Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 42873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
“Tate and Mum. I cannot find either one of them,” Cree said, doing his best to restrain his anger.
“They went to the woods to draw,” Kirk said, sending Cree an anxious glance.
Cree hurried his glance around the Great Hall.
“Beast went with Mum, Da,” Lizbeth said. “He will keep her safe.”
“That he will, Lizbeth,” Cree said, relieved to know the large dog was with her.
Valan stepped forward, his wooden sword gripped tight in his small hand. “I will go with you to find Mum.”
Cree realized how his angry shout and the scowl he no doubtingly wore had upset the children and he grew annoyed with himself for frightening them.
He reached down and scooped Valan up. “I appreciate your courage and would be glad to have you search with me, but your mum is not lost. I am impatient to see her, and I have some questions for Tate. Tomorrow morning you and I will spend some time on the practice field, and you can show me what you have learned.”
Valan’s small face lit with joy.
“If you do not mind, Tynan and I will join you and watch Valan demonstrate his skills,” Kirk said, and Tynan’s face grew wide with a smile as he nodded vigorously.
“Can they, Da?” Valan asked eagerly.
“Of course they can,” Cree agreed, thinking that he had not spent enough time with his children of late. He lowered Valan to his feet and spotted his daughter with her small arms plastered across her chest. “Do you want to join us tomorrow, Lizbeth?”
“If I did, I would only best Valan with a sword and then he would get upset.”
Valan laughed. “You do not even know how to hold a sword.”
“I do too,” she said, her pretty face flushing red with anger.
“Show me,” Valan said and stretched his wooden sword out to her.
“I don’t need to,” Lizbeth shot back.
“Enough!” Cree ordered and the two fell silent. “I go to speak with your mum. Behave for your grandda or there will be consequences to pay. Understood?”
Valan and Lizbeth nodded.
“Cree,” Kirk said, concern not only in his voice but his eyes as well.
“We will talk when I return with Dawn,” Cree said and Kirk nodded, a smile of relief on his face that he need not worry.
Cree stepped out of the keep and saw Sloan ready to rush up the stairs.
“Word reached me—”
Cree raised his hand to halt the man’s words. “My fault, Sloan. I came here instead of directly to the old keep.”
“As you should since this is your home now,” Sloan said.
“Aye, but I need to remember that you will not be as close by as always,” Cree said.
“I will be wherever you need me, my lord,” Sloan said with a respectful nod.
“I appreciate that, my friend, and since you were keeping an eye on Tate as ordered you would know that my wife went with him into the woods.”
“Along with two warriors.”
He should have known better then to worry about his wife’s safety. Ever since nearly losing her, he had made sure extra precautions were taken. Sloan would have made sure Dawn did not go into the woods alone.
“Show me where,” Cree said, and they hurried to their horses.
Though he knew his warriors and Beast would keep his wife safe, he was relieved to see her walking out of the woods, Beast to her one side and Tate to her other, and the two warriors behind them when he and Sloan reached the old keep. He dismounted and while he thought to hurry to her in haste and hug her tight, he did not have the chance. His wife was already hurrying to him and flung her arms around him to squeeze him tight.
He loved that after several years together, she still greeted him with the same loving enthusiasm she always did.
Dawn stepped back from her husband to gesture.
“Nay, William is not with me, but there is much to tell you,” Cree said and looked to Tate who remained a distance away. “Join us, Tate. I have news of William.”
Tate hurried forward. “He is well.”
“Aye, he is well and sends his regards,” Cree said, and Tate paled. “You have much to explain.”
Dawn looked from Cree to Tate questioningly.
“It is best we discuss this in private,” Cree said and looked to Sloan. “You will join us in your solar.”
“Aye, my lord,” Sloan said and led the way into the keep, issuing orders for drink to be brought to his solar.
Dawn halted a moment in the doorway of the solar, Sloan and Tate having preceded Cree and her in. She stared at the room once so familiar to her and felt tears tickle her eyes. It was no longer Cree’s solar. All the things that made it his were gone, replaced with items that spoke of Sloan. She wondered then over Cree’s solar in the new keep and her own, she had yet to put her own touch to.