“Some might say,” she echoed, squeezing his hand right back. Feeling his anger at Siobhán. His love for both her and Liam and the anger he felt at what they had suffered. Relating to it enough, she suspected he’d lost a great love of his own as well.
While she meant to hold back, she had to know. Had to wrap her mind around just how much her enemy might have been capable of. “Could she have...” She swallowed hard, hated thinking it, but it was too coincidental, so she kept her gaze with Tréan’s and just came right out and asked. “If Siobhán influenced my blade that much, could she have—”
“Ta.”Tréan held her hand in both of his and spoke telepathically for discretion. Understood things she didn’tanticipate him understanding.“If Siobhán influenced yer blade, ‘tis very likely her magic caused yer accident all those years ago, so ye would not be able to bear another child in this life. Her anger at ye was that great.”
His eyes flashed gold and narrowed, and his inner voice grew dark with promise as he continued.“Yet she did not know about me. Could have never anticipated my role in all this. The lengths to which I would go. Will go.”He shook his head once.“So ye have my word. Before all is said and done, and the prophecy is fulfilled, I will have my vengeance for what she did to ye. To all of us.”
“And you have mine,”she managed, meaning every last word, eager for the day their enemy breathed her last breath.
Tréan held her gaze for another moment, his inner strength palpable before he looked from her to the others. His expression turned from one of sentiment to determination. All emotion fled as he continued and became his wolf, her familiar, even though he remained a man. “’Tis time to have our payback.” He narrowed his eyes, seeing things clearly in a way they needed to as well. “It may not be when we save Aodh, because wewillsave him, but ‘twill happen soon enough.”
Shannon and Liam looked at each other before they nodded in understanding. There was a good chance they wouldn’t get their revenge now but saving Aodh was a good start. A means to see Siobhán eventually fall.
“If she's so connected to me via my blade and ended Liam and me in our last life, won't she sense us coming?” Shannon wondered.
“I don't think she’s that connected to you anymore, sis,” Riona said. “What I felt on your blade was residual. Only put in place to stop you from coming together with Liam. Whatever might have been there was gone the moment you came fully into your Unnamed One powers.”
“As was any influence she might have had over da,” Tréan assured.
“Then it seems we have a battle to fight,” Liam said. “And a dragon to rescue.”
Which would, without a doubt, be easier said than done.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“AS MUCH AS I would have preferred to keep the battling off yours and Cian’s borders,” Liam said to Declán, “I don’t see us trying to save Aodh by sea alone as a viable option.” Knowing what he had to do, he gave his brother a grim look. “But ‘twill be partly by sea.”
Declán nodded in agreement, just as grim when he understood what Liam intended. He would leave one-third of his warriors here to protect Meath if Shannon’s magic failed. Another fraction would fight alongside his brothers’ men on their borders. Liam and his remaining warriors would be on ships.
“No.” Shannon looked at him with alarm. “If Siobhán unleashes Aodh’s dragon on you, you won’t stand a chance.”
“Ifbeing the operative word,” he replied.
“You’re going to fly a flag of truce.” She shook her head slowly when she understood how much danger he intended to put himself in. “You’re not having anyone attack right away. Instead, Declán and Riona will get Tréan and me to Aodh while you distract Siobhán.”
Days before, he would have never gone to such lengths for his dragon brethren, but much had changed since then. Between realizing that Siobhán had likely manipulated them both and what she’d done more recently to Aodh, his decision was made easy. Because he didn’t doubt the Aodh he had known beforeSiobhán intruded in their lives would have done the same for him.
“’Tis the only way, lass.” He shook his head. “You would not be able to get close to Aodh if Siobhán’s kingdom was under attack. She would unleash him on us immediately.”
“And you don’t think she’ll see through your ruse?” she countered.
