Read Online By the Light of the Moon by Laila Blake - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laila Blake
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too long and suddenly he stood right in front of her, smiling and plucking an apple from the tree in an oddly provocative manner.
“Not a day passed that I didn’t think of you, Moira … ” his voice was low and sweet, his smile almost compelling this close.
If she were to marry him, maybe he would always be this nice to her, maybe she would get used to it? Maybe she would like it? She tried to return his smile. But then he lifted his hand and cupped her cheek and Moira tried to back away so hard she hit the back of her head against the tree. She coughed out an apology. Then she slipped out from between him and the obstacle behind her. She didn’t feel so good. Her chest was suddenly cold and hard again, and every breath she forced into her lungs hurt. She didn’t even look back.
Then, something closed around her wrist and pulled her back. She yanked at her arm but she couldn’t break away. And suddenly, Owain stood between her and her suitor. A moment later, she was free. She cupped her wrist in her hand and gasped for a few shallow breaths. She could maintain now, where a few years ago she would have run off crying that very moment. Now, she could steel her shoulders and look back at Deagan Fairester who was shooting a look at her guard before his eyes returned to her. His face took on an apologetic expression.
“Milady, are you quite all right?” he asked, advancing again. But when his hand reached out for her one more time, Owain stepped between them again. He was fast and just then, in her shifting alliances, he seemed safer than the human.
“I believe my Lady Moira isn’t feeling well, sir. I will escort her back inside,” Owain told him in a dangerously quiet voice.
“That’s quite a bark on you, dog,” the nobleman snorted. But when he tried to sidestep the Blaidyn, Owain blocked his path again with a dangerous growl. Sir Fairester jumped back. His face first registered fear, but then quickly turned to anger. Even Moira flinched at the sound and then stared at the usually so silent and unobtrusive man.
“You should keep that animal on a leash,” Sir Fairester spat and then stalked off in the opposite direction.
Owain stood there, actively suppressing the rage that fueled the wolf inside. He, like all young Blaidyn had learned to channel his rage into fight and he did it well, but when there was no one to fight, the rage had no other place to go than into the painful and prickling need to shift and the let the wolf run. Especially when he was this close to the full moon.
Moira had walked all the way back to the archway leading into the keep when he started after her. She looked shaky and pale and whatever the rage was doing to him … he was worried for her.
“He … he shouldn’t have said that,” she said very quietly when he came up on her side and he eyed her with a momentary sense of surprise. “You didn’t have to … do that but … that wasn’t, it wasn’t right, I’m sorry.”
“Milady didn’t do anything wrong,” he assured her. There was a hoarse quality to his voice, the hint of a growl still prevalent but he watched her closely, narrowed his brows. She didn’t look at him, but she seemed content to let him walk her back to her chambers. The walk felt too short.
“Thank you,” she offered and her eyes brushed past his for the fraction of a second and then a moment longer. “You look pale,” she said and he almost wanted to laugh despite his lingering unease. It was an interesting comment coming from that ghostly young woman.
“I am fine, milady. I am honored by your concern, but I am perfectly well.”
She eyed him for another long moment and then nodded with a shy shrug before she vanished behind her heavy door. Her scent lingered in his nose as he slowly trotted back to his chambers.
Chapter Six
It was much later in the day and Moira was sitting at the largest desk in the library. It was covered with an intricate and stunning map of the realm pinned neatly
“Not a day passed that I didn’t think of you, Moira … ” his voice was low and sweet, his smile almost compelling this close.
If she were to marry him, maybe he would always be this nice to her, maybe she would get used to it? Maybe she would like it? She tried to return his smile. But then he lifted his hand and cupped her cheek and Moira tried to back away so hard she hit the back of her head against the tree. She coughed out an apology. Then she slipped out from between him and the obstacle behind her. She didn’t feel so good. Her chest was suddenly cold and hard again, and every breath she forced into her lungs hurt. She didn’t even look back.
Then, something closed around her wrist and pulled her back. She yanked at her arm but she couldn’t break away. And suddenly, Owain stood between her and her suitor. A moment later, she was free. She cupped her wrist in her hand and gasped for a few shallow breaths. She could maintain now, where a few years ago she would have run off crying that very moment. Now, she could steel her shoulders and look back at Deagan Fairester who was shooting a look at her guard before his eyes returned to her. His face took on an apologetic expression.
“Milady, are you quite all right?” he asked, advancing again. But when his hand reached out for her one more time, Owain stepped between them again. He was fast and just then, in her shifting alliances, he seemed safer than the human.
“I believe my Lady Moira isn’t feeling well, sir. I will escort her back inside,” Owain told him in a dangerously quiet voice.
“That’s quite a bark on you, dog,” the nobleman snorted. But when he tried to sidestep the Blaidyn, Owain blocked his path again with a dangerous growl. Sir Fairester jumped back. His face first registered fear, but then quickly turned to anger. Even Moira flinched at the sound and then stared at the usually so silent and unobtrusive man.
“You should keep that animal on a leash,” Sir Fairester spat and then stalked off in the opposite direction.
Owain stood there, actively suppressing the rage that fueled the wolf inside. He, like all young Blaidyn had learned to channel his rage into fight and he did it well, but when there was no one to fight, the rage had no other place to go than into the painful and prickling need to shift and the let the wolf run. Especially when he was this close to the full moon.
Moira had walked all the way back to the archway leading into the keep when he started after her. She looked shaky and pale and whatever the rage was doing to him … he was worried for her.
“He … he shouldn’t have said that,” she said very quietly when he came up on her side and he eyed her with a momentary sense of surprise. “You didn’t have to … do that but … that wasn’t, it wasn’t right, I’m sorry.”
“Milady didn’t do anything wrong,” he assured her. There was a hoarse quality to his voice, the hint of a growl still prevalent but he watched her closely, narrowed his brows. She didn’t look at him, but she seemed content to let him walk her back to her chambers. The walk felt too short.
“Thank you,” she offered and her eyes brushed past his for the fraction of a second and then a moment longer. “You look pale,” she said and he almost wanted to laugh despite his lingering unease. It was an interesting comment coming from that ghostly young woman.
“I am fine, milady. I am honored by your concern, but I am perfectly well.”
She eyed him for another long moment and then nodded with a shy shrug before she vanished behind her heavy door. Her scent lingered in his nose as he slowly trotted back to his chambers.
Chapter Six
It was much later in the day and Moira was sitting at the largest desk in the library. It was covered with an intricate and stunning map of the realm pinned neatly
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