The next hour was a test of Caelen’s endurance. Weakened from his own injuries, fevered, and in a great deal of pain himself, he coaxed Rionna through every stitch that Ewan set. When her face went gray with pain, he kissed her and talked of their child. When she was near to passing out, he stroked her cheek and told her he loved her.

By the time Ewan was done with the last of it, Caelen was barely conscious himself.

Ewan stepped back from the bed and wiped his brow with the back of his arm. “ ’Tis done, Caelen. ’Tis in God’s hands now.”

Caelen didn’t respond.

“Caelen?”

Ewan bent over the bed to see that his brother had finally succumbed to unconsciousness. He glanced up at Alaric and Gannon.

“I’m worried for them both. They both have grievous wounds and have lost a lot of blood. But ’tis Caelen’s that went the longest without care and they’d already began to fester. He has a fever already.”

“What do we do?” Gannon asked quietly.

“We bear them back home and pray that God is merciful.”

CHAPTER 34

Chapter 35

Rionna woke, awash in pain. Her entire body felt stretched and tight as if her skin fit too snugly. Her lips were dry and cracked and she’d sell her soul for just a taste of water.

“Ah, there you are,” a sweet voice soothed.

“Oh God, I’ve died, haven’t I?” Rionna said in disgust.

There was a light chuckle. “Now why would you think that?”

“Because you have the voice of an angel.”

Rionna pried open one eye, never imagining it could hurt so much to do something so insignificant.

“Keeley,” she breathed. “You’re here.” Then she frowned because she wasn’t sure where here was. She looked around to see that she was in her old chamber at McDonald keep.

“Aye, I’m here. Would I be anywhere else when those I love are in need of my skills?”

Keeley eased onto the bed beside Rionna, holding a goblet of water. “Would you like a drink?”

“More than I want to breathe.”

Keeley laughed again. “Not dramatic, are you?”

Rionna sucked thirstily at the liquid, ignoring the pain that her movement caused. When she was done, she eased back down onto the pillow and closed her eyes to ward off the spasm of discomfort that gripped her.

“Why am I in here?” she asked. She didn’t want to read too much into why she wasn’t in Caelen’s chamber—the chamber they’d shared ever since Caelen had fetched her from this very room.

Keeley placed a cool hand on Rionna’s forehead and rubbed soothingly.

“I wanted you in a room with no windows. You burned with fever for so many days. The draft from the windows was too cold and yet I didn’t want a fire to keep you overwarm.”