Page 35 of The Shadow Path
No. But they’re equally unfriendly to everyone, so we don’t consider them a threat. They keep to the continent.
Carys watched the massive red beasts with skin the color of blood as they flew closer. “Laura, come look.”
Laura scooted closer and peered through the window. “Does that thing have two heads?”
“I think so.”
Mared wheeled away from the group of balauri and started to descend. Carys braced herself as the ground grew closer.
“Okay—the bottom is curved, so imagine a boat landing on the ground.” She held Laura’s hand. “We’re going to rock forward for a hard beat; then the door will pop open and that braces the thing. I’d advise just keeping your seat until we stop rocking.”
“Arms and legs inside the coracle at all times?”
Duncan snorted.
Carys lifted an eyebrow. “You look very nice tonight, Laird Duncan. Are you going to dance with me?”
He turned his brilliant green eyes on her, and Carys was not prepared for the way his intense gaze made her melt. “I’ll claim yourfirstdance if you’ll have me, Professor Morgan.”
If you’ll have me.When his voice was low and rumbly like that, Carys wanted to crawl into his lap and sniff his neck.
Nêrys, Mared is about to land. I’ll be on the ground to escort you.
Cadell’s voice in her head was enough to snap her out of her blacksmith-laced stupor. “Uh, yes. Absolutely.” She glanced at Duncan. “The first dance is yours. Also, Cadell says we’re about to land.”
“Good.” Duncan stretched his legs out, and there was a glint in his eye. “I’ll make sure to claim you after the banquet.”
“So feral,” Laura whispered. “Curious what you just committed to there.”
“I was just having the same thought,” Carys muttered as the coracle touched down with a thunk. The wooden vessel rocked once, twice, and then the door released, swinging down to the grassy meadow where Carys could already see Cadell waiting in green leather armor.
The dragon’s eyes were fixed on Laura, but he tore them away and looked at Carys. “Nêrys.” He held out his arm. “I will be your escort.”
Carys turned to Laura. “Can you walk with Duncan? Cadell and I should?—”
“Go!” Laura urged her out of the coracle. “You’ve got a role to play. I’m just here for the dancing and the food.” She looked up at Duncan. “Hey, sexy Scottish dude, you got an arm for me?”
Duncan bowed his head and held out his elbow. “My lady of the Baywood, would you allow me to escort you to the castle?”
“Oh, see…” Laura smiled. “That works for you. Like, so well. You should do that more.”
“D’ya think?” Duncan winked at her as Carys walked toward Cadell. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Carys and her dragon escort walked down a pathway lit with torches toward a garden party she could see in the distance.
The Anglian night had joined in the new king’s hospitality; the air was balmy and the breeze off the river as gentle as a mother’s kiss. The castle gardens were alive with spring flowers. Trees in full blossom, bulbs bursting from the ground, and fairy lights dancing in the shadows beyond the trees.
As soon as they approached the gardens, a liveried usher snapped to attention and took the card that Cadell handed him.
“Carys, Nêrys Ddraig and Lady of Cymru, and Lord Dragon Cadell!”
Carys appreciated that in a gathering with more than one fae guest, full names were not being thrown into the air and they were using titles instead.
“Laird Duncan of Murrayshall and Laura, Pauwau Inwe of the Yurok people of California.”
Carys and Cadell were already walking into the party, which might have been in the gardens but was no less formal than in a castle hall.
She could see the head table in the distance, surrounded by men and women dressed in uniforms similar to what Winnie the archer had been wearing earlier in the day.
