She blinked up at him. “You think I need encouragement?”
“Nay, but I’m giving it to you anyway.”
By the time they reached the stairs, she began to relax. Charon loved the feel of her hand in his, and he loved the way her eyes sparkled when she looked at him.
“Cara was the first of the Druids at MacLeod Castle,” Charon explained. “Lucan saved her when she fell off the cliff. Sonya was the second, and came to the castle because the trees told her she was needed.”
“The trees?” Laura whispered in awe. “She can talk to the trees?”
“Aye. She came to teach Cara her magic, since Cara didna know she was a Druid. Lucan is the middle MacLeod brother. You can pick him out because he still wears the small braids at either of his temples. And the MacLeods themselves still wear their torcs.”
“So interesting. Who is Broc?”
“Ah, Broc,” Charon said as he thought of the Warrior. “He is the Warrior with wings. He spied on Deirdre for centuries.”
“What are their powers?”
“Lucan can call the darkness and shadows around him while Broc can find anyone, anywhere.”
Laura came to a halt outside the parlor. Voices from within could be heard, and she peered around the edge of the door for a glimpse inside.
“They’ll love you,” he said.
She jerked her head to him, some deep emotion moving through her eyes. “Will they?”
“Aye.” He pulled her into his arms and gazed into her eyes.
Charon gently placed his lips atop hers for a quick kiss. He knew their time alone had come to an end, and it tore at him. He wanted to roar his fury. There was no getting around leaving her.
There was evil to fight.
And his woman to protect.
He opened his mouth to tell her she was his when Fallon appeared in the foyer next to them.
Laura stepped out of Charon’s arms with a soft smile. And for the first time in his very long life, he felt as if he could do anything.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Aisley stopped short in the small grove of trees when Dale held up his hand to halt her. She waited, straining to listen to whatever he heard so effortlessly with his enhanced hearing.
A second later, Dale turned toward her, but he looked over her shoulder to Jason. “It’s quiet.”
“So?” Jason whispered impatiently. “They wouldna be making a lot of noise, would they?”
Aisley saw Dale curl his hands into tight fists until his knuckles turned white. It was a good thing Jason controlled Dale, or she imagined Dale would have already ripped his head off.
“Go have a look, Aisley,” Jason said as he nudged her roughly from behind.
She ground her teeth together when she heard Mindy’s grating giggle. Aisley turned and glared at the Druid, a thought taking root. “I think Mindy should take one side while I take the other. Surrounding them.”
That silenced the bitch instantly. Aisley inwardly rejoiced when Mindy jerked her gaze to Jason and gasped in outrage when he gave a nod.
Dale gave Aisley a wink as she walked past, and hid his smile as he turned his back to Jason. It gave her some relief to know she wasn’t completely alone. Dale was the closest thing she had to a friend. She just hoped he lived long enough so she could repay him for all the times he had saved her ass.
Aisley peered at the crumbling ruin of a cottage that stood three hundred yards in front of her. In order to reach the structure, she was going to have to leave the safety of the trees.
There were two Warriors with Britt, and then the Druid, Aiden. She’d seen Aiden fight in the alley in Edinburgh. He could hold his own, and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
There had been an intensity to the Druid, a recklessness that told her he cared about Britt and would do whatever it took to protect her.
How different her life would have been had she had someone like Aiden to watch over her. Aisley mentally shook her head to clear it of such thoughts and concentrated on the cabin.
Who would attack her? A Warrior or Aiden? Aisley imagined both scenarios as she crept out of the trees to the cottage. She took the right side while Mindy went to the left.
Aisley bent at the waist and jogged the last few feet until she was able to put her back against the cottage near a window. She slowly peeked through the broken shutters to see Britt sleeping in a chair.
Galen and Quinn were cautious. They would be patrolling the area, and then there was the fact they could feel a Druid’s magic. So the Warriors knew they were there. But where were the Warriors?
Something was off. Aisley knew it instantly. Whether it was a trap or not was still up in the air. She didn’t want to be caught by the Warriors of MacLeod Castle, but then again, they could just kill her instead of taking her captive.