'When a shape-changer and a human mate, if they are true or sacred mates, they can sometimes hear each others' voices in their heads and the union will result in children.'
They could hear voices in their heads? She had heard of magicians claiming such a thing, but Sybil had always dismissed them as charlatans. Though Emily supposed the ability to hear someone's voice in her head was no more incredible than the idea that humans really could turn into wolves. 'What about werewolves?'
'If a werewolf and a femwolf mate when she is in heat, there is almost always a pregnancy. In fact, I've never heard of a time that did not happen. The problem is that femwolves do not go into heat very often and we are independent by nature. Before joining the clans, Chrechte females would sometimes go their whole lives without mating.'
That was interesting. No wonder the Chrechte had found it so hard to survive. 'But werewolves do not have to be true-mated to make babies?'
'No, but they can be and if they are, they can mind-speak, too. They also suffer the other consequence of a true-mating.'
'What is that?'
'When the Chrechte find their true mate, they are incapable of mating with anyone else until the death of that mate.'
'Incapable?'
'Yes, you know…' Cait bit her lip and then continued in almost a whisper, 'The males cannot achieve erection with anyone but their true mate and a femwolf's body will not accept penetration from anyone else either.'
'What about the human in a true-mating?'
'They are human. They can mindspeak, but as for the other, I don't think they are so limited, but I cannot be entirely sure. I never asked my mother when she explained about the bond between true mates.'
'I don't believe this.' But even as she said the words, she realized they weren't entirely true. Cait's claims were becoming more and more plausible by the minute.
'Mindspeak is strange,' Cait said as if that were the only element of this conversation that was even slightly odd. 'I've never experienced it myself. My parents were not true-mated either. I have heard of family members that could hear each other, too, but I cannot hear Talorc and he cannot hear me. I couldn't even smell his scent until he unmasked it briefly at the loch. He was giving me a message.'
'That he is here to save you?'
'Not me. He respects the laws of mating too much to dismiss Drustan's claim on me, but he could be scouting for war, though his actions do not suggest that at least. I think he wants my bairn. Another Chrechte warrior for his clan.'
'But that is barbaric. He cannot take your baby away from you.'
'Not until it is born, no.'
'Even then.'
'I do not know what will happen then. I cannot bear to give up the babe. I love it already, but he may well go to war over the child even if he does not over our kidnapping.'
'What if it is a girl, will he be less insistent on her return to the Sinclairs?'
'No, women are prized for their ability to have more Chrechte warriors and men for their ability to fight.'
'It's the same with humans.' Goodness, was she really ready to accept this fantastic tale?
Cait seemed so serious, so very certain of her facts. If she wasn't telling the truth, she was doing an admirable job of acting sane and honest.
'To an extent, yes,' Cait agreed sadly.
'What are we going to do?'
'I don't know, but I don't want either laird killed.'
'Do you think Talorc was there earlier this morning?' The thought that the Sinclair laird had seen her naked with Lachlan sent waves of revulsion and mortification rolling over Emily.
'He may have been. He would have waited to challenge Lachlan until he knew where I was and what had happened to me.'
'Now he knows.'
'Yes.'
'Are you sure he will come to the lake tomorrow morning?'
'No, but it's highly likely. If he can kill the Balmoral, the clan would think twice about keeping my babe for its own.'
'That is brutal.'
'It is the way of life here.'
Emily shivered. 'Why doesn't have to be so hard?'
Cait sighed, but didn't answer.
Emily bit her lip and thought furiously. 'Maybe I could keep Lachlan from the water by offering myself to him.'
Cait shook her head. 'Oh, no. You cannot do that. I know I said to use his desire for you, tut it is not fair to you. It was very wrong of me to suggest it.'
'You don't understand. I want his desire. I've spent my whole life living in the shadows of my father's new family. When I'm with Lachlan I feel like I'm in the sun. It won't last. I know it. It can't, for so many reasons, but I want to experience as much of this newfound passion as I can. Do you think I am terrible for feeling that way?'
'No. I think you are brave, but Lachlan could marry you, if he wanted to.'
'According to what you said, there would be the risk of my not having children. No man would embrace such a future willingly, but most especially not a laird.'
Cait nodded sadly. 'I think you are right. Many Chrechte discourage human matings because of that very thing and the possibility of having human offspring instead of shape-changers.'
'You mean that can happen?'
'Yes. Lachlan's mother must have been human because Ulf is.'
'Ulf isn't Chrechte?'
'He has no wolf. I'm certain of it.'
'Oh, but how can you be sure it was their mother that was human?'
'Because their father was laird and he would not have been if he had been human.'
'So no clans with Chrechte have human lairds at all?'
'None that I know of. It's possible I suppose, but I cannot imagine it.'
Emily didn't know what to think. 'Will you go to the lake and try to talk to Talorc tomorrow?'
'No. I can't be sure why he is here. Maybe he's only checking on me, but I'm afraid he would take me back until he receives a formal request for my hand or the babe is born and then the Balmoral would declare war. Maybe Talorc wants to declare war. Maybe he won't respect the mating bond in this instance. I just don't know.' Cait sounded increasingly distressed with each possibility she listed off. 'I should not withhold news of his presence from Drustan, but I cannot betray my brother—especially when I am not sure of his motives.'
Emily understood Cait's dilemma and sympathized. 'If I can keep Lachlan from the lake tomorrow then you have nothing to worry about. Your small deception will hurt no one.'
'Do you think that is true?'
'Yes.'
'Does this mean you believe me now?'
'I'm not sure,' Emily admitted honestly, 'but it's impossible to dismiss all that you have said and I believe you believe it. Which is halfway to believing it myself, really.' She sighed. 'I know you are frightened and I want to do whatever I can to hold that fear at bay.'
Cait's eyes filled with tears. 'Thank you.'
'I will do everything I can to keep Lachlan away from the lake tomorrow.'
Cait nodded. 'There is one thing.'
'What is that?'
