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)
She was about to thank him when a warrior raced up behind Tarr, her wide eyes warning him just in time, and another warrior fell.
The thick muscles tensed in his sweaty and blood-covered chest as he reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Get yourself to a safe place.”
“I am in a safe place, beside you,” she said, and pressed her cheek to his before returning to battle.
The night wore on with torches one right after the other igniting thatched rooftops, and the clash of steel echoing in the darkness. Fiona’s skin turned to gooseflesh when she saw her sister along with other women creep onto the battlefield and drag the wounded to safety.
Victory was close, the last of the barbarians running off knowing defeat was imminent, when suddenly a large warrior wearing a wolf’s headdress that near covered his entire face emerged from the darkness on a mare as white as freshly fallen snow and, with arrow in hand, plunged it into Tarr.
Fiona was too far away to help or to see how badly he was wounded, but she let loose with a bloodcurdling scream and advanced on the retreating warrior. Neither she nor Tarr’s men could catch the half wolf, half man, and he was swallowed by the darkness that had spit him out.
Fiona was rushing to his side while her eyes frantically searched for her sister; Aliss was approaching. Fiona made it there first and pushed the men gathered around their chieftain out of her way.
Fiona dropped to the ground beside him. The arrow had gone straight through his arm several inches above his elbow. It would take tremendous strength to deliver such a powerful blow with a single hand.
His men already argued about who would pull the arrow out while Tarr shouted orders to secure the boundaries of the village.
Fiona silenced all when she shouted, “Quiet.” Then she methodically issued clear orders on what the men were to do. They quickly obeyed once their chieftain nodded his approval.
Aliss kneeled beside Tarr.
“It cannot be removed yet,” Fiona said calmly.
Aliss agreed with a nod after a quick assessment. “We must examine the possible damage before anything is done.”
Fiona looked to Kirk who had returned after seeing that the men had begun carrying out her orders. “Get him to his bedchamber.”
“I can walk,” Tarr insisted, then directed his question to Kirk. “How many lost and wounded?”
“Surprisingly we suffered no losses, but we did suffer many injures. Thanks to—” Kirk looked from one twin to the other—“thanks to one of them, the wounded were removed quickly from the battlefield and their injures attended to. Many are doing well with very few having suffered severely.”
Tarr looked from one twin to the other. “Will I lose any of my men?”
“I think not,” one answered.
“And me?” Tarr asked.
Fiona answered. “I will not let you die.” With that she and Aliss helped him to sit up, then assisted him to stand. The twins supported him with their shoulders, and slowly they walked him to the keep as he attempted to speak with Kirk, who followed along.
“Quiet,” Fiona yelled. “You must save your strength.”
Erin, Kirk’s wife, ran out of the keep as they were about to enter. She rambled on about one of the men who had begun to bleed badly. Aliss slipped out from under Tarr and Kirk took her place.
Once in the room, Tarr refused to seek his bed; he insisted on a chair. He grabbed Kirk’s arm. “Bring Raynor to me now.”
Fiona examined his wound. “There is little blood,” she said with worry.
He stared at her; her vibrant green eyes anxious, her touch uncertain, and fear straining her lovely face. She cared what happened to him and that thought struck his heart like a mighty blow. It made him want to reach out and comfort her, assuage her concern and kiss her until each melted into the other’s arms.
He mentally shook the nonsense from his head. What was the matter with him? His clan had just suffered a fierce attack and he thought of kissing and making love with this woman.
He was not supposed to feel or want her. She was simply to be his wife and the mother of his children. But did he want more? His duty was to his clan and he could not allow love to interfere with that duty.
“Work your magic,” he said gruffly. “The clan speaks of your healing talent; use it.” He purposely challenged her. Why? So that he would know who cared for him?
He was denied an answer when Aliss rushed into the room and hurried to her sister’s side. Suddenly he could not tell one from the other as they shifted positions and worked almost as one.
The sisters consulted in whispers and he grew annoyed.
“What do you discuss?” he snapped.
“The best way to remove the arrow so there would be little or no damage to your arm,” Aliss said.