Her expression softened. “If we’re honest and open, then we can handle anything.”
“My clever lass.”
She raised her chin. “Of course I’m clever.”
He smiled. “Right, then let’s use the cleverness for good and help our clan.”
“Our clan?”
“Aye, our clan. Not only because of you, but the English dragon-shifters are growing on me.”
She snorted. “Don’t say it as if you’ve just smelled something rotten.”
He gave her a quick kiss. “That will take some time.” He took her hand. “Come on. We have a clan to protect.”
Chapter Eighteen
A few days later, Sid sat next to Molly Caruso’s bed and looked over the dragonwoman’s chart for the tenth time.
Molly remained unconscious.
Placing the chart back on the end of the bed, Sid opened the female’s eyelid and found her pupil slitted. Not once had they been round when anyone checked.
Her gut said that Molly’s dragon was in charge, but unable to wake up. Sid only hoped the situation wasn’t permanent. And not just because Molly was part of her clan and Aaron kept threatening to find the bastards who did this on his own, but also because if this chemical was distributed over an entire clan in a high enough dose, chaos would follow. Even if they all fell unconscious, some would eventually wake up and their dragons might be out of their minds.
Proof was the child on Glenlough, whose dragon took charge more often than not. Thinking of the poor boy as he fought with the dragon half he should be embracing and getting to know made Sid clench her fingers. Whoever had formulated the drug must not have a heart. Who in their right mind would target an innocent child?
Taking a deep breath, Sid pushed aside her anger. She needed to use her energy more wisely, especially since she had trouble working the long hours she once had. Gregor’s bloody baby was already making her life difficult.
Although imagining a little blond-haired boy grinning as he talked his way out of a reprimand made Sid smile. Regardless of how much trouble their child caused, she still looked forward to being a mother with her Scot at her side.
Her dragon stirred and she quickly wiped her thoughts. She didn’t want to fight an unnecessary battle with her beast over their future and use up what precious energy she had.
Just as Sid turned toward the door, the disheveled hair and dark, day-old beard of Trahern Lewis entered the room. He said without preamble, “Snowridge just sent the name of the rare moss Dr. Hughes used in that case we read about as well as Clyde’s notes on its uses.”
She guided him out of the room and shut the door before she ordered, “Tell me everything you know, including if you think it will help the victims?”
“Clyde seems to think it calms our inner dragons, regardless of the cause. An initial analysis told me it’s nontoxic.”
“The only question is what the side effects may be,” Sid murmured.
“Correct. While I’ve catalogued the side effects of every known substance I’ve come into contact with, this moss isn’t among them for obvious reasons,” Trahern replied.
“And how long will it take before you start discovering them?”
“I don’t know. By myself, it could take days, maybe even weeks, if I discount the long-term effects. If Dr. Emily Davies were here, I could pinpoint the main side effects much quicker.”
“She still hasn’t replied?” Trahern shook his head and Sid studied the dragonman. Her instinct said there was more to Emily and Trahern than former lab partners. But she didn’t have time to deal with that. “I’ll visit Bram if you hold the fort here.”
“What about Gregor?”
“He’s talking with Finn Stewart via video conference about staying. He should be back soon.”
Or so Sid hoped. Gregor had been away longer than she’d anticipated, but she refused to think Finn would deny his request to stay on Stonefire.
Trahern motioned down the hall with a hand. “Go find Bram and Gregor. I’ll go back to my laboratory until one of the nurses fetches me. I can look after any patients that need care.”
The dragonman basically lived in the laboratory, so she didn’t correct him about it being his. “I’ll have my mobile phone if you need me. Also, keep me updated on what you find.”