Warrior's Moon

detail. The sound of stone sliding against stone came and then the side of the hill opened to reveal the dark entrance to a cave.

Shona could not have stifled her gasp of surprise had she wanted to. The children made to rush forth in excited wonder, but she held their hands tightly.

“We follow Ciara,” she admonished them.

Eadan frowned, but nodded. Marjory just yawned. The poor tyke had gotten no sleep this night and even the excitement would not keep her from somnolence much longer.

Ciara lifted a torch and fire whooshed past Shona to light it.

She jumped back and looked over her shoulder to see that Eirik had not yet shifted.

“He won’t return to his warrior form until we are safely inside the cave,” Ciara said to Shona.

That made perfect sense, but the fire trick had still been quite startling and so she said.

Ciara laughed and Shona got the feeling Eirik was amused as well.

“He finds it charming you referred to his gift as a trick. Others have been far more impressed,” Ciara explained.

Shona smiled around a yawn. “Well, of course I am impressed. The man shifts into a mythical beast and breathes fire, after all, but in truth, my capacity for shock and awe is diminished of late.”

Ciara nodded, looking very serious all of the sudden. “Yes, I imagine it has.”

Ciara led them into the cave and down a long, narrow passageway, which opened into an underground cavern. The celi di immediately began lighting wall torches she must have known were there. But then, she’d been here before, hadn’t she?

As each new torch was lit, it revealed more of the cavern in which they stood. The space was huge, bigger than any great hall Shona had ever been in, including that of the Balmoral’s keep. Stone benches and seats were interspersed along the walls and a dais of marble graced the center of the room.

Other dark openings indicated passageways that led away from what had to have been a room of meeting sometime in the past.

Shona did not know if it was her imagination, or if the great cavern felt both welcoming and like it had waited for them. She only knew she felt safe here, with a sense of peace she’d never before experienced.

The tranquillity of the cave had affected her children as well. Both Eadan and Marjory looked ready to fall asleep on their feet.

Shona asked Ciara, “Is there a chamber I should prepare the furs for their sleep?”

“That way.” Ciara pointed to her left. “There are several smaller chambers I’m positive were once used as sleeping rooms for the celi di who lived here.”

“Did only celi di live here?” Shona wondered.

“I have always assumed so, though my mentor did not say that specifically.”

“Hmm…” It was something to contemplate.

Later. Right now, she needed to get her children to a place of resting.

Shona found a likely room with what appeared to be a raised stone bed jutting out from the wall. A shallow basin, which had been carved out of the top, would make a good place to pile heather for comfort’s sake. Shona had no heather, but she did have the furs. She laid that which had been wrapped around the children down and then helped Marjory and Eadan to get situated on top before covering them with her and Caelis’s mating fur.

Despite the excitement of being in a strange and wondrous place, both her children were asleep before she’d reached the doorway of the chamber.

She retraced her steps to find Eirik and Ciara in the main chamber, now lit with numerous torches. He was still in his dragon form.

Shona looked questioningly at Ciara.

“I will sleep better if he remains dragon tonight.”

“Oh.”

“The others will most likely not arrive until after sunrise. You would be best served by getting some rest yourself,” Ciara added with a smile.

Shona yawned again and thought the celi di had a very good idea. She returned to the chamber with her children and snuggled into the furs with them, that strange sense of peace making it easy to drop off to sleep.

Shona woke sometime later as she was lifted into strong arms.

“Mmm…hmm…” she mumbled against the thick column of Caelis’s neck.

“Shhh, mo toilichte. I am just taking you to our bed.”

She didn’t ask him what he meant, but let him carry her a short distance to another pile of furs he’d arranged on the floor. He settled her into them before curling his big body around hers, providing both warmth and protection.

Shona did not wake fully again, but was aware when Caelis’s warmth disappeared some hours later and then Marjory was placed into Shona’s arms and another fur settled over both of them for added warmth.

Chapter 24

We cannot burn all our enemies to a crisp, no matter how great the desire or provocation.

—EIRIK, PRINCE OF THE EAN

While Eirik and his mate explored the sacred caves, Caelis and Vegar planned their challenge. The other four MacLeod soldiers had come with them as well as Thomas.

All were prepared to fight by Caelis’s side for the right to rule the pack and the clan.

“Today is a Chrechte feast day,” Maon offered. “The entire pack will be gathered at the keep with Uven tonight. The humans who remain in the clan know to stay away from his special gatherings.”

Caelis knew this to be true. “Then that is when I must make my challenge.”

“It will not be easy.” Maon sighed. “Believing a lie is less work that fighting to follow the truth.”

“Mayhap for some, but not all.”

Thomas added, “And they will have the evidence of Shona and the children staring them in the face.”

Caelis did not like that part of the plan and let his scowl say so.

“There is no other way,” Vegar said firmly.

Maon nodded. “She must stand by your side—not only to prove Uven’s lies, but to show that humans are not beneath the Chrechte and that her strength is greater than Uven’s threats and machinations.”

The statement was a huge change in thinking for the powerful Faol, and Caelis was glad he hadn’t killed the man in their battle.

He could also grudgingly concede that Maon had a point, but he did not have to like it.

“Mum is strong,” Eadan added, his little boy trust in his mother absolute. “She got us out of the barony when Percival wanted to kill me and keep her for his company. And she is supposed to be there.”

The very thought of what kind of company Percival had in mind had Caelis growling. He pulled his son to him. “No one will harm either of you now.”

“I know, Da.”

Caelis knew there was no choice but to live up to the trust his son placed in him as well.

* * *

The sound and scents of multiple Chrechte came from within the keep, even from the distance Caelis and his followers stood in the forest.

He could not believe they had not been challenged as they approached the laird’s home though. The MacLeod keep was not a fortress like the Sinclair or Balmoral holdings with high walls, towers and a bailey, but