Page 39 of Her Scot of Bygones
Despite my terror and fear, I had never been prouder, and that calmed me and my inner beast enough to focus and coach her as she plummeted. More than that, it allowed us to see what it would take for her to embrace her inner beast.
“Let go of yer fear and just be ye, lass,”I said, keeping my internal tone gentle, comforting, and consistent as she flailed, terrified not just for herself but still very much for Evan.“Like the tree ye were named for, trust yer inner wisdom and need to protect those ye care about and do what ye must. Do what ye have always done for others.”
I sensed my words not only soothed but inspired her. Although she didn’t respond, she calmed considerably, let go ofher fear, relaxed into the fall, and so smoothly embraced her dragon, one would have thought she’d been doing it all her life.
Fortunately, we were close enough that I got to witness it, and nothing was more mesmerizing than watching her shift into a beautiful emerald green dragon, with equally bright green eyes. Better still, she was a lovely beast with no gem over her heart, proving what I already knew.
She was mine.
I felt Hazel’s exhilaration as she didn’t flail or fight her new form but kept her eyes locked on Evan and flew straight down, making my fear for her spike once more.
“Yet ye dinnae need to fear, nephew,”Aunt Chara said, her internal voice confident.“Because her dragon will no more let her good friend die than her human half would.”
She was right because soon enough, we felt Hazel’s fearless focus. Despite it being her first shift, she was magnificent as she shot down and gently grabbed hold of Evan moments before he plummeted to his death, then banked upward, smoothly saving them both.
“I’ve got him,”Hazel exclaimed excitedly.“He’s okay.”
“Aye, lass,”I praised, yet again impressed with how she handled her new body because it was turbulent, yet she kept relatively level and gained altitude, using her wings as she soared out over the ocean.“Thanks to you and your selfless courage, he is.”
Seeming to sense what direction I had spoken from, her dragon looked my way, and our eyes finally connected for the first time in this form, telling me what I already knew. She was, without question, my fated mate, and nothing had ever felt so good.
“Of course I am,”she said softly, flying in my direction, only for a team of Sutherland dragons to steer her back toward their battlement.
“Here we go again,”Broderick groused, as we headed in that direction.“Right back where we started.”
“Only this time there will be no battling,”AuntChara warned.“Not if we hope to get both Hazel and Evan out of there because I already know Hazel willnae leave without him, and Lucas willnae leave without either of them.”
She was right. I would not.
“How to achieve such, though?”Broderick wondered. “Because we all know Dugal and Elspet willnae let Evan leave until they’ve had their vengeance, and it willnae stop at what they’ve already done to him.”
“No,”Aunt Chara agreed.“’Twill not.”
“Then we need to come up with a plan fast,”Hazel said, sounding distressed not for herself but Evan, who remained passed out in her talons.“Because you’re right. I won’t leave him behind any more than I would leave any of you behind.”
Once again, I was impressed with her dragon as she managed the turbulence and landed safely despite her dragon’s legs being slightly different lengths, keeping Evan protected as she gently laid him down. She then stood over him, making clear she didn’t have the gem over her heart and would protect Evan no matter what.
Meanwhile, Sloan stood beside the king’s man with his hands clenched and his eyes narrowed on Dugal and Elspet, clearly upset. “Ye’ll want to let my kin land safely, then let Hazel go, or I will tell the king of yer traitorous behavior today.”
“Wasit so traitorous, though?” Elspet wondered, making it clear no MacLeod dragon would be allowed to land, let alone get any closer to the castle. “Or was it merely behaving as ye MacLeods did when ye not only kept Hazel from us but undoubtedly took advantage of our traitor over the years, discovering whatever ye could about us.”
“Dinnae do it, cousin,”Broderick warned when I bared my teeth, ready to roar fire at the Sutherland dragon who dared to try steering me away from my mate.“’Tis not the time for a midair battle lest it incite Elspet or Dugal to harm Hazel because they’re more than capable of it.”
“He’s right,”Aunt Chara said, evidently sensing something because she seemed less worried.“Let them keep us at bay for now and trust that Sloan can handle this.”
How could he possibly do that?
Yet it turned out she was right based on what happened next.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
–Hazel–
VERY FEW MOMENTS were as heartbreaking as witnessing Evan’s condition when a Sutherland warrior carried him onto Sutherland Castle’s battlement, then threw him over the edge. When that happened, I did what I do when I love someone.
I raced to the edge and leapt after him, determined to protect him.
I’ll admit that’s when things got a little dicey, but fortunately, Lucas was right there in my mind, comforting and consistent, helping me, and despite my momentary terror, it all became effortless after that.
