Dawn’s silent scream could not be heard, but her husband’s vicious roar was heard as well as a ferocious bark. So was the fearful cry of the man who had hit Dawn when he was flung into the air and thrown against the stone wall not once but three times until his body lay limp.
“Dawn?” Cree asked, fear in his voice as he bent beside his wife, his arm going gently around her waist, avoiding where the stick had torn the back of her garment. Beast sat at her opposite side, his nose going to her back to sniff and whine.
Dawn lifted her head, nodding to let him know she was all right, a sting to her back and barely an ache to her ankle.
“Lord Cree,” Newlin said as if just finding his voice after the shock of what had happened.
“Not a word, Newlin!” Cree warned with a fierce growl, wanting to strangle the man for not stopping his wife from being hurt. “Dermid, hurry and get the healer.” When he saw that his wife reached for the blanket, he swiped it up. And when she latched onto his arm to help hoist herself to her feet, his arm around her waist easily did it for her.
Dawn hurried to drape the blanket over Fia, the woman gratefully tucking it around herself as she moved painfully to sit up. Her dark hair fell like a hood around her face as she bent her head. Dawn could only imagine the pain she suffered. The one blow she had received had been painful enough with her garments protecting her, without them… she shuddered at the thought.
Footfalls rushed down the stairs, Auda in the lead, Tavia, Flora, and Dermid behind her.
“My wife,” Cree said to Auda.
Dawn shook her head and pointed to Fia.
“First you and then she can tend the prisoner,” Cree said.
Auda shook her head. “I will not tend the demon.”
Her words shocked Dawn. What kind of healer refuses to help someone who suffers?
“Please bring Lady Dawn to her bedchamber, Lord Cree, and I will tend her there. It is not good for her to be down here. And Newlin have Byford brought to my cottage and I will tend him after I see to Lady Dawn,” Auda instructed. “The demon can tend to her own wounds.”
Fury ripped through Dawn along with a pain that would have had her collapsing if it was not for her husband. He actually held her tight and eased her slowly to sit on the ground.
Fear raced through him when he saw how badly she paled and pressed her hand against her stomach.
“The bairn?” he asked with a fright that tore through him.
Dawn could not gesture too busy trying to deal with the pain that robbed her of her breath.
“Slow breath, my lady,” Fia said, and her hand slipped from beneath the blanket to splay across Dawn’s stomach. “Slow,” she advised again, her voice soft and soothing.
“Don’t let her steal the bairn,” Auda called out frantically.
Fia removed her hand, before Cree could push it away. She bravely kept her eyes on Cree. “The bairn became agitated from the commotion and kicked your wife hard. Both are fine, though she should rest and see to having her back and ankle tended.”
“Please, my lord, hurry and get her away from the demon,” Auda urged.
“I am no demon. I mean harm to none,” she whispered to Cree and shrunk back away from the couple.
Cree scooped his wife up gently in his arms and seeing her worry for Fia, whispered, “I will see she is not harmed again.”
Dawn rested her head on his shoulder relief turning her taut body limp, trusting her husband would see it done.
“Dermid take the man to the healer’s cottage, and I care not how much pain he suffers while getting there. NEWLIN!”
Newlin jumped in fright.
“Torture the prisoner again and you will suffer what she suffers—ten times worse,” Cree all but growled at the man. “See if anyone will tend the prisoner’s wounds.”
“I will do it,” Tavia said.
“You will not!” Newlin ordered. “I will not have her work her evil on you again.”
Flora shook her head, walked around everyone, and entered Fia’s cell. “Send what I need, Tavia.”
Her cousin nodded and took the stairs as fast as her limp would allow her.
“Torin will not like what you do,” Newlin said.
“Then do not tell him,” Flora said and bent down beside Fia.
“Newlin help Dermid get that man out of the cell and do not return here until I give permission for you to do so,” Cree ordered.
“She is my prisoner,” Newlin protested.
“And you can do with her as you will after I take my leave,” Cree said, and his wife turned a pleading look on him that he had no choice but to ignore as he climbed the stairs with her in his arms, though he did have something to say to her. “You have a lot to answer for, wife, least of all how you frightened the life out of me.”