"Why did you never mention this before, Mam?" Teagan asked.
"I'm a private person, Teagan. You know that. Besides, I was afraid if I mentioned it, I might be forced away. I was nothing more than a coward."
Teagan leaned over and touched her mother's hand. "I would never force you to do anything you didn't want to, Mam. You don't have to do this."
Caitlin met Killian's gaze again. "But I do, for Killian's sake."
A woman he'd been less than courteous to was now willing to upend her life to help him.
If only he could remember her.
A boom reverberated inside his head and he clapped his hands over his ears. People were talking, but another boom sounded, and his skull felt as if it were being ripped in two.
He'd barely slid to his knees before an even louder sound echoed inside his head and the world went dark.
Chapter Six
Brenna kneeled next to Killian's body and checked his pulse. At the steady beat, she let out the breath she'd been holding. "He's alive."
Caitlin joined her, kneeling on Killian's other side. "I thought Dr. O'Brien cleared him."
"He did," Brenna answered. "But he also said Killian's condition was unpredictable. Given this has happened twice now, there might be a link concerning what caused it."
"Let me know if anything changes. I'm going to call Dr. O'Brien," Teagan said as she and Aaron went into the kitchen.
Caitlin brushed the hair off her son's forehead. "Then it's decided, I'll reach out to Lorcan and arrange the kiss. I can't stand my son suffering like this."
"And if it doesn't work?" Brenna asked softly.
"I have faith in your Stonefire doctors. The female one knows what it's like to lose a dragon, she, more than anyone, will do her best to bring his beast back," Caitlin replied.
Brenna tore her gaze from Killian's face to study Caitlin. The quiet female was proving to be stronger than she'd initially realized. "Everyone says Teagan and Killian get their strength from their grandmother, but I think some of it is from you, too."
Shaking her head, Caitlin murmured, "No. Any mother would do the same for their child."
It was on the tip of Brenna's tongue to say that wasn't true, but she held back.
Killian stirred and Brenna focused back on her mate. His eyes fluttered open, his gaze meeting hers. "Why am I on the floor?"
"Tell us what happened and I might be able to work it out."
Rubbing his temples, he said, "I don't know. There was a loud booming sound inside my head. Next thing I know, I woke up here."
Brenna stilled. "What kind of booming sound?"
"I'm not sure. Almost like someone was banging a pot against a door. Why?"
Her heart rate kicked up. "I don't want to get your hopes up."
"But?" he prompted.
"But Dr. Sid endured years of banging in her head before her dragon finally broke free."
"Isn't she the one who regained her dragon by kissing her true mate?"
"Yes."
His gaze shifted to Caitlin. "Then I need your help. I don't know how I'll repay you, but if kissing one woman will end this, I will do whatever it takes to do so."