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smothered the fire. He quickly mounted, and they followed the contingent of Pryderi soldiers up
the rocky incline, away from the shore.
* * * *
Neeve bit her lip. The jolting of the horse beneath her jarred every painfully sore muscle
in her body. If Asher and Joseph were as miserable as she was, they didn t give any indication.
Asher kept her snugly between the cradle of his thighs while both men scanned the soldiers and
the countryside.
She felt the tension in Asher s body. He wasn t any happier with their escort than she
was. The sooner she healed the rulers children, the sooner they could leave this place and the
better she d feel.
 Faster! the warrior who d first made contact with them bellowed. He galloped to the
rear of the party.  We ve wasted too much time searching for you. Our lords await the healer.
 The ship sank, Joseph began.  That can hardly be considered our 
 Ride faster.
Asher took a breath as if he would speak, but she laid a hand on his thigh.  Don t fight it.
The sooner we get there, the quicker we can leave.
And she d return to her home among the Hafan people, leaving Asher to his post in
Maelgwn. She closed her eyes against the pain that thought brought her. Leaving him the first
time had been heartrending. She wasn t sure she d survive it a second time. She swallowed past
the thick knot in her swollen throat.
Asher snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her to rest against his chest as his lips
brushed her ear.  I m worried about you. You re in no condition to heal anyone.
Truth be told, she was concerned that she might not be able to summon the power as
exhausted as she was, but what choice did she have?  I m fine, she lied.  Just a little tired.
 Close your eyes and rest as best you can. I ll make sure you don t fall.
She doubted it would do any good, but she lay back in his embrace and allowed her
eyelids to fall closed. The rhythmic sway of the horse was almost relaxing, lulling her into a near
hypnotic state. But the clatter of hooves on stone quickly drove away any sense of rest. The
sound grated against her ears, reminding her of what was at stake. The realization that all of her
carefully gathered supplies were ruined by seawater and likely lying at the bottom of the ocean
hit her. She hoped the keep had a fully stocked storeroom. And plants she recognized.
The party raced under the arch leading to the keep, heedless of the people traveling on
foot. The drawbridge had been lowered, and the horses sped across it, the clomping echoing
against the stone walls.
Several people paced anxiously in front of the heavy wooden doors that led through the
interior wall surrounding the keep. As the horses slowed to a halt, two huge men scanned the
riders before heading directly toward her. Worry tightened her belly into a knot.
 Stay on the horse, Asher murmured in her ear as he dismounted, blocking the men s
way.
The larger of the two men stepped forward.  This is the healer? he asked no one in
particular.
Before she or Asher could answer, a chorus of,  Yes, m lord, went up from the warriors
surrounding them.
Asher faced the man, meeting his gaze.  I would request some time for my mate to
recover before attempting to heal 
The other man shook his head, interrupting.  There is no time.
With a frown, Asher turned and lifted her from the horse s back as Joseph dismounted as
well. With both of her  mates flanking her, she followed the leaders through a warren of
brightly lit passageways into the heart of the keep and a dark, windowless room heavy with the
sour scent of sweat and sickness.
She turned to the man who d first approached them in the courtyard.  My supplies went
down with the ship. I ll do what I can now, but later, I ll need to check your storerooms for
anything useful. For now, I need fresh water both hot and cold, clean cloths and more light.
The man barked orders at the attendants in the room, and they scurried to do his bidding
as he knelt between the two pallets in the center of the room. Two little boys, maybe nine or ten,
lay pale and listless on sweat soaked sheets. He spoke to them in quiet, soothing tones. Her heart
ached at the anguish in his voice.
The second man from the courtyard turned to Neeve, blocking her view of the others.
 You have to save them.
Nervousness tightened her throat, but she forced herself to speak.  I ll do my best.
He nodded his head toward the other man.  Tyr has barely left their bedside.
Neeve studied the man before her. He looked just as exhausted as Tyr.  I ll do everything
I can.
 Thank you, he murmured.  I ll make sure you have everything you need.
Wishing she d at least had been able to wash, she tried to put aside her discomfort,
approached the children and began to examine them.  What can you tell me about their illness?
Tyr looked at her, his gaze worry-shadowed and weary.  They became ill around the time [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]