Screams and shouts were coming from the room when Tarass entered. He was shocked to see that Thaw had Runa on the ground, tearing at her arm, and dodging any attempts by her to stop him.

One command from Tarass and Thaw let go of her, but kept an attack stance, his teeth bared, growling at Runa.

Runa lay on the floor, holding her bleeding arm and crying.

“I don’t know what happened,” Willow said. “Thaw entered the room, sniffed the air, and charged at Runa.”

Tarass sniffed the air himself near Runa and cringed at a horrid stench.

“The putrid odor is from a salve Runa wanted to use on Snow and I refused to let her,” Willow said. “A stench as bad as that can’t be good.”

Tarass silently blessed Willow as he looked to his wife in bed. Her eyes were closed and her face so pale that she looked lifeless.

“Take her,” Tarass ordered and Rannock reached down and yanked Runa up by the arm.

“Let me tend her,” Willow said, stepping forward.

“No,” Slatter said, his arm shooting out to stop his wife from going to the woman. “She meant Snow harm.”

Nettle and Twilla gasped as Rannock all but dragged Runa out of the room.

Tarass walked around the bed to sit beside his wife and take her limp hand in his. He didn’t chase Thaw when he jumped on the bed and licked her face. He hoped she’d respond, but she didn’t, and he felt his heart shatter once again this day.

“You need to go, Tarass, I’m not done tending her,” Willow said gently.

He nodded but didn’t move. He brought his cheek to rest against hers and whispered near her ear. “I forbid you to leave me, ást, and this is one time you will obey me without question.” He kissed her cheek, reached for Thaw and scooped him up, and turned to Willow, standing beside him. “I know you will do all you can to save her.”

“I couldn’t save the bairn, but I won’t lose my sister,” Willow said, tears in her eyes.

Tarass hoped that would prove true and reluctantly stepped out of the room, Thaw tucked under his arm. As the door closed on him and the pup, his heart sank and Thaw whined.

He sunk to the floor, bracing his back against the wall to the right of the door. The pup lay curled up against him, whining as if understanding the severity of the situation.

He dropped his head back against the wall, hugging the pup. “It’s all right, Thaw. I ordered her not to leave us. She’ll obey me this time, since she loves us too much to leave us.”