Page 14 of The Fierce Highlander

Who was bleeding? What was going on? Was she caught in another nightmare? Nay, that was her husband’s voice she heard.Husband. Aye, she had a husband and he sounded worried.

“It is a head wound and minor at that. Head wounds always bleed a lot.”

“Finley,” she said, recognizing his voice.

“She knows my voice, a good sign,” Finley said, sounding pleased.

“Leora, open your eyes!” her husband demanded.

“Must you always command?” she asked, cringing from the pain that radiated in her head.

“Please open your eyes, wife,” Noble said and got a stunned look from Finley since please was not a word Noble spoke often, if at all.

She struggled to open them. “It is not easy with this vicious pain in my head.”

“The arrow caught the side of your head an—”

Her eyes shot open, and she cringed at the sudden pain that hit her again. “I was struck by an arrow? Am I bleeding?” Her hand rushed to her head.

Noble grabbed her wrist. “Leave it be. There is a cloth there to stop the bleeding.”

“Does it still bleed? Is the wound deep? Is the cloth clean? Is—”

Her husband interrupted her. “Finley has treated many battle wounds. He has good knowledge of how to treat wounds.”

“Battle wounds,” she emphasized.

“Arrow,” Noble snapped.

Leora stared at her husband as she finally realized the severity of the situation and in a whisper as if speaking to herself, she murmured, “Someone wants me dead.”

Why it had only now become real to her, she couldn’t say. Perhaps it was because the person had come so close to succeeding in killing her that she realized how dire the situation actually was. Instinct had her gripping her husband’s arm, and only then did she realize she was nestled in his arms. Her head rested in the crook of his arm and his other arm fell across her waist.

“You didn’t let me fall,” she said, somehow instinctively knowing he had caught her before she tumbled off her horse.

“He moved fast, he did,” Finley confirmed. “And shielded you with his body with more than one arrow nearly missing him.

Finley’s praise seemed to annoy Noble, and he ordered, “We cannot linger here. Make sure the men are ready to leave and find out if the culprit has been found yet.”

Finley stood. “A quick pace will not serve her well.”

“Neither will remaining in this area where more marksmen may linger,” Noble warned. “And find out why he was not spotted.”

Finley nodded and shouted orders as he walked away.

“Did duty have you catching me?” Leora asked, though that he caught her was all that mattered, and yet she had asked anyway.

“Instinct,” he said, which was true. Instinct played an important part in a warrior’s skills. It often saved a warrior’s life. What he didn’t tell her was how his heart felt as it slammed against his chest when he saw the arrow skim her brow and blood begin to pour from it. “I would prefer to camp and give you time to rest but that would not be wise.”

“I agree. The sooner we are on our way the better. Is there a stream nearby?”

“An hour or more away,” he said, the slower pace he planned on setting keeping them from reaching it sooner. But that depended on whether his wife could tolerate the ride or if they would have to stop sooner.

“Good,” Leora said. “The stream will provide an image for me to see the wound, then I can clean it and apply a clean cloth and a dab of honey as well, if Finley has any. Though anyone who treats wounds would have honey.” She tried to sit up.

“Stay as you are. There is time yet before we leave.”

She did not argue with him since her head spun when she struggled to sit up straight. She let herself relax in his arms, finding an unexpected comfort there.

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