“Yes, a ball of earth—charmed earth, holding a ball of fire inside. If you drop it from the air.” She used her hands waving them down as she made a whistling noise—then a puff of breath to simulate an explosion. “In theory,” she added.
“In theory.”
“I’ve tested it, but not from a dragon perch. At some point you could try it out for me.”
Frowning, he turned it over in his hands. “Just drop it?”
“Right. Somewhere safe.”
“And it’s not likely to explode in my hands and turn me into a fireball?”
“It needs velocity and force. But it wouldn’t hurt to be sure you had good altitude when it’s bombs away.” She rose on her toes, kissed him on both cheeks. “Be safe. We’ll see you in a couple of days.”
Still frowning, he secured the ball into one of the pockets of the weapon harness Blair had fashioned for Larkin.
“We’ll be watching.” Hoyt laid a hand on Cian’s shoulder. “Try to stay out of trouble until I’m with you again. And you as well,” he said to Larkin.
“I’ve already told him I’ll kick his ass if he gets himself killed.” Blair gripped Larkin’s hair, pulled his head down for a hard kiss. She turned to Cian.
“We’re not doing a group hug.”
She grinned. “I’m with you on that. Stay away from pointy wooden objects.”
“That’s the plan.” He looked over her head as Moira ran toward the stables.
“I’d hoped to be quicker,” she said breathlessly. “You’re ready then. Larkin. Be safe.” She hugged him.
“And you.” He gave her a last squeeze. “Mount your dragons!” he called out, and with a last flashing grin for Blair, changed.
“I have what you asked me for.” Moira held out a silver locket while Blair harnessed Larkin. “My father gave it to my mother when I was born, so she could keep a lock of my hair in it. I left that one, and put in another.”
And had added what magic she could.
Rising on her toes, she put the chain over his head. To make a point, to him, to any who watched, she took his face in her hands, and kissed him long and warm and tender.
“I’ll have another of those waiting for you,” she told him. “So don’t do anything foolish.”
He put on the cloak, lifting the hood and securing it. He mounted Larkin, looked into Moira’s eyes.
“In two days,” he said.
He rose up into the sky on the golden dragon. Others soared behind him, trumpeting.
As she watched, as those glints of color grew smaller with distance, Moira was struck with a sudden knowledge, a certainty that the six of them would not come back from the valley to Castle Geall as a circle.
Behind her, Glenna gestured to Hoyt, sending him away. She hooked an arm around Blair’s waist, around Moira’s. “All right, ladies, let’s get busy packing and stacking so we can get you back together with your men.”
Chapter 16
He wished for rain. Or at the very least a thick layer of cooling clouds to smother the sun. The damn cloak was hot as the hell he was eventually bound for. He just wasn’t used to feeling extremes in temperatures.
Being undead, Cian mused, tended to spoil a man.
Soaring on a dragon was a thrilling experience, no question. For the first thirty minutes or so. And another thirty could be spent admiring the green and pastoral countryside below.
But after an hour in a fucking wool sauna, it was just misery.
If he had Hoyt’s patience and dignity, he supposed he would ride steely-eyed and straight-backed until doomsday. Even with the intolerable heat melting the flesh from his bones. But then he and his twin had had some basic differences even before he’d become a vampire.