Page 16 of Cree & Dawn and the Wolf

Cree turned, annoyed that he had not heard Lord Tiernan enter the room. He was usually alert to all sounds around him, but then his only thought was for his wife and her well-being.

“I truly appreciate your generous hospitality,” Cree said.

“I would do nothing less for a man as well respected as you are, Lord Cree. Olwen, move Lord Cree and Lady Dawn to a more comfortable bedchamber and see that Lady Dawn is provided with a hot brew.”

“Aye, my lord,” Olwen said.

“Go with Olwen, and Lynall will bring you the salve you need,” Lord Tiernan said, his eyes steady on Cree.

“Again, my appreciation for your generous hospitality, Lord Tiernan. I am in your debt,” Cree said, and with a firm arm around Dawn, he followed Olwen out of the room.

Cree made sure to recall the way to the room from the Great Hall. He kept his arm around his wife when they entered their new bedchamber, a fire heating the large room, and the blankets pulled back on the sizeable bed, ready for Dawn to have a rest. But she leaned her body against him, preventing him from going anywhere and he took it as a sign that she didn’t want to rest just yet. So, he kept hold of her as Olwen pointed out jugs of wine and ale, logs to keep the fire burning and extra blankets stored in the chest at the foot of the bed since the nights got cold this far up in the Highlands this time of the year.

“What’s wrong?” Cree asked as soon as the door closed behind Olwen. He was suspicious as to why the housekeeper had talked continually until the hot brew arrived, leaving no room for conversation, and then she made a hasty exit.

Dawn shrugged and gestured.

“You don’t know, yet you are sure something is not right here,” Cree said to make sure he understood her correctly, and she nodded. “I feel the same, though I cannot say why.”

She laid her head on her husband’s chest, though she was unable to stop worrying. That she didn’t upset her since she always found solace in Cree’s strong arms. His embrace never failed to comfort, protect, reassure, and she needed all of that right now. Her wound had waned more of her strength than she cared to admit not only to herself but especially to her husband.

“It may sound strange, but I get the feeling that wolves rule here more than humans,” Cree said, skeptical of his own thought.

Dawn bobbed her head rapidly then cringed.

“You cannot bob your head like that, it does your wound no good,” Cree scolded, hating to see her in pain.

Dawn sighed, frustrated, and gestured as she stepped away from him.

“I want to go home as well, but your wound and the fog prohibit our departure.” He could not help but say, “I have rarely seen you this agitated.”

Dawn gestured again.

“You are uneasy here.”

She nodded and continued to gesture.

“Secrets? You think secrets lurk here?”

She gestured again.

“Dangerous secrets,” Cree said to confirm what his wife meant.

Dawn nodded slowly and drifted back into her husband’s arms.

Cree hugged her close. “I will let nothing happen to you.”

Dawn turned worried eyes on him and tapped his chest.

“Worry not about me,” he said, and she raised her brow. “All right, so we both worry about each other, but there is not much we can do about it right now. We are stuck here for two, possibly three days.”

Dawn held up two fingers.

Cree saw the stubbornness in her eyes. She would stay no more than two days, but if the fog didn’t cooperate, they would have no choice but to remain there. He didn’t argue with her. The only thing he could do was take one day at a time and get them out of there as soon as it proved possible.

Dawn fell asleep shortly after finishing the hot brew and he worried that the healer had put something in the drink to have her sleep. He wasn’t sure if he was pleased with that or not. Though he knew Dawn wouldn’t be. But perhaps the healer thought it best that she rested.

Cree pulled the blanket up to cover her shoulders and left the room to explore the keep and see what he could find. He did not know how long she would sleep, but he was sure about one thing, he did not want her to wake and find herself alone. So, he would hurry and make himself familiar with the keep then return to Dawn.

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