The footsteps halted, sliding in the pine needles on the ground. Galen looked over his shoulder to find Braden. “Good morn.”
“Good morn,” the lad said, his large brown eyes watching Galen carefully.
“I willna harm you, lad. You can come closer.”
It took a few moments, but the boy drew up enough courage to stand beside Galen. “You’re watching Reaghan?”
“It appears that I am.”
“Reaghan is to be protected.”
Galen’s mind considered possible reasons. He squatted beside the boy and gave him a friendly smile. “True, but everyone must be protected.”
Braden shook his head vigorously. “Nay. Reaghan is sheltered above all.”
“Why?”
The boy looked down at his feet and shrugged as he kicked at the leaves with the toe of his boot. “I’m not sure.”
Galen knew he lied, but he couldn’t force the truth out of the lad. “Do you think we’re here to harm Reaghan?”
“Oh, nay,” Braden said, and raised his face to Galen. His brown eyes shone with honesty and youth. “I’ve seen how she smiles at you, and how you watch her when you doona think others are looking.”
“Has anyone else seen me watch her?”
Braden grimaced. “Aye. Mairi.”
“Ah,” Galen said. “She’s already told me as much. She does no’ want me near Reaghan.”
“I doona know why. You make Reaghan happy.”
“I make her happy, do I?” Galen looked at the loch to find Reaghan swimming leisurely, her slim arms propelling her through the water.
Braden smiled, showing a missing front tooth. “She always plays with me, and never tells me I’m in her way. I like Reaghan. I want her to be happy.”
“And you trust that I will make her happy?”
“My mum is always telling me I’ll be the man of the village one day, and that I’ll have to make important decisions. The elders tell me I have to learn to listen and trust myself, so that’s what I did. I trust you to keep Reaghan safe and happy.”
Galen rubbed his jaw and regarded the boy. Braden was astute for one so young. He could see it in the lad’s eyes and the way Braden observed what went on around him.
“Braden, what your mother and elders told you is the truth. I’m glad you trust me with Reaghan, but I have to know, lad, why does she need to be kept safe? I cannot fully protect her unless I know.”
Before Braden could answer, an unholy shriek filled the air. Galen stiffened, unsure if he’d heard a wyrran or not. But the second time the shrill screech came, Galen knew.
“What was that?” Braden asked in a small, terrified voice.
Galen grabbed Braden by his narrow shoulders. “Listen to me closely, lad, you need to get to the village and tell everyone to gather together and hide. Can you do that?”
Braden nodded woodenly. “What is it? What’s come?”
“Wyrran,” Galen said as he rose to his feet. “Tell everyone that Logan and I will make sure the wyrran doona get inside the village, but everyone must stay inside the magic.”
“Aye,” Braden said, and he took off up the hill as if Deirdre herself were after him.
And in a sense, she was.
Galen turned to go find Logan when his gaze snagged on Reaghan. She was closer to shore, her eyes wide with fear. There wasn’t time for her to get out of the water. The magic of the village extended to the loch, but not the water itself.
That’s when he realized the wyrran must have seen Reaghan and sensed her magic.
“Galen!” Logan shouted as he ran down the slope. He slid to a stop next to Galen and groaned as he saw Reaghan. “Shite. What do we do now?”
“Keep the wyrran from her.”
“She’ll see,” Logan cautioned.
Galen turned his back to the loch and took a deep breath. “I hate secrets. She needs to know anyway.”
“Why? So she’ll push you away? Is that what you hope?”
Was it? Was Galen so used to being alone that he feared having someone close to him? Not that he had time to think on it now. “We need to keep the wyrran from finding the entrance to the village.”
“Can they get through the magic?”
“I’d rather no’ find out.”
Logan nodded. “Then let’s bring them to us.”
“Aye.” Galen glanced over his shoulder and met Reaghan’s eyes. He wondered what he’d see in them after she witnessed his transformation. He doubted she would welcome him into her arms as she’d done the night before.
Galen refused to think about it. He held up his hand to tell her to stay put. When she nodded her understanding and moved deeper into the loch, he stepped into the forest so she couldn’t see him.
He unfastened his kilt from over his heart and wrapped the length around his waist and then removed his saffron shirt. With the barest of thoughts he unleashed his god. His skin turned deep green, claws extended from his fingers, and fangs filled his mouth. He was what the Druids feared. A Warrior.
But he was also the one thing that could keep them from being taken to Deirdre.
Slight movement to his right alerted Galen that Logan was ready. He nodded to his friend. Logan’s silver skin did not disguise him in the forest as Galen’s green skin did.
Logan smiled at him, showing his fangs, and moved off to find the wyrran. It wouldn’t be difficult. Galen could hear them from where he stood. They were close. Too damn close.
An angry scream from a wyrran told Galen that Logan had been spotted. Galen stayed in the forest and waited for the yellow-skinned beasts to find him.
The first one burst through the trees not five paces in front of Galen. Its large yellow eyes glared with malice. It hissed through its mouthful of sharp teeth, its thin lips unable to close over all the teeth.
Galen hated the beings that had been made by Deirdre with her black magic. Despite being no taller than a small child, the wyrran had long claws on both their hands and their feet. And they used them effectively.
When the wyrran launched itself at Galen, he easily stepped to the side and swung his arm down, his claws slicing the wyrran’s head off.
He didn’t have long to wait for the others. Off to his left he heard Logan battling his own wyrran. The three wyrran who next came at Galen were smarter. They circled him, saliva dripping from their thin lips.
Galen stayed still, his eyes moving to watch the beasts he could see. His hearing alerted him to the wyrran behind him as it readied to jump.
He smiled, eager to feed his god with battle and blood. His god, Ycewold, liked nothing better than a lengthy, vicious battle.
A wyrran jumped on his back, its claws from its feet embedding deep in Galen’s muscles while its hands shredded Galen’s skin over and over.
Galen clenched his jaw as images of death and evil filled his mind from the wyrran’s touch. He fought against the tide of malice and let out a roar.
The other two wyrran on each side of Galen attacked at that moment. One sliced his leg while the other raked its claws across Galen’s abdomen.
The pain from the wounds was brutal, but nothing compared to the horror of their minds. Galen had to get them off him, to give himself a moment without their malevolent feelings in his head.
Galen kicked the wyrran attacking his leg, sending the vile creature slamming into a nearby tree. He slashed his arm down and across the wyrran in front of him, cutting its throat with five long, brutal slices. With another roar, Galen reached behind him and grabbed hold of the wyrran on his back.
Blood spilled from Galen’s wounds, but they would heal soon enough. The beast on his back bit his hand, the numerous sharp teeth cutting through Galen’s flesh and bone.
