light the fire…” She pulled the door open, her jaw dropping when she saw Lachlan in the hallway. “Lachlan.”
The corner of his mouth turned up. “You said something about lighting a fire?” He glanced down at her bare feet. “What are you doing? This isn’t California, Carys.” He shuffled her into the chamber, shutting the door behind them as he picked her up like she weighed nothing and plopped her on the bed.
“What…” Carys put a hand flat on his chest. “Uh, Lachlan, in case you didn’t realize?—”
“I’m not assuming anything.” He kissed her cheek. “Yet.” He bent and searched around the edge of the bed. “Stockings, Carys. You’re going to catch cold wandering around a castle with bare feet.”
She swung her legs over the edge of the high bed. “Are you being serious right now? When did you turn into my granny? Not that I knew my granny, but you know what I mean.”
At that, Lachlan straightened, nudged her knees apart, and slid between them, bracing himself on the edge of the bed as he leaned into her. “What was that?”
Carys’s breath caught. “Uh… nothing.”
Before he returned to the Shadowlands, Lachlan had been practically living with her. They were together for months, and he knew every inch of her body, every one of her buttons, every trick that turned her on.
He didn’t even need to touch her to light a fire.
“Hi.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “You’re here early.”
“I wanted to take you riding this morning.” He didn’t move, his arms remained braced on either side of her hips, his lips inches from her own, their breath mingling in the cool morning air.
“Riding sounds fun.”
“Yes.” His eyes dropped to her lips. “I thought it would be nice to catch up on news.” He licked his lips, and she could see how red they were.
It was his tell. Lachlan’s lips always flushed when he was turned on.
“Lachlan?”
“Carys.”
