Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 92771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“Are you sure he said nothing of where he was going?” Nug asked.
“Nay. He just kept repeating those words to me and I am glad he did, or I may never have remembered them, my pain was so bad.” He cringed, a pain striking him and reminding him he had yet to fully heal.
“Caleb needs to rest,” Shade said, seeing the pain he still suffered. “You can speak with him again tomorrow.”
Ula hurried to the bed, urging Nug out of the chair and when he got up and moved away, she hurried to sit and take her husband’s hand. “Sleep some, so you continue to heal,” she urged, and his eyes closed at her command. She sent Shade a worried glance.
Shade was quick to reassure her. “He still has much healing to do, and rest is what he needs right now. It takes effort to speak, so too much talk will not help him.” She looked from Nug to her husband. “Once a day and not for long periods. Once he grows stronger, we can change that.”
“If that is all Ryland conveyed to him, then we have all we need,” Nug said, “though I will visit him the time you allotted me in case he recalls more. Besides, we want the clan to continue to believe that Chieftain Ryland is recovering nicely and my daily visits to his bedchamber will confirm that.”
Shade placed her hand on Ula’s shoulder as Nug and Quint walked to the door. “I will leave you alone with your husband. Make sure he gets the brew and eats, and you may talk but keep his talk brief.”
“I will do whatever you say, Shade. You saved his life.”
“He still has healing to do,” Shade said, aware that Caleb was not sufficiently healed so that death could no longer claim him.
“I understand, but he does well and that is what matters,” Ula said.
As soon as Shade closed the door to the bedchamber, Nug said, “He is so pale, and you can see the pain he suffers. Will he survive?”
“I have seen worse wounded men survive. I learned that in the end, fate decides,” Shade said.
Nug hurried down the stairs ahead of them while Quint pulled Shade into a gentle hug.
“You need to take your own advice and rest some or you will be of no help to anyone,” he said and nibbled at her neck.
She scrunched her shoulders at the desirous sensation his nibbling sent through her body. “A nap would be refreshing but I believe you would follow me, and I would leave our bedchamber more tired than when I entered it.”
He brushed his lips faintly across hers. “On that you would be right.”
“The thought is enticing, but I must go check on Liam and a few other warriors who require my attention. But later tonight—”
“You are all mine,” he said.
“Do you think there may be a secret message within the message Chieftain Ryland gave Caleb?” Shade asked, waiting until they stepped outside the keep so no one would hear her.
“I suppose it is possible, but we need to remember that Caleb was in tremendous pain at the time. He could have gotten the message wrong.”
“But he repeated the message over and over so that Caleb would recall it correctly. Surely, Chieftain Ryland wanted Caleb to recall it word for word, leaving one to think there was something of importance included in the message.”
“You make a wise point. I will speak to Nug about it,” Quint said suddenly curious himself, wondering if Nug knew the message contained a message and said nothing.
Shouts and a scream had Quint warning his wife, “You will not rush to help anyone, and you will remain behind me.”
She waved him ahead of her. “Hurry! Be off. I will follow.”
Quint shook his head, knowing she might think that but if someone needed healing, she would rush right ahead to give aid. But it wasn’t his wife he needed to worry about. As soon as they stepped outside, he saw a man who had good girth to him dangling a young lass who could be no more than five years in front of him, anger twisted his face while a storm raged in his blue eyes.
A woman, who appeared worn to the bone she was so thin, was helping another lass who appeared to be of at least eight years get to her feet and both were begging the girthy man to let the little lass go. The little lass herself appeared terrified and tears ran down her cheeks as she looked to her mum for help.
Two men stood nearby laughing. None were from Clan MacLeish, except for Heath who Nug was supporting. His face was bruised, and he favored his one side. He obviously had taken a beating, which meant the woman and two young lasses were Rufus’s wife and daughters who Heath had been sent to collect.