Page 24 of Her Scot of Bygones (MacLeod Dragons #2)

–Lucas–

“I KNEW WE never should have trusted Dugal and Elspet,”

I fumed as we headed for the highest battlement of MacLeod Castle.

“They may say they’re for king and country, but always think of themselves first.”

After all, Hazel was just led up to the very battlement Aspen had been thrust off of, undoubtedly to force Hazel to shift and see if she was the lass destined to fulfill the pact.

“We will be there soon enough,”

Broderick assured me.

“Until then, I trust Sloan to handle things.”

Broderick was right there with me as we arrived at the battlement with Aspen, my aunt and uncle, as well as several of Broderick’s strongest warriors. More than he brought last time, but then, war could break out this very night.

Although Aspen wanted to come, Broderick made it clear it was far too dangerous for her and their unborn babies. She had no choice but to agree because it was, given how unpredictable, dishonest, and outright evil Dugal and Elspet could be.

“We will get her back,”

Broderick assured Aspen, brushing his lips across hers before telling her she better get back downstairs to the safety of our castle.

“You’ve my solemn promise.”

“I’ll hold you to it.”

She looked at me with a mix of fear for her sister, yet the sternness expected of the Lady of the Castle.

“All of you.”

“Aye, m’lady.”

I nodded once, dove off the battlement, shifting mid-air, and flew toward Sutherland Castle as fast as I could on a night that wasn’t all that different from when we’d gone to Aspen’s rescue, only it was colder, and the stormy weather was nearly upon us.

Relishing the feel of my long, serpentine body and the strength it offered, I flapped my wings with all my might and started climbing to get above the clouds and turbulence, but Broderick advised otherwise as his black dragon fell in beside me.

“Nay, cousin, the cloud wall is too high and the turbulence within will only slow us down despite the speed we would find above,”

he said, speaking in the way of dragons.

“’Tis best we stay low, not only to get there faster but so they see us coming.”

“He’s right,”

Marek said. He and my aunt Chara fell in on my other side, and the rest of Broderick’s warriors flew in formation behind us.

“This storm is made of incoming winter rather than outgoing autumn, so ‘twill be treacherous indeed the higher we go.”

Though I struggled with the decision, my dragon trusted them, so I kept on course, flying closer to the ocean. As we headed north, I focused on being there for Hazel the best I could, despite the distance. I listened with apprehension as Elspet assured Sloan she would not throw Hazel off the battlement like she’d done to Aspen, yet Hazel might choose to do so herself.

“What does that mean?”

I muttered, knowing my kin followed what was happening not just through me, but through their growing connection with Hazel. My dread only grew.

“Why would Hazel ever do that?”

No sooner did I think it than a Sutherland warrior appeared with Evan slumped over his shoulder, clearly passed out, having been beaten within an inch of his life.

“Oh God,”

Hazel gasped into our minds, her mortification and anguish as palpable as mine.

“What did they do to him?”

There was no need to answer because each and every one of us could feel his human side’s pain, but also his inner dragon’s, because he couldn’t rile his other half awake.

“I think the better question is what are they going to do with him now,”

Chara warned, only for the Sutherland warrior to pause at the edge of the battlement and look back at not Dugal, his chieftain, but Elspet, awaiting her order.

“Nay,”

Sloan exclaimed when Elspet nodded, and the warrior tossed Evan over the edge. Sloan started to rush after him, but dozens of Sutherland swords were suddenly at his chest, and he had no choice but to stop.

“That leaves only ye to save him, lass,”

Elspet warned, her cunning gaze locked on Hazel, who cried out in grief.

“Dragons are faster than a falling human, so if there’s any chance of saving him, ye best move along.”

“Dinnae do it, lass,”

I roared because, unless her fated mate was near, there was no way to know if she would be able to shift this first time, but it was too late. I should have known better, too, because Hazel would do anything to protect those she loved, and that was clear when she raced to the battlement with no thought of her own life and leapt after Evan.

Despite my terror and fear, I had never been prouder, and that calmed me and my inner beast enough to focus and coach her as she plummeted. More than that, it allowed us to see what it would take for her to embrace her inner beast.

“Let go of yer fear and just be ye, lass,”

I said, keeping my internal tone gentle, comforting, and consistent as she flailed, terrified not just for herself but still very much for Evan.

“Like the tree ye were named for, trust yer inner wisdom and need to protect those ye care about and do what ye must. Do what ye have always done for others.”

I sensed my words not only soothed but inspired her. Although she didn’t respond, she calmed considerably, let go of her fear, relaxed into the fall, and so smoothly embraced her dragon, one would have thought she’d been doing it all her life.

Fortunately, we were close enough that I got to witness it, and nothing was more mesmerizing than watching her shift into a beautiful emerald green dragon, with equally bright green eyes. Better still, she was a lovely beast with no gem over her heart, proving what I already knew.

She was mine.

I felt Hazel’s exhilaration as she didn’t flail or fight her new form but kept her eyes locked on Evan and flew straight down, making my fear for her spike once more.

“Yet ye dinnae need to fear, nephew,”

Aunt Chara said, her internal voice confident.

“Because her dragon will no more let her good friend die than her human half would.”

She was right because soon enough, we felt Hazel’s fearless focus. Despite it being her first shift, she was magnificent as she shot down and gently grabbed hold of Evan moments before he plummeted to his death, then banked upward, smoothly saving them both.

“I’ve got him,”

Hazel exclaimed excitedly.

“He’s okay.”

“Aye, lass,”

I praised, yet again impressed with how she handled her new body because it was turbulent, yet she kept relatively level and gained altitude, using her wings as she soared out over the ocean.

“Thanks to you and your selfless courage, he is.”

Seeming to sense what direction I had spoken from, her dragon looked my way, and our eyes finally connected for the first time in this form, telling me what I already knew. She was, without question, my fated mate, and nothing had ever felt so good.

“Of course I am,”

she said softly, flying in my direction, only for a team of Sutherland dragons to steer her back toward their battlement.

“Here we go again,”

Broderick groused, as we headed in that direction.

“Right back where we started.”

“Only this time there will be no battling,”

Aunt Chara warned.

“Not if we hope to get both Hazel and Evan out of there because I already know Hazel willnae leave without him, and Lucas willnae leave without either of them.”

She was right. I would not.

“How to achieve such, though?”

Broderick wondered.

“Because we all know Dugal and Elspet willnae let Evan leave until they’ve had their vengeance, and it willnae stop at what they’ve already done to him.”

“No,”

Aunt Chara agreed.

“’Twill not.”

“Then we need to come up with a plan fast,”

Hazel said, sounding distressed not for herself but Evan, who remained passed out in her talons.

“Because you’re right. I won’t leave him behind any more than I would leave any of you behind.”

Once again, I was impressed with her dragon as she managed the turbulence and landed safely despite her dragon’s legs being slightly different lengths, keeping Evan protected as she gently laid him down. She then stood over him, making clear she didn’t have the gem over her heart and would protect Evan no matter what.

Meanwhile, Sloan stood beside the king’s man with his hands clenched and his eyes narrowed on Dugal and Elspet, clearly upset.

“Ye’ll want to let my kin land safely, then let Hazel go, or I will tell the king of yer traitorous behavior today.”

“Was it so traitorous, though?”

Elspet wondered, making it clear no MacLeod dragon would be allowed to land, let alone get any closer to the castle.

“Or was it merely behaving as ye MacLeods did when ye not only kept Hazel from us but undoubtedly took advantage of our traitor over the years, discovering whatever ye could about us.”

“Dinnae do it, cousin,”

Broderick warned when I bared my teeth, ready to roar fire at the Sutherland dragon who dared to try steering me away from my mate.

“’Tis not the time for a midair battle lest it incite Elspet or Dugal to harm Hazel because they’re more than capable of it.”

“He’s right,”

Aunt Chara said, evidently sensing something because she seemed less worried.

“Let them keep us at bay for now and trust that Sloan can handle this.”

How could he possibly do that?

Yet it turned out she was right based on what happened next.