Page 117 of First Light

“Cadell, she was poisoned.” Carys spread her arms. “Did you taste all her food? Could you have healed her when she got sick?”

“Perhaps. With a dragon at her side, no one would have dared attack her. And I might have been able to heal her. Dragon scales contain powerful magic.” He looked at the floor. “I would have shredded my skin to keep her alive.”

The pain in his voice was palpable. Carys ran to the giant man and threw her arms around his powerful shoulders. He stood motionless, but eventually he lifted an arm and wrapped it around her.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Carys said. “If there was anything I could do to bring her back, I would.”

I understand, Nêrys. I would not ask you to do the impossible.

“You were taking care of your children,” Carys whispered. “Seren knew that. She knew that, Cadell.”

“There are many who could have taken care of the children. Dragons raise all our young communally. We have a different concept of family.”

The clinical voice told Carys that Cadell was back to himself. “Good. You should tell me more when you take me to see a baby dragon.”

“Absolutely not.” He walked to the table and lifted the journal Carys had been keeping. “I think you can cross Eamer off your list. She was never suspicious to me, but it’s good to have confirmation.”

“Agreed.” Carys walked over and put anXafter the queen’s name. “Because even if she didn’t approve of Lachlan and Seren’s marriage, there is no way she would have killed Dafydd’s daughter. It’s not Eamer or Lachlan. That still leaves a lot of people who might have benefited from Seren’s death.”

Cadell read over her shoulder. “Why is Elanor on this list?”

“Because she was here, and she might have hated her daughter-in-law.” Carys shrugged. “It was a long shot. I was writing down anyone I could think of.”

“Elanor loved Seren like her own child. She raised her, and she has the same commitment to peace that Eamer has. You can cross her off.”

Carys narrowed her eyes. “But wouldn’t Seren’s deathkeepthe peace if it kept Lachlan on the Alban throne? If she and Lachlan had moved to Cymru and let Rory take the crown here, it might have caused problems.”

Cadell nodded. “Because everyone expected Lachlan to rule.” He stared at the journal. “And while Seren’s death might keep the peace in Alba, it has shifted the Cymric throne into disarray. Dafydd’s heir is gone, and there is no clear successor since Dafydd and Eamer were never given children.”

“Oh shit. I didn’t think about that.” Carys sat down. “So keeping the peace in one country means instability in another one.”

“I suspect neither Eamer nor Elanor would choose to keep peace by cultivating instability in a neighbor,” Cadell said. “Therefore I do not think either of them would have killed Seren.”

There was a loud knock on the door.

“Duncan is here,” Cadell said. “And he is brimming with ideas.” He walked to the door and opened it. “Whatever you’re thinking, it smells of fae.”

Duncan strode in. “How do you even…” He shook his head. “It does have to do with the fae, but it might be our only option to find Seren’s missing journal.”

Cadell came to attention. “Why?”

“Why do we need Seren’s last journal?” Carys frowned. “Cadell, obviously the one she was keeping right before she died is going to have the most information about who might have killed her.”

“She had no idea anyone was trying to kill her, otherwise she would have told me. You should not go anywhere near the fae.”

Duncan stood in front of Cadell. “I can protect her.”

“Clearly you can’t. You’re human and you don’t even have magic.”

“And you’re dragon, which means that I’m her only option because the moment we go on fae ground, she’s going to be invisible to you.”

“Which is why she must never set foot on fae ground.” There was a red glow at Cadell’s throat. “You are stupider than I thought you were.”

“She wants to find this journal? This fae can help her. She finds lost things.”

The red glow got brighter. “Which might soon include you when I drop you in the loch.”

“Okay, everyone, take a breath.” Carys jumped between the two giant men. “Cadell, I do need to find Seren’s journal.”