Cree was annoyed with his wife’s stubbornness even if he did understand it. She was insisting she was fine and needed no tending, a bit of rest was all she needed. She even refused to sit and instead paced before the hearth.
“Auda, wait outside the door until I summon you,” Cree ordered, that got his wife to stop pacing.
He walked over to his wife once the door closed behind Auda. He did not reach out and take her in his arms, instead he folded his arms across his chest and glared at her. She did the same, though her glare far surpassed his which meant she was determined to have her way. Damn if the woman didn’t speak louder in her silence than one having a voice.
“I know you are angry at what fate Fia may face, but that is not for me to decide. Newlin rules here and his clan demands her punishment.”
Dawn’s hand moved quickly.
Cree shook his head. “We cannae take Fia home with us or release her on the way. Newlin and his clan would believe that Fia worked her evil on us to help her escape. Newlin must decide Fia’s fate to appease his clan. Besides, if anyone can alter Newlin’s decision it would be Lord Bhric now that he is wed to Tavia.” He saw a thought blossom in her eyes and shook his head again. “You will only get Tavia in trouble with her new husband if you suggest she asks him to override her da’s decision on this.”
The stubborn set of his wife’s chin warned him she had already made her decision and he went to her, easing her crossed arms apart and resting his hand on her rounded stomach. “I know you believe Fia is a good woman and trust her word, but I worry she might be otherwise. Let Auda tend you to ease my worry.”
Dawn nodded and realizing the worry she had caused him since before sunrise, she quickly gestured.
Cree took her hands in his, stopping her. “You do not need to apologize to me. You have done nothing that calls for an apology. You are who you are, Dawn, a good, kind, caring soul, and I love you for it. You help those who others ignore because you know the pain of how it feels to be different, judged, and too often condemned out of ignorance. I give you my word I will do what I can for Fia while we are here, but in the end Newlin will decide her fate.”
Dawn recalled Fia’s words about how she would meet her fate here. As much as she wanted to help the woman, she did not have the power to change fate. Exhaustion suddenly took hold of her, and she rested her head on her husband’s shoulder and relaxed against him as he eased his arms around her.
“Does your back pain you?” he asked, feeling the fight go out of his wife and thinking of ways to inflict more pain on the man who had hurt her.
She raised two fingers close together.
“A little?” he asked, and she nodded. “And what of your ankle, which I assumed you hurt on your rush down the stairs.”
She nodded and brought her two fingers closer together almost touching.
“Barely a pain?” he asked relieved when she nodded that it was a minor injury. “You will let Auda tend you now?” And again, he was relieved when she nodded and pleased as well for he knew she did this for him.
Cree remained in the room while Auda tended his wife, taking no chances that the healer may think the demon inflicted evil on Dawn and do something to harm her.
“It is not good to be near a witch or demon of any kind when you are with child. They love to steal a bairn’s soul and leave the poor bairn to be delivered dead,” Auda explained.
Her remark shot a fear through Cree for his unborn bairn and was relieved when his wife responded with a smile and moved her hand across her stomach rapidly.
“It is good the bairn remains active inside you. She did not have enough time to steal him from you,” Auda said, relieved.
Auda agreed with Dawn that a good rest would help with the pain as would a cloth soaked in a mixture of herbs if or when needed.
Cree tucked his wife beneath the blankets after Auda took her leave and was pleased to see her eyes already closing. “Beast remains here with you.”
The dog whined, his chin resting on the edge of the bed, having remained in the room by the hearth worried as much as Cree was for Dawn. His whining stopped when Dawn smiled at him.
“Dermid will be outside the door. You are safe, so sleep well,” Cree said and kissed his wife’s cheek, her eyes already closed.