Warrior's Moon

“There are some who live longer than others, by entire decades. Are they all Chrechte?”

“Aye, for the most part.” He could not think of a single human who lived into his dotage among the MacLeod, but that could have more to do with Uven’s attitude toward humans than anything else.

Shona sat back on the grass, her attention split between him and the children still searching for bugs near the shallow water with Vegar’s and Audrey’s oversight. The way Shona leaned on her arms put her lovely breasts on display and it was all Caelis could do not to take the unconscious invitation.

She straightened her skirts, the green velvet no doubt impressive by English standards but not what he wanted to see her wearing. He’d prefer her naked, but barring that, wearing a proper Scottish plaid.

She gave him a sidelong glance, her hands twisted in the heavy fabric of her skirt. “You said we did not have much time to discuss important matters.”

Here it was, the moment of reckoning. “We do not.”

“Why?”

“Caelis!” One of the Sinclair’s younger soldiers came running. “Vegar! You must return to the keep.”

Caelis jumped to his feet and then reached down to yank Shona up as well.

“What is happening?” she demanded as she fell against him, having not expected his move.

The feel of her body against his pushed against the urgency to follow Talorc’s command and insisted on another urgency altogether. “You heard. The laird has ordered us back to the keep.”

Shona was not similarly afflicted. “But why?”

“MacLeod soldiers have been spotted on Sinclair land,” the young soldier answered helpfully with a smile for Shona that made Caelis want to smash his teeth in.

“What? Why?” Shona’s body went rigid. “They are not welcome?”

“They are definitely not welcome.” He tugged her along, sweeping Eadan up into his arms on the way. “I told you, the MacLeod’s daughter sought refuge here last year.”

Vegar carried Marjory already, his free hand fastened around Audrey’s wrist as he pulled her toward the keep.

“But she is living with the Balmoral.”

“And these MacLeod soldiers may well be on their way to Balmoral Island.” Not that they would reach it regardless.

They had trespassed on Sinclair land without permission after their laird had declared enmity with the clan. The warriors would definitely be detained, but allowing Shona and her family to remain outside the keep’s walls was not an option.

“Why are we rushing so?” Audrey asked breathlessly. “Would they not have been spotted a long ways off, as we were?”

“We do not know how far away the enemy is and we cannot be certain the Sinclair’s watch accounted for all who crossed our borders.” Vegar tucked Marjory more securely against his side and increased his pace.

Audrey tripped and nearly fell. Vegar did not slow down, but reached around her waist with his forearm, lifting her and carrying her as he did the child. Only he kept the woman’s front away from him, her backside pressed against his hip.

Audrey’s outraged cry cut off with an oomph as Vegar shifted her into a more secure position as well.

Caelis looked down at Shona and she glared back. “Do not even consider it.”

He bit back his grin, but made no move to lift her from her feet.

Audrey was busy complaining, but from what Caelis could see, his eagle friend completely ignored the Faol’s furious demands to be let down.

“Vegar is a strong warrior,” Eadan said, admiration in the boy’s tone. “Audrey is bigger ’n me.”

“Aye, she is at that. And louder,” Caelis answered after the woman in question let out a frustrated shriek.

Shona harrumphed. “You don’t know how loud she can get, but your barbarian friend will discover it soon enough if he doesn’t have a care.”

* * *

Caelis’s laughter at her warning should have annoyed Shona, but she found herself wanting to smile instead.

The man was too arrogant by half. So why did she find it so difficult to remain irritated with him?

Mayhap it was the way her son joined in his father’s amusement.

Without warning, Vegar dropped Audrey and Marjory to the ground, pulling his sword from its scabbard in almost the same motion.

Caelis let go of Shona’s wrist and withdrew his own sword from the scabbard on his back. “Get between us.”

“What’s happening?” Shona demanded even as she moved to obey his urgent instruction.

“Trouble.”

She’d figured that much out when he’d drawn his weapon. She resisted the urge to say so though.

She and Audrey instinctively placed the children between them, turning with small daggers in their hands to face whatever trouble was approaching. It never occurred to her to doubt that something dangerous was indeed coming. If the man who shared his nature with a wolf said it was so, and his friend who could take to the skies as an eagle agreed, there could be no doubt in her own mind.

The Sinclair soldier stopped and turned back. “What are you doing? We must heed the laird’s orders.”

“We’ve a wee bit of trouble to take care of first,” Caelis answered, his keen gaze fixed on the treeline to their left.

The soldier’s eyes widened and he looked around as if expecting the bogeyman to jump out from behind a rock. He too seemed more than willing to take the warrior’s word for it.

Audrey whimpered and Shona’s craned her neck to see what had her friend so upset.

It was not the bogeyman. Rather, it was six enormous wolves coming at them from all directions, each one giving a low-throated growl.

“These are more of your brethren, I take it?” Shona asked, proud when her voice did not waver with the fear she felt.

“They are no brothers of mine,” Caelis barked. “Not now.”

Vegar spit on the ground. “Nor mine.”

The young soldier started praying, his eyes going wild, his muscles tensed for flight. Or mayhap he intended to fight alongside the Chrechte warriors. He’d drawn his own dagger, but his fear was much more pronounced than Shona’s.

“Get you between us,” Caelis ordered the young man. “You will protect the women in case one of these rogue wolves gets past Vegar or me.”

Shona didn’t think the clearly untried soldier would be much defense, but she said nothing. Caelis was giving the man a way to relative safety that would spare his pride.

Somewhat.

“Can’t he run for help?” Audrey asked, her own voice trembling, the terror there turning Shona’s own trepidation to fury.

The past months had been difficult enough on the young Englishwoman, Faol or no.

“He would never make it before they tore him to pieces,” Vegar growled.

Caelis nodded without looking away from the wolves. “He is not Chrechte.”

That must have been for Shona’s sake as he would know Audrey would already be aware of that fact. Her friend must be truly frightened out of her mind to have made the suggestion, knowing, as she did, the wolf abilities better than most.

The Sinclair soldier visibly shook at the idea of being torn to pieces by wolves as he rapidly made his way to stand with the women. Shona did not blame him.

And she held even greater respect for him when he helped her and Audrey create a triangle barrier around the children, his dagger to the ready, further supplications to “On High!” falling from his lips.

She was surprised the children were being so quiet. She spared a glance down and her heart swelled with pride.