Page 58 of The Shadow Path
It was a sign to celebrate, and the city did.
An hour after Harold had ascended the throne, draped in blood-red garments trimmed in white fur, the ceremony at Lud’s Hill had spread through the city while the newly crowned king departed to his castle on a river barge guarded by the Great Serpent of the Tamis while the crowds cheered.
There was dancing in the meadows along the river, and the smell of roasting meat floated through the air by the time Cadell found them in King Dafydd’s box.
“We will fly to the castle for King Harold’s party,” Cadell shouted. “Let’s get to the coracle.”
Dafydd himself had been plucked from the royal box by Mared in beast form, while Carys’s two cousins, Anwyn and Dylan, grasped the giant claws of their dragons and stared down at Carys as they flew away.
“Show-offs,” Laura muttered. “You could totally do that.” She glanced at Carys. “If you weren’t wearing a dress.”
“I just wore what Eamer picked out for me.” Which was an emerald-green gown sewn with seed pearls and embroidered with gold and silver thread. It was a dress fit for a royal coronation, but it wasn’t conducive to flying with a dragon.
Duncan took both hers and Laura’s hands before he led them down the stairs and through the swiftly departing crowd. “Still glad we can fly by dragon instead of going by carriage. It would be faster to walk than ride tonight.”
They made it to the luxurious coracle moments later, and Carys breathed a sigh of relief when the heavy door thunked closed.
She sat on the bench and whispered, “Cadell, get us out of here.”
Her heart was heavy, and every time she closed her eyes, all she saw was Lachlan looking kingly.
It did nothing to diminish the attraction. If anything, seeing her former lover step into the leadership role he’d been born into made him more attractive, not less. He was noble and serious. Warmth still emanated from his expressions, but there was a gravity that had joined it.
He was a chief. A leader.
Carys felt a warm hand slide into her own, and she opened her eyes to see Laura watching her.
“You okay?”
Carys nodded.
“Too much noise?”
“Yeah.” It was an easy excuse. “I don’t know how Dafydd thinks I’d survive being queen of Cymru” —she let out a harsh laugh— “when I can’t even handle watching a coronation without getting a migraine.” She pressed her lips together. “The party at the castle will be quieter, right?”
“I have no idea.” Laura’s sad smile told Carys she knew it wasn’t just a headache troubling her friend. “It was a very cool experience. Completely different than the high chief’s dedication. Way more beer at this party.”
Duncan was sitting across from Carys, his eyes scanning the ground, one hand on the bolt that secured the massive coracle door.
Carys nodded toward him. “He takes his guard duty seriously.”
“When you told me Duncan was Lachlan’s complete opposite, I was expecting a surly asshole because Lachlan is so sweet and charming,” Laura said. “And he can be. But Duncan’s also one of the most conscientious men I’ve ever met.” She nodded at Carys. “He takes care of you and everyone you care about. I like that. Even if he is a collection of sharp edges at times.”
“Well, he does make swords in his spare time.”
Laura smiled. “I saw Lachlan tonight.”
“Yeah.” Carys kept a smile firmly in place. “He looked great, right?”
“He looked like a CEO and a politician,” Laura said. “Like a king.”
Carys nodded. “I’m sure he’s going to make a good one.”
“Even though he says he doesn’t want it?”
Carys shrugged. “He goes back and forth.”
“And you?” Laura raised an eyebrow.
