Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
“You need to sleep,” he said.
“First, I need you,” she said with a smile that tempted.
Tarass stretched out of his chair and went to her, scooping her up in his arms. “That’s not going to happen tonight, wife. You need to rest.”
Snow laughed softly and nibbled at his neck before whispering playfully, “You’re not going to win this one, husband.”
And he didn’t.
Chapter 30
Snow woke and smiled, seeing the wood ceiling overhead. It was a bit blurry but she could make it out just as she could her surroundings, and it all was in color. Her gray, drab world was gone. Now she saw colors, wonderful, beautiful colors.
Her sight had continued to improve in the last three weeks, though she had continued to keep the news to herself. She worried it wouldn’t last and her sight would be lost to her again. Instead, her sight had continued to improve and if it improved no more than it had to this point, she’d still be grateful.
Her hand went to her queasy stomach and her smile grew. More time would confirm it, but she was pretty sure she was with child. She had thought it too early for any signs that she carried a bairn to show, then she recalled what her mum had told her one day.
I remember I knew right away you were growing inside me. I got a queasy stomach every morning as soon as my monthly bleeding was late. Then I would get hungry and want to eat and then the queasiness would return again.
Snow was glad her mum had spoken to her about it. She didn’t want her daughters to be ignorant about the way of things for women.
Their mum had taught them well.
Snow turned and snuggled her face against her husband’s pillow. He was usually there when she woke and the one who woke first usually stirred the other awake in an intimately, delightful fashion. This morning, however, Rannock had come for Tarass with an important message he’d been waiting for, and he had left.
All had been quiet since the incident with Lord Polwarth and Abbot Bennett. No other pools of blood had shown up or dead bodies. Runa had examined Cleric Norman’s body and there had been no signs of any injury. The assumption was that the snowstorm had caused him to wander off course and he froze to death. Tarass had a troop of his warriors return the body to the monastery.
While Snow was pleased the problems that had plagued them seemed to have settled, she continued to be concerned over the threat from the supposed creature. Was this lull on purpose? Did someone want Tarass to let his guard down?
Snow sat up and glanced around the room. She was completely alone, Thaw having gone with Tarass and it too early for Nettle to arrive. She recalled how Lord Polwarth had almost whisked her away so easily, but she needn’t worry about that happening again. Tarass had seen that the secret passage was made impassable. He’d also posted sentinels in the area where it was located in case there were others who knew of it.
She was safe in her home, safe with her husband around. She also felt safer with her sight having been almost fully restored. At least, she could see if any danger lurked nearby.
With her stomach settling, she knew what to expect next. She got hungry and couldn’t wait to eat, since she knew the queasiness could return at any time. She got out of bed with a spring to her step, her knee having healed nicely, and began to dress, her stomach grumbling.
Tarass sat with Rannock in his solar. The warriors he had sent to find out what news Finn had learned had finally returned. It hadn’t been easy but they had been successful in their mission, and the news had left him troubled.
Tarass had listened intently to the two warriors tell him what they had learned. It was a brief message.
A man with markings is on his way to you. He knows the truth about your parents’ deaths and he knows the one responsible. There is also one in your clan who knows the truth.
“Someone in the clan knows the truth,” Rannock said, repeating part of the news. “If only the man with the markings had made it here alive. This all would be solved.” Rannock shook his head. “How do you find out now about your parents’ deaths?”
“I find the one in the clan who knows the truth,” Tarass said. “The traitor among us. The one who poses as a dwarf and brings fright to the clan. Though, I doubt this person works alone.”
“How do we find this person? It’s not like anyone is going to step forward and admit it.”
“Unless forced to,” Tarass said.
Rannock went to question again, but stopped a moment his brow shooting up. “Well-placed rumors certainly can have people speaking up.”