No doubt but there is none other beast comparable to the mighty dragon in awesome power and majesty, and few so worthy of the diligent studies of wise men.
—GILDAS MAGNUS, ARS DRACONIS
Ciara did not know if the other woman had been able to do this because she had the gift of sight, more of her father’s Chrechte blood than she’d ever realized, or simply because any child of a Chrechte could do it.
And it did not matter. All that was of any importance in that moment was that Mairi’s scent would not give them away to their enemy.
“Open your eyes now, Mairi.”
The other woman did, their blue depths glazed with her effort to concentrate on masking her scent.
Eirik’s head snapped around and he stared at Ciara with shocked question, though he remained silent as a good warrior should.
Ciara smiled, her pride in Mairi’s accomplishment warm inside her. She tilted her head toward Mairi to let Eirik know the human had done it, not Ciara. Not that she could have, but perhaps among the Éan such would have been possible.
Eirik narrowed his eyes in acknowledgment but turned around to focus on where he led them.
Ciara leaned sideways to speak in Mairi’s ear again. “It is very important you keep your focus on these scents. You are too new at this to maintain the mask on your scent without full concentration.”
Mairi nodded, this time firmly.
Eirik’s horse veered to the right and Ciara followed him, nudging Mairi’s leg to make sure she did the same. The path narrowed through the trees and Ciara was forced to ride ahead of Mairi, rather than beside her, but the other woman did not slip in her concentration for even a second.
They rode in complete silence for two hours before Eirik put his fist in the air to call them to a halt.
He looked back at them over his shoulder. “We are in no danger of being discovered by the MacLeod soldiers spied from the sky.”
So, the eagle and ravens had been on guard duty. No wonder Eirik had been so frustrated with them. More to the point, the Éan had been able to communicate the danger to Eirik.
“You are sure?” Mairi asked in a strained voice, interrupting Ciara’s thoughts.
No sooner had Eirik said, “Aye,” than Mairi’s entire body sagged and her scent became discernable once again amidst the fragrances of the forest. While it was no longer spiced with fear, there was an undeniable element of relief in it.
She slumped sideways and Ciara caught her before the other woman fell off her horse. Lais was there in a heartbeat, pulling Mairi right onto the blond warrior’s lap atop his horse.
“Masking her scent was hard on her.” The healer’s concern was apparent, but so was his pride in Mairi’s accomplishment. “She did it though, and no wolf to share her soul, either.”
“That she did,” Eirik agreed.
Ciara shook her head at the way the men talked about Mairi, instead of to her. She reached out and patted Mairi’s leg. “You did as well as any wolf.”
Mairi gave her a tired grin. “Really?”
“Most certainly. Better than I the first time I tried to mask my scent.” She did not mention she’d been a child at the time.
Her father had not believed in waiting for the first change to begin training his children in the ways of the Chrechte. Since both her parents had been Faol and their parents before them, there was no question that Ciara or Galen would share their soul with a wolf.
“We have another two hours’ ride to the water.” Eirik looked at Mairi. “Do you need to rest?”
She shook her head and Lais said, “She will ride with me.”
Mairi did not argue.
Ciara noted Eirik did not ask her if she needed a break and that made her smile. He did not think Ciara weak, despite the toll her dreams had taken on her.
She looked up, taking in the position of the sun. Then she considered what she could see of landmarks around her. Eirik had guided them away from the threat, but with a minimal loss in time to reach the Sinclair boats for crossing the water to Balmoral Island.
It was impressive, though she’d no plans to tell him so. The man had enough confidence in his own abilities without adding her confidence in him to the mix.
He maneuvered his horse so they faced one another, but were side by side. “You did well, teaching Mairi to mask her scent.”