Relief filled her heart when she turned her head and spotted Tarass. He was a distance away and she worried she didn’t have the strength to reach him.
“You can do this, Snow. You can do this,” she heard her mum’s voice encourage in her head.
She struggled to her feet and felt a warm liquid run down her leg. She didn’t want to think about what it meant. She had to get to Tarass as fast as possible.
Her first step brought such bad cramps that she had to force herself to push through the pain to take another step, then another, thinking only of one thing, reaching her husband.
Tarass watched puzzled as his wife headed toward him. She approached him without the slightest hesitation that she was going in the wrong direction. It took a few moments watching her, seeing that she didn’t deviate her course, and there’d be only one reason for that.
She could see. Snow could see.
He was overjoyed at the thought, but his heart broke and his anger flared when he saw the trail of blood that followed behind her. She was losing the bairn and possibly her life. He had to get her home to Willow.
Snow kept silent, fearful if she said a word, she’d feel an arrow strike her back and never make it to her husband. She kept going and as she got closer, she saw her husband’s whole face for the first time and a spark of joy filled her heart. At least if she died, it would be her husband’s face she last looked upon.
Tarass kept his eyes on her and smiled, and he was pleased to see her return his smile. It confirmed that she could see him.
I love you, she mouthed.
Her words struck him like a sharp arrow to his heart. She was telling him she loved him because she thought she was dying. He wouldn’t let her die. They might lose the bairn, but he damn well wouldn’t lose her.
She was only halfway to him, but he couldn’t wait any longer. He sped toward her, yelling, “Get down.”
He was on top of her, covering her with his body right after she hit the ground, and an arrow narrowly missed his head. “Stay down,” he ordered and turned to see Conall charging him, his sword raised and Fasta ready with another arrow to shoot at Snow as soon as he stood to battle Conall. But how did he battle the man without a weapon and protect this wife at the same time?
He stood, ready to do whatever he could to protect his wife and bairn, die for her or die with her.
Thaw came from out of nowhere behind Fasta, sailing through the air, launching himself at her and catching her by the throat. She barely got out a yell before the pup’s sharp teeth sank into her flesh and blood squirted everywhere.
Conall ran at the pup.
“Tarass!” He turned and saw Slatter running toward him, raising the sword in his hand to toss to Tarass.
Tarass ran and grabbed it, and before turning to face Conall, yelled, “Get Snow to Willow! She’s bleeding!”
Slatter didn’t hesitate, he scooped Snow up, held her close to his chest, and took off running.
Thaw didn’t stop tearing at Fasta until Conall was almost on top of him. His mouth was covered with blood as he ran away, leaving Fasta lying lifeless, the blood continuing to drain in a pool around her.
Conall let out a roar and seeing his daughter dead, turned, and charged at Tarass. He took only a few steps when a sharp bite to his calf had him tumbling down on the snow.
Tarass blessed the pup. It gave him enough time to reach Conall before he could stand, he having only made it to his one knee. Their swords clashed and Thaw went in for a quick bite, his teeth sinking into Conall’s backside.
Conall screamed and fell to his side, moving, though not fast enough, as Tarass’s sword came down and sliced part of his arm. He let out another scream as he scrambled to his feet, but Tarass was on him before he could steady himself, his sword catching his arm again, rendering it useless.
It wasn’t Conall’s sword arm that was damaged, and he didn’t hesitate to swing his sword, though not with his usual strength. Tarass deflected it easily. Conall stumbled, losing his footing and Tarass didn’t wait, he drove his sword through the man’s stomach.
Conall glared at him in disbelief and when Tarass pulled his sword out, Conall fell backward to the snow-covered ground. Blood began to stain the snow around him and began to gather around his mouth.
He coughed and gurgled, and to Tarass’s surprise smiled.
He choked out his last few words. “I won. She’ll die. I made sure of it.”
Anger had Tarass driving the sword through him again, then he took off with Thaw fast on his heels as he left a pool of blood gathering around Conall.