I stood straighter, throwing myself to the edge of the balcony. "Beta Cameron!" I cried out, relieved when the young man who'd nearly reached the door turned and met my gaze. "Is Alpha de Roche with Torion?"
Cameron nodded. "Yes, Omega Feargus. And I mean to go join them. I would've from the start, but Alpha Feargus insisted I give you word, in case matters kept him longer than predicted."
A pang in my chest burned sweetly. "Thank you." I bit my lip as Cameron turned back to the door, and I found myself calling out. "Tell Torion to be quick about it. And safe," I added, my voice cracking out at the end.
"I think he means to be, ma'am," Cameron said.
I swallowed hard and folded my arms over my chest, my feet demanding to pace the length of the hall. But I forced them back to the bedroom, knowing there would be no peace now, no patience. I was left alone with worry and waiting until Torion returned.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
BRIGID
I'd forgotten how tired pregnancy made me, but on that day, it was a small blessing. If a nap was what my body wanted, it would help itself to one. I slept fitfully that night, but at least I did sleep.
Still, when the front door of the keep opened with a creak and groan, then voices called out, I was sitting up from the bed before I'd finished waking. It only took a drowsy moment of blinking into darkness for the low tenor of Torion's voice to reach me, and then I was in motion. I stumbled through the bedroom long enough to grab a robe and only managed to get the damn thing on and tied around my waist by the time I reached the stairs down to the main hall.
"Brigid."
I stopped on the top step, bleary eyes blinking in pleasure to see Torion taking the stairs up two at a time.
"Are you all right?" I asked, reaching out, my hands eager to grab hold of him.
"The challenge failed before I'd even made it to the Isle," Torion said. "Everyone is fine."
I scowled at him as he reached me, my fingers fisting in his shirt. "Areyouhurt?"
He smelled wonderful, like sea air and musky sweat, and when I swayed into him, his arms wrapped around my waist to hold me still. "I'm fine," he laughed. "Didn't even get to enjoy a moment of fighting."
He bent and pressed his lips to my forehead, quieting the storm in my thoughts that had been plaguing me since Samuel Cameron had given me word of the challenge in Bleake Isle. I sighed, settling against Torion's chest, and finally heard the raised voices below. Torion's hands held my shoulders in place against him, preventing me from twisting to see what was taking place.
"I told Ronson we'd stash some of the troublemakers here in the keep cells," Torion said. "De Roche leant us black irons for the cause."
"Is it safe to have them here?"
"The cells are the one part of the keep it seems my father kept in the best repair. There's no danger to us, and they'll have their trial soon enough. Brigid, there's something I must tell you."
I frowned and leaned back, suddenly able to see the fervent excitement, even shock, making Torion's features vivid and wild.
"What is it?"
"Not here," he whispered. He called instructions down to the men below and then guided me back to the bedroom. "The most astonishing thing took place today."
Aside from the challenge?I wondered, but my thoughts were slower than Torion's intense energy, and he placed me back on the edge of the bed, taking his seat beside me and clasping his hands in mine. His dark eyes were wide, an absent smile on his lips.
"Mairwen is adragon."
I blinked. "Aren't we…all?"
Torion huffed and shook his head. "She transformed, Brigid. She was one of the most ferocious dragons I'd ever seen!"
Mairwen? Quiet, sweet Mairwen? My mind remained blank at the suggestion.
"Torion, do you mean she…flew?"
Torion laughed at my own bafflement, apparently a match for his own. "Flew. Breathed fire. Fought off the dragons attacking Cadogan! I wouldn't have believed it was her, not even with Cadogan bellowing at us all not to hurt her, but she shifted back in front of my very own eyes."
For a moment, I only stared at Torion. He was telling me a fairy story, one I'd never even heard the likes of. But he wasn't joking, and he looked as startled by the tale as I felt hearing it. "But…buthow?"
