Page 26 of Her Scot of the Morrow
“Yet there was clearly half a gem over my dragon’s heart,” Willow murmured, mindlessly fiddling with her mother’s ring. Hope lit her eyes as she reflected on how well we had been able to hide each other from our loved ones. “Not that I’m proud of it, but over the years, there's been so much deception involved with me and Sloan coming together.”
“Aye.” Chara considered Willow, offering a theory. “You might not have been able to embrace your dragon in the Morrow, but I cannae help but wonder if, despite seeming so repressed, she wasn’t thriving just fine inside you, biding her time.”
“Decieving us even as we deceived our kin,” I realized.Prayed. “Doing whatever it took to get back to her fated mate, which means she could verra well be responsible for changing the gem if it keeps Dugal and Elspet at bay.”
“But what about the one over Willow’s dragon heart?” Uncle Marek wondered. “Why bother going that far, as ‘twould make more sense to reveal she has no gem there.”
“Itwould,” Aspen agreed, seeming to sense something as she rested her hand over her womb, and her dragon eyes flared. “Unless, of course, she’s trying to protect someone.”
“That would make my dragon pretty damn powerful,” Willow commented. “And while yes, I feel strong in dragon form, I’m not so sure I’m any more powerful than the next dragon.”
“Yet,” Chara reminded her, “you’re born of not just a powerful dragon but a powerful witch, so ‘twould make sense you might be capable of more than most.” She gave my mate a pointed look. “And ‘twould make sense, given you’re only really getting to know your inner beast now, your human half would be completely unaware if it suited your dragon. Completelyunaware, for your own good or better still, the good of another or evenothers.”
“That's a lot to grasp if you're right.” Choosing to remain optimistic, Willow offered me a reassuring smile because that would only work in our favor. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“Nor I.” I met her smile, believing her dragon was that powerful because she had been exceptional, in my opinion. “I look forward to seeing her at her best and discovering what she’s up to, may it only ever work in ours and our kin’s favor.”
“Here’s hoping.” Willow tilted her head in thought. “So maybe that’s why I could sense what Elspet was up to at my willow tree.” The corners of her mouth tugged down. “Which is alarming if the tree is part of my dragon’s deception somehow, because wouldn’t that mean Elspet’s sniffing around my magic?”
“In a way, I’d say yes,” Chara confirmed. “Yet let us not forget the trees are part of your father’s magic too and mayhap in this case even your mother’s unraveling spell, and something tells me that will definitely work in your favor.”
I wrapped my fingers with Willow’s and squeezed, reminding her I would protect her always. Yet as we resumed eating and discussing the king’s eventual arrival, I felt her niggle of worry linger. Although I wished I could ease her of it, the truth was, until that tattoo was gone and our tree was in front of the right castle, neither of us could be completely confident she wouldn’t somehow be ripped away from me.
We were nearly done eating when a rap came at the door, and along with it, one of the king’s men. Erring on the side of caution lest the Sutherlands approach the king first rather than outright attack us, Broderick had sent word of our arrival to King Robert, trying to get ahead of whatever lies the Sutherland laird might tell.
“After speaking with you two last night and knowing what I would do in my rival’s position, ‘twas crucial,” Broderick said,as he broke the king’s seal on the missive he’d been handed. “And I was right to think so.” He met my eyes. “It seems your diplomatic words willnae be happening here, but at the border we share with the Sutherlands. So ‘twill have to beyourwords on my behalf, cousin, because I willnae leave this castle and its people with such heightened tensions betwixt us and our rivals.”
We both understood how hard his request would be, given my personal stake in this. More so, a viewpoint I had already made clear to my chieftain. I wouldnothand Willow over to Dugal no matter what. And while one could wonder why Broderick didn't ask Lucas or even Tavish to do it, neither had the king’s ear like I did.
“What of your brother?” I asked. “Tavish might not share the same diplomatic skills as I, but he’s trusted and just as close to the king. Might he not be the better choice?”
“King Robert entrusted Tavish with the monumental task of keeping peace at the Sassenach border, so nay,” he revealed, his eyes narrowing on me ever so slightly. “It has to be you, Sloan, and I trust you will do as you’ve always done and put our kin and country before all else.”
Before I could say Willow would always come first, she squeezed my hand and spoke, voicing words I can say, without question, I didn’t like one bit.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
–Willow–
THE LAST THING I wanted to do was go anywhere near Dugal Sutherland ever again, but when Broderick told Sloan he would be meeting him along with King Robert at the border, I spoke up, sensing this was important.
“Of course, Sloan will go and speak on yours and Clan MacLeod’s behalf, ” I assured, squeezing Sloan’s hand. “And I’ll be right there with him.”
“Nay,” Sloan groused, frowning at me, his dragon eyes flaring. “You’ll donosuch thing.”
“But I will because we’re in this together.” Getting the hang of it, I flared my dragon eyes right back. “Not just that, but we wererightto worry about being here, and I think we lost sight of that. Right to worry as long as we have targets on our backs. Not just for the sake of Aspen and her precious babies but for all the innocent women and children who call this castle and its surroundings home.” I narrowed my gaze in challenge. “Tell me I’m wrong. I dare you, but know this, I’ll be more than a little disappointed in you if you do.”
I felt his heart and his desperate need to protect me warring with my logic, but I knew even before he did, he would agree I was right. He wouldn’t be the man I knew if he didn’t. While a part of us both knew it last night on a level we didn’t want to admit, staying here and waiting for the battle to come to us wasn’t our style, nor was risking so many lives. Not just short-term but long-term.
“We needed the night to rest and reload,” I said softly, feeling his thoughts sync up with mine. “Now we’re stronger and thinking clearly, so let’s go do what you do best and see if we can’t end this battle with words before things get any worse.”
“You ken the king is going to want you to shift, right?” he said, clearly pained. “That ‘twill be the only way we can prove your gem isnae the one in the pact.”
I swallowed hard and nodded, fully aware, trying to embrace courage rather than fear. “I know.”
“And you know the gem could be whole now, like the tattoo,” he went on, the worry in his pale green eyes palpable, his counsel now at odds with what he’d said earlier about the half-gem being our leg to stand on. Yet I understood he was being diplomatic and making sure I understood all the possibilities, and I appreciated it. I needed that side of him right now to keep me grounded.
“I know,” I replied, praying it was my dragon's magic deceiving everyone. “But I also know the gem in my tattoo was whole once before and not over my dragon heart.” Yet, I still wondered about what Chara said, thinking maybe my inner beast was protecting someone else, possibly others, wondering if it wasn’t Aspen’s unborn children, and I said as much, looking from my sister back to him. “I think my dragon would do anything to protect them.”
