Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 91636 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91636 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
He felt as if he were kicked in the chest, she shoved him away from her with such force. He stumbled briefly reaffirming his footing quickly and immediately grew concerned when he saw her wince in pain, her hand grabbing her shoulder.
“What is wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said. “Everything,” she yelled, and hurried to her horse.
He followed. “You are hurt.”
“Leave me alone.” She swung herself up on her mare and the pain ripped threw her shoulder, stealing her breath and blurring her vision.
“Fiona,” Tarr said with worry.
She stared at him, and in the next second toppled off her horse in a dead faint.
Tarr caught her in his arms and tried to revive her. When she would not wake, he placed her on his horse, holding her steady as he mounted behind her. He called her mare over, grabbed her wool cloak off the saddle, and draped it around her.
He looked to Fiona’s mare and, assuming she must have been trained to follow, simply said, “Let’s go, lassie.”
He took off and the mare kept pace.
He entered the village with a roll of thunder and a rush of gray clouds overhead. His men and Raynor’s men were quick to give a hand, and he was soon entering the keep.
Raynor rushed forward.
“She is hurt,” Tarr said, and mounted the stairs quickly, Fiona appearing no burden in his arms.
She moaned as if in dire pain.
“I take you to your sister,” Tarr said, and turned down the corridor to see Aliss leaving her room.
Her eyes widened in fright and she rushed forward. “What happened?”
“I am not sure,” he said. “She was fine one minute and then the next she appeared in pain, then fainted.”
“Get her in bed,” Aliss ordered, hurrying ahead of him to open the door. She tossed the bed covering back for him to lie her down.
Tarr was as gentle as possible, but Fiona yelped with pain as he placed her on the soft bedding.
Fiona finally opened her eyes, seeing Tarr’s face first. “Go away.”
“What pains you?” Aliss asked, drawing her sister’s attention.
“My shoulder.”
Aliss nodded and slipped the brown shirt off her shoulder.
Tarr winced at her drooping shoulder. “Some of my warriors have suffered such an injury.”
“What do you do?” Aliss asked.
“My mother taught me how to move the shoulder back in place.”
“Then you have done it before?”
“Aye, but it is terribly painful. The strongest of my men faint from the hurt,” Tarr said, concerned for Fiona’s fate.
“Good, then you can adjust her shoulder.”
“You do it,” Fiona snapped, and regretted her slight movement.
“Tarr is stronger than I, which means he will be faster and it will be less painful for you.”
“I do not care,” Fiona said.
“I do,” Tarr and Aliss said in unison.
Raynor stepped forward. “Tell me what to do and I shall do it.”
“No!” Again Tarr and Aliss spoke simultaneously.
“It is my choice,” Fiona insisted.
“Not this time,” Tarr said, and stepped forward.
Fiona glared at him.
“I mean you no pain,” he said, apologizing for the suffering he was about to inflict on her.
“Worry not, I can withstand the pain.”
Tarr took a deep breath and as his hands reached for Fiona’s shoulder, her eyes followed him. He met her defiant eyes with a sense of relief. This was one time she would benefit from her obstinate nature.
After examining her shoulder gently he asked, “Ready?”
“Be done with it,” she urged.
He obliged, and with a sudden quick snap her shoulder was in place.
Fiona gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before springing them open. She glared at him with fury.
“With my tolerance for pain I should birth sons for you without difficulty. Now get out of my sight. I hate you!”
Chapter 23
“You drive the poor man insane,” Aliss said, ladling them each a bowl of cabbage soup from the iron pot in the hearth before joining her sister at the small table in their bedchamber.
“You take his side now?” Fiona accused, and eagerly lifted the bowl to taste the potent smelling soup.
“Careful it is hot and your question deserves no answer.”
The steam drifted over Fiona’s face as she placed the bowl on the table for the soup to cool. “He cares for me. Cares! What about love?”
“Perhaps he expressed his feelings the best he could.”
“There you go defending him again.” Fiona grimaced at the ache in her shoulder.
“Your shoulder will mend fast enough, but I can’t say the same for your unbending heart.”
“You are my sister, you should be agreeing with me.”
“I will not agree to foolishness,” Aliss insisted. “I see how Tarr looks at you and I also see his confusion. His life has been devoted to his clan. His choice in a wife was with his clan in mind. Enter a crazy woman who turns his world and his heart upside down, and you have a man who is completely lost.”
“I am not crazy.” Fiona’s voice faltered almost as if she questioned herself. It was followed by a lazy yawn.