“Yet you claim a royal raven in your antecedents.” The glare Fionn cast was leveled at Bryant and Una alike.
“I did not realize that being descendant of a dragon meant that,” Bryant reiterated.
Though, it would stand to reason then that if any of the Éan were dragons, it would be Prince Eirik. However, if that were the case, surely the Éan would not continue to hide like fugitives in the forest.
A dragon could raze entire villages and would be practically impossible to kill in his shifted form.
Bryant focused on what he did know and Fionn could accept it for the truth it was, or not. Regardless, it was family history he wanted to share with Una. Perhaps she would not fear him so if she realized the past’s weight on his actions of the present.
“The last bird shifter born in my family was my grandmother’s sister. She was raven and so beautiful many Faol and human alike in our clan vied for her hand in mating.”
“What happened to her?” Fionn asked in a tone that said he knew it hadn’t been good.
The old man was right, but not because of anything a wolf had done. Unless you counted a man impregnating his beloved wife as a sin against her.
“She died in childbirth.”
Fionn’s expression softened slightly. “And her child?”
“Took after his father as wolf.”
“If she was raven, then your clan wolves would know of our existence before this. And Prince Eirik claims that most of the Faol are wholly unaware of our existence any longer.”
“The Balmoral have always believed the old stories and remember the ancient ways of the Chrechte with more dedication than other clans.”
“So?”
“Each bird shifter in our family kept their nature secret, though the reason why was another knowledge lost over time.”
“So, your clan knew nothing of her heritage.”
“Some knew, but most did not.”
“And her husband.”
“Knew and loved her raven. Why wouldn’t he? They were sacred mates.”
“Bah . . . again with the sacred mates. You talk as if that miracle happens to every Chrechte, when nothing could be further from the truth.” Fionn fixed Bryant with a beady stare. “And it is not the panacea you seem to think it is. Not all is made well and right simply because two people’s animals have a hankering for each other.”
It was far more than that, but Bryant knew from experience with the chronically crabby man that there would be little purpose in calling Fionn out on his gross minimization.
Bryant chose instead to focus on the latter part of the man’s statement. “Perhaps if we Chrechte were better at looking outside our immediate circle for mates, we would find our true bonds more often.”
“Hmmph.”
“It’s true.” Donnach put the leather aside and began cleansing his hands in the bucket of water beside the door. “Our own laird is mated to an Englishwoman.”
“She used to be English,” Bryant emphasized. “And I told Fionn of Lachlan and Emily yestereve.”
“So, one man mated to a human.” Fionn made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “What does that prove?”
“Our lady’s own sister, Abigail, is also true mate to the laird of the Sinclairs. His blacksmith shares a sacred bond with a sister to our laird’s second. And Lachlan’s second is mated to the Sinclair’s own sister.” Bryant listed off the sacred bonds he’d learned of or witnessed in the past few years.
“Hmmph.”
Bryant was coming to dislike that noncommittal utterance, but the expression of interest in Una’s keen hazel eyes was enough to keep him talking.
“Had they not looked outside their clans, much less their packs, none of these Chrechte would have found their true mate.” Couldn’t the old man see what this proved? Did the one Bryant’s wolf wanted to mate? “The Chrechte were never meant to live apart, but to live with one another and the humans.”