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Chapter Thirteen
Angus settled into a crouch in the time shaft and cradled Arianrhod in his arms, so she could lean against his spread knees. He’d listened to her account of her time with Rhukon, and now it was his turn to talk about the Morrigan. He blew out a breath.
The Battle Crow made him feel dirty. All she’d wanted to do was fuck him, but once she got him inside her body, he suspected she’d weave some arcane magic to enslave him. He thought he’d be strong enough to resist, yet he hadn’t been totally certain. Besides, the thought of having sex with her made him vaguely ill, and he hated the idea of another woman anywhere near him after the wonder of Arianrhod. With all the Morrigan’s shapeshifting, for all he knew, she wasn’t anything beyond a shapeless blob of protoplasm.
“Take your time,” Arianrhod murmured. “She’d rattle the best of us.”
He laughed uncomfortably. “Aye, I figured I was one lucky son of a bitch to get out of there with both balls.” He hesitated, then opted for honesty. “At first, she was so closed to me, I wondered what I’d have to do to get into her mind, but it turned out touching her hand and arm gave me plenty.” A disgusted tremor tracked down his body. “I don’t think I could’ve stood to get much closer than that. She had this smell, like something ill, but not quite dead.”
“I know that smell. I always figured it came from the carrion she eats in her raven form. That one’s always made my skin crawl, but I’ve hidden my reaction from her. She’s such a bully, if she knew about my antipathy, she’d taunt me with it.” Arianrhod shivered in his arms, and he sent soothing energy into her.
“I’ve upset you. Would you rather I craft a facile story?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Nay. I always prefer truth. The only reason she wants you is because she’s obsessed with controlling everyone and everything she comes across, but ’tisn’t of any import. What did ye find out?”
“The dragon shifter mages embraced dark magic, so they could drain power from their dragons and make themselves not only immortal, but invincible.”
Arianrhod shifted in his arms until she faced him, and both of them settled gingerly on what passed for a floor in the time shaft. It was soft and spongy, and Angus took care not to disturb what was likely living flesh any more than he had to.
A vertical crease formed between Arianrhod’s brows as she frowned. “Did ye determine just how the Morrigan is wrapped up in this?”
“Did I ever. It was her plan in the first place, but since her power is limitless—and she knew Ceridwen would never stand by while she alienated the dragons—she needed others to experiment with. They weren’t easy to find. Most of the dragon shifters adore their dragons.”
“Did ye discover if there are others beyond Rhukon and Connor?”
“Nay. I was fortunate to see what I did. She underestimated the extent of my magic because she was so busy trying to seduce me.”
“Och, what a meddling bitch she is.” Arianrhod clamped her teeth over her lower lip. “I doona suppose this is a topic we could bring afore the Council. She’d deny it—and then she’d target you for destruction, and not in an easy way, either.”
“Death by fucking.” He rolled his eyes and laughed.
“’Tisn’t funny.”
“Probably not.” He thought about it and added, “This is one instance where we can accomplish more from behind the scenes than marching through the front door.”
She moved one hand in a circular motion. “Say more.”
“We start with Eletea—assuming we can find her—and address this one dragon at a time. Even if the Celts might be swayed by the Morrigan, the dragons will be very interested to hear from the two of us.”
Her frown deepened. “We’ll have to pick carefully. Otherwise, word will filter back to Ceridwen and she’ll be furious we dinna go through her first.”
“You may report to her, but I report to Arawn. I suspect he’d feel the same way. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be angry enough to banish me. I’m too useful.”
Arianrhod bristled. “I doona work for Ceridwen. I merely give her information as a courtesy.”
Amusement danced beneath the surface as he replied, “I’ll keep it in mind.”
She took his hand. “Ye’d be wise to do that. We havena talked of your relationship with the Celts. Now that ye know about Cathbad, what will ye do?”
He pushed anger at how the Celts had used him aside. She’d asked an important question, and he didn’t have a fully formed answer. Not yet, anyway. He glanced at a passing node to see how much more time they had.
None.
He got to his feet and pulled her upright along with him. “I’m not sidestepping your question, but it’s time to go.” He chanted and the pulsing gray-pink walls shuddered to a halt. The opening he expected was slow to form, and Arianrhod pushed magic after his to force things along.
Finally, a wall split, allowing them to exit. “’Twould appear we’ve either worn out our welcome in the shaft, or the dragons instructed it not to allow us entry,” Arianrhod observed dryly and made her way through the portal. He followed her out into an inky moonless night with thick clouds riding overhead. The ever-present heat of Fire Mountain closed around him.
“We need to finish talking,” he said, but it’ll have to wait until we’re done here.”
