Read Children of the Moon 04 - Dragon's Moon for Free Online

same pale skin, as if she had not been eating enough. And her hands trembled.
    Was Talorc not taking care of his people?
    Eirik could not believe it of the arrogant but honorable Chrechte laird.
    The trembling could simply be from fear though. He could smell it on her, a sour stench that did not coincide with her beauty or Chrechte spirit.
    “My…I…”
    “What were you doing on top of the tower?”
    “Waiting for you.”
    He gave her a look that doubted her words. Was she addled then? He could sense the heat of her blush before her alabaster skin turned pink.
    “I mean for all of you. I wanted to see the new Chrechte that would join our clan.”
    “You are a Sinclair.” Of course she was. She wore their plaid, though her dress was a little different.
    Her skirt was the pleated tartan of the Sinclair, but she wore a black bodice laced over her white blouse, a tartan shawl pinned to her shoulders.
    It was far too many layers for a wolf to wear for easy shifting. Did the Sinclair not teach his Chrechte the importance of speed when doing so? It could make the difference between life and death.
    Had Eirik not been able to shift near instantly only moments before, that death would have been hers.
    “I was a Donegal.”
    So, she had married into the clan. Why that knowledge should make his dragon feel like casting fire Eirik did not know.
    “And now you are a foolish Sinclair who does not knowbetter than to keep your vigil of curiosity on the top of a tower. You are no bird to save yourself with a shift.”
    She frowned, clearly affronted by his plain speaking. Too bad. Someone should have spoken to her of such before.
    “Your husband has failed in his duty to protect you.” And Eirik would tell the idiot just that when he met him.
    “I have no husband.”
    “Then how did you come to be a Sinclair when you were a Donegal?” Only his younger cousin would dare to interrupt Eirik’s discourse with the Sinclair wolf.
    Ciara turned her head so she could see Fidaich. “I came to live with the Sinclairs after your prince killed my brother and mother.”
    Low exclamations and gasps sounded from the others, indicating they had heard the woman’s accusation.
    Fidaich grabbed her arm and shook her. “You take that back. My cousin is no murderer like the Faol.”
    Eirik’s dragon growled.
    “Not all wolves are killers,” the boy’s mother reprimanded, apparently oblivious to the dragon’s precarious temper.
    But both the Sinclair woman and Fidaich ignored Eirik’s aunt to glare at one another.
    “Release her,” Eirik ordered in a voice none had ever been foolish enough to ignore.
    Fidaich did so but stared up at Eirik with frustration. “She cannot be allowed to make such false claims against you.”
    “They are not false.” The woman’s voice was laced with absolute certainty, but worse—with pain.
    Eirik did not like it.
    Fidaich did not, either. “They are.”
    “Not.”
    Eirik rolled his eyes. “Fidaich.”
    Just one word, but his cousin subsided. Eirik met the now accusing gaze of the woman. Her fear had not diminished, but now it was laced with anger and hurt.
    “Explain.”
    “You killed my brother with your fire and my mothertook her own life because of it. Therefore, you murdered them both.”
    His dragon had only ever killed two men in that way. One had been this woman’s brother. But how had she known?
    “’Twas not murder, he was protecting me and Canaul,” Fidaich growled, clearly unable to keep well out of it.
    The woman started. “You were one of the boys Luag meant to harm?”
    “Your brother was this Luag?” Eirik asked before Fidaich could answer.
    The utter revulsion that came over the woman’s features denied Eirik’s words before she said a vehement, “Nay.”
    “The other one?”
    “His name was Galen. He was a good brother.”
    “But not a good Chrechte.”
    Shame dropped her eyes from his and made his dragon want to sneeze with its acrid scent. “He was deceived by those