dragon growled.
âNot all wolves are killers,â the boyâs mother reprimanded, apparently oblivious to the dragonâs precarious temper.
But both the Sinclair woman and Fidaich ignored Eirikâs aunt to glare at one another.
âRelease her,â Eirik ordered in a voice none had ever been foolish enough to ignore.
Fidaich did so but stared up at Eirik with frustration. âShe cannot be allowed to make such false claims against you.â
âThey are not false.â The womanâs voice was laced with absolute certainty, but worseâwith pain.
Eirik did not like it.
Fidaich did not, either. âThey are.â
âNot.â
Eirik rolled his eyes.
âFidaich.â
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.
âExplain.â
âYou killed my brother with your fire and my mothertook her own life because of it. Therefore, you murdered them both.â
His dragon had only ever killed two men in that way. One had been this womanâs brother. But how had she known?
ââTwas not murder, he was protecting me and Canaul,â Fidaich growled, clearly unable to keep well out of it.
The woman started. âYou were one of the boys Luag meant to harm?â
âYour brother was this Luag?â Eirik asked before Fidaich could answer.
The utter revulsion that came over the womanâs features denied Eirikâs words before she said a vehement, âNay.â
âThe other one?â
âHis name was Galen. He was a good brother.â
âBut not a good Chrechte.â
Shame dropped her eyes from his and made his dragon want to sneeze with its acrid scent. âHe was deceived by those he thought were friends.â
âHe would have allowed his friend to murder a child.â
âSo, you killed him.â
âI did not know he was any less a threat than the man with a fist raised to my cousin.â
âHe was.â
âI could not risk it.â Not that heâd even considered the matter.
âYou burned them to ash.â
âAye.â
âI left Luagâs remains in the forest for the animals.â She said it as if admitting something no one else knew.
As far as Eirik was concerned, sheâd done exactly right. ââTwas no less than the would-be killer of children deserved.â
She nodded and he helped her to her feet, unable to let her sit so defenselessly in the grass any longer. It just didnât feel right. âYou saw me.â
âYes.â She pulled away from him as soon as she was standing.
âHow?â
She swayed a little but seemed to stay standing by sheer will alone. âDoes it matter?â
âIt does if you were in a position to protect the boys and did not choose to do so.â He knew not all Faol were bad, but to think this woman lacked honor in that way made something in Eirikâs gut twist sickly.
âI was going to intervene, but you got there too quickly.â
âBarely quickly enough to stop Luag from killing my cousin with a single blow.â
âI was set to attack him as a wolf.â
âYou hesitated too long. If I did not see you, you could not have reached Fidaich in time.â Eirik made no effort to soften the censure in his tone.
This woman accused him of killing not only her brother but her mother as well by his actions in protecting Fidaich and Canaul. He would give no quarter on the circumstance of her brotherâs death. Chrechte did not harm children.
And none should stand by while one tried to.
âThe only one who killed that day was you.â
âWould you have rather I left my cousin to the nonexistent mercies of your Luag?â
âHe was not mine.â
But Eirik was not listening, nor did he care how much revulsion she showed at every mention of Luagâs name. He had heard enough