Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97306 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97306 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
“It takes a man who loves his wife to restrain from coupling. A man who doesn’t put his own needs before his wife’s discomfort, a man who cares more for his wife than for himself. Seth refused to touch me when he learned how sore I was after our first coupling.” Dysa laughed. “Make that after we coupled twice more after we first coupled that night. When I finally healed, I had to chase after him and plead with him to make love with me, he was so concerned for my comfort. A good, decent husband is not easy to find. I am grateful I found Seth and I believe you will come to be just as grateful that you found Lord Varrick.”
A soft smile lit Fia’s face. “I already am.”
“Fia!”
Both women turned with a start to see Varrick standing by the corner of the keep, a scowl on his face.
“I believe that scowl is for himself, not you,” Dysa said with a chuckle and took her leave, bobbing her head respectfully as she walked past Varrick as he headed toward his wife.
“It was the way to get instant relief,” Fia said before her husband could say anything when he stopped in front of her.
He crouched down beside her. “You cannot spend the day in the snow, but I can have buckets of snow brought to our bedchamber if it will help you.”
That he even suggested it warmed Fia’s heart.
“I will let you know if that is necessary, but for now there is a salve I can use that will help with the soreness.” She hesitated to continue and say what was necessary when her husband did it for her.
“We will refrain from coupling until you heal.”
“It will not take long. One or two days at the most.”
“As long as it takes, wife. I will not have you suffer when it is meant to be enjoyed. Now come, let me get you inside before you freeze.”
“A few more minutes if you don’t mind,” she said, the discomfort almost gone.
Varrick stood and with his booted foot cleared an area of snow beside her, without disturbing where she nested, and sat.
Fia thought it the perfect time to discuss the thought that had come to her in the shelter. “What happened in the woods gave me pause to think, especially with the two men suggesting they knew who stalked the woods.”
“The God of Death,” Varrick said as if it had been settled.
“What if it isn’t? What if it is an evil man out to do an evil deed? What if those wild hounds are not wild but commanded by an evil man? What if it is someone who wishes evil upon you and is seeing it done?”
“Why not just battle with me?” he asked, having considered the same himself.
“He could be too fearful of losing to you in battle, and so he tries another way to destroy you to rob you of all you have, including your clan’s loyalty, their trust and respect for you.”
Varrick gave it thought. “But why?”
“Greed. Jealousy. Ignorance. Insanity. A slight you may have caused him. Truly, it could be any number of things that would make sense to him.”
“How do you explain the absence of the animals in the forest? Or the deep sleep of the trees that you felt? Or the deaths in the clan?”
“There is no stopping death nor is there any rhyme or reason to death. Animals instinctively avoid danger. They sense a storm’s approach and will wisely seek shelter before humans do. Trees also can sense when something is amiss and seek to protect themselves the best they can. Those vicious hounds could have sent the animals and birds scurrying for safety.”
“But why that particular area?”
“It is a far heavier wooded area than the forest that surrounds it, making it a good place to hide,” Fia suggested. “It is a thought you should consider and discuss with Argus and others. Given a different possibility of what may be causing the problem, will have others thinking and looking at it differently and possibly discovering not only the truth but a solution. I am sure many men you defeated in battle would not mind seeing you defeated.”
Varrick gave thought to her suggestion. It could very well prove to have some credence to it. And while he would have discussed it further with her, her sudden shiver told him… “You have spent enough time in the snow.”
“Aye,” she agreed, another shiver running through her.
Varrick hurried her to her feet.
“You will give it thought?” Fia asked as he slipped his arm behind her back and guided her to the keep.”
“Aye, wife, I will give it thought.”
CHAPTER 23
Varrick stretched his arm out and Sinead landed effortlessly on it. “Good flight, lass.”
Sinead squawked as if in agreement.
He had walked through the village just as dawn began to peak. It was the third day now since he had made sure to leave his bedchamber before his wife woke. It was only the second day home since their return when she had told me she was healed and they could resume making love. And that might have been so, but he wanted to be certain. An extra day or two wouldn’t hurt, but with how adamant his wife had been, he worried that one intimate touch and he would be…