Page 24 of Cree & Dawn and the Wolf

“I admire and respect how you protect your wife, for I would do the same for my wife. So, please let me know, or Olwen, if there is anything you need while you are here. I do want your stay with us to be as pleasant as possible.”

“I want to see my horse,” Cree said with his usual authoritative tone.

“The fog is quite heavy,” Lord Tiernan cautioned.

“And my stallion is no doubt anxious since I have not been to see him since shortly after we arrived here. He will think I deserted him.”

Lord Tiernan nodded and waved Olwen over. “Send for Sim.”

Olwen bobbed her head and left the Great Hall.

“Sim is probably in the kitchen with Tade, trying to sweet talk the cook into sharing some of the food she’s cooking even though Brigid probably already fed them both.”

A laughing screech had them turning to see a young lad racing into the room trying to avoid Sim’s arms that reached out to grab him but missed him. The light-haired little lad hurried to climb on the bench at the table where Dawn sat, and he snatched up a piece of meat from one of the platters.

“Tade, that is not polite,” Lord Tiernan scolded.

“Sorry,” Tade said and popped the meat into his mouth. He went to grab another piece when he spotted Cree and smiled. Then he saw Dawn and he hurried off the bench and around the table to climb up on the bench beside her. “I, Tade.”

Lord Tiernan went to explain to the lad that Dawn could not speak, but Cree shook his head at him, so Tiernan held his tongue.

Dawn smiled, tapped her closed lips, then shook her head.

Tade scrunched his face. “No tongue?”

Dawn kept her smile as she shook her head and stuck her tongue out.

Tade stuck his tongue out as well and scrunched his brow again. “Voice got lost?”

Dawn nodded, knowing it was the easiest explanation for him to understand.

Tade rested his hand on hers. “You be all right.”

Dawn’s smile widened as she nodded and tapped her chest.

Tade tapped his chest in return.

Cree noticed the cloth around the lad’s forearm and as soon as he did Sim snatched him up into his arms.

“You summoned me, Lord Tiernan,” Sim said, grabbing a piece of meat from the platter to give to the lad to keep him occupied.

“Lord Cree wishes to see his horse, please take him there.”

“Aye, my lord,” Sim said and turned to Cree. “Follow me.”

Cree cast a quick glance at his wife, a look in his eyes warning her to be there when he returned before he followed Sim out of the room.

To Dawn’s surprise, Lord Tiernan joined her at the table.

“I shall share a hot brew for a short while before duty calls.”

She smiled and nodded, and a servant hurried to fill a tankard for him and refill hers.

Dawn jumped, startled by a howl that sounded as if it could very well come from within the keep.

“Worry not,” Lord Tiernan assured her. “The wolves call their pack together. It is time for them to rest so they will be ready to hunt when night falls. Do you fear the wolves, Lady Dawn?”

Dawn nodded and tapped her temple and hoped he would understand her response.

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