Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Daemon made consoling sounds and patted my back as I emptied my stomach. When I finished, he asked to carry me, but the ability to agree escaped me. Regardless, I found myself in his arms. He carried me to the well as if I weighed nothing.
"I'm afraid this is going to be cold, Lamb, but it can't be helped. The vomiting is worrisome." He emptied an entire bucket over my head. Then another and another. Gradually, I felt some of my sense returning.
"Enough," I said. "I will drown at this rate."
Shivering, I wrapped my arms around myself as he ran his fingers through my hair to feel my scalp. I winced when he found the tender spot.
"There's the culprit," he said softly. "Stay here. I'll be right back." He ran toward the cottage and returned a few breaths later with one of my blankets.
"If I hold this up, would you trust me enough to remove the shift? I'll wrap you in the blanket without looking. You'll warm faster without it."
I nodded and lifted my hand to tug the neckline loose.
"Wait," Daemon said. He tucked the blanket under his arm and took one of my hands in his. I saw the blood through the wrap.
"Brandle is not going to be pleased."
"Then don't tell him."
Daemon looked up at me with a small smile. "We tell each other everything, Kellen. Always. For our safety. Let's unwrap it and reapply the honey first. He left it out, not wanting to chance that your hands might pain you while he's gone."
Daemon left me again for the honey. While he was inside, Garron returned. The moment he spotted me, his steps slowed. I shivered and slowly sank to a crouch under his watchful gaze.
"You need to teach your brothers that caution," I said.
He looked down for a moment then quickly closed the distance between us and gently tugged me to my feet.
"You are freezing. Why are you wet?"
"I vomited from the blow to my head. The cold water helped rouse me and settled my stomach. Daemon is getting honey for my hands."
I lifted them to show the bloody wraps.
"Brandle is not going to be pleased."
"Yes, so I've heard. Be sure to tell him it wasn't my idea to be abused yet again."
"I've ensured the tracker won't return for you to suffer a third time."
Garron began unwrapping my hands. He didn't meet my gaze. Not once. So I stopped watching him and focused on his hands. The knuckles were cracked and bleeding, proof of his methods to ensure the tracker left.
"It appears you need some attention too."
Garron's head jerked up. Our gazes locked briefly. He looked shocked.
"Brandle didn't say the honey was only for me, did he? I vow I have no intention of being hurt further. Each time delays when I might finally leave this place."
He dropped his gaze back to my hands.
"The tracker was staying not far from here, using a fire to keep the creatures at bay and a torch to approach our glade. Such a thing won't work for long. Perhaps it's why the beasts are lingering." He tossed aside the first wrap. "I find it peculiar you still wish to leave after learning the tracker waited for you. I believe he had no intention of leaving without you and that you know why."
"I have my suspicions, but I dare not speak them. Regardless, his presence doesn't change my desire to reunite with my sister."
He nodded and tossed the other wrap aside just as Daemon rounded the cottage.
"My poor lamb, look at you shiver," Daemon said. "Garron, hold this blanket while I help her undress."
Garron went to cuff him, but Daemon dodged with a laugh.
"I jest, brother. I'll hold the blanket, and you help her with the tie of her shift. We both know you won't look."
"And you would?" I asked.
"I've been looking since I soaked your shift, Lamb." He lifted the blanket high as my eyes rounded, and I looked down at myself. I could see every detail. My nipples. My belly button. My nether hair.
Heat flooded my cheeks as I looked at Garron. He had his head turned to the side.
"Do you need my assistance?" he asked.
I realized he truly hadn't been looking at anything but my hands or face the entire time.
"I do," I said. "If you could untie the neckline then close your eyes and help me lift it off. I'm too cold, and my fingers refuse to move."
He nodded and did as I asked. Once the shift was off, he turned around and ducked behind the blanket.
"She's ready," I heard him say softly.
"Come, Lamb," Daemon said, wrapping the blanket around me. It pinned my arms, which I didn't care for, but then he lifted me and sat on the edge of the well with me on his lap. He rubbed my arms through the blanket, attempting to warm me.
"Her feet, Garron," he said. "Check for cuts."
I realized I'd lost both boots at some point, and my feet were so cold I barely felt Garron's touch.
"It's a shame I was the one to hold the blanket, or it would be me washing your feet now," Daemon said softly. "Garron's too shy to look at your pretty ankles."
"Stop attempting to provoke her, Daemon," Garron warned.
Daemon chuckled and held me tighter.
"But Edmund's temper heats him so well."
"It would not benefit you to see me angry," I said.
Daemon hummed a non-answer.
"Her feet are clean and dry. Let me fetch a spare pair of stockings."
"Wait," Daemon said, standing. "Hold her for a moment."
I found myself in Garron's arms as Daemon strode away from us.
"Stay by the well," he called over his shoulder.
"Trouble," I said under my breath.
"Undoubtedly," Garron said, staring after his brother.
I studied Garron's face. He had a scrape on his jaw, which would make shaving uncomfortable. And the corner of his eye was red. It would likely bruise tomorrow. But not a bit of strain showed in his expression.
"Am I not heavy?"
He shook his head, not looking at me. Another hard shiver rocked through me, and I felt his arms tighten around me.
"I'm sorry I stumbled upon your glade. While it saved me, my presence has brought discord and hardship."
"I will not help you leave. So do not ask."
"I won't," I said. "Yet."
Tired and cold, I let my head rest on his broad shoulder.
"Where you see hardship, Kellen, we see hope. And any discord you've noted was there before you appeared. Daemon chooses to sleep rather than acknowledge our reality. Edmund believes his anger will protect him. Eadric purposely overlooks life's hardships and many other things. Darian embraced our fates early on and sees nothing wrong with any of it. Brandle worries for us all, which stifles Liam as the youngest. And I keep my thoughts to myself too often."
"Except now."
He smiled slightly.
"Except now," he said in agreement.
Daemon came jogging around the side of the cottage.
"Everything is ready. I'll take her."
Garron's hold on me tightened briefly before Daemon reached us. Daemon grinned at me as he took me back from his brother.
"Worry not, Lamb. You'll be warm faster in two shakes of your beautiful tail."
His head jerked forward, and I looked over his shoulder at Garron, who was scowling at him.
"You hit each other a lot," I said.
Garron's gaze shifted briefly to me, and a flush slowly tinted his cheeks.
"It's a love tap, nothing more," Daemon said, reclaiming my attention.
We rounded the side of the cottage, and I saw a mattress piled with blankets on top of the table. The nearby fire danced with flames as high as my knees.
It would have been smarter to use the hearth inside, but I was too cold to argue.
Daemon carried me to the table and waited for Garron to pick up the blankets. Rather than place me on the mattress, he stepped up onto the bench and lay down with me, arranging me so I lay facing him.
"Cover us up, Garron," he said, pulling me close so I was pressed against his chest. "And put a few stones by our feet as soon as they're warm."
"No." I stared into Daemon's eyes.
He grinned at me. "Ah, my little lamb, I wish this were for indecent purposes."
Garron pivoted and flicked Daemon's ear.
Daemon chuckled as Garron clarified, "This is the quickest way we know to warm you."
Another shiver racked through me, and I closed my eyes.
"None of that," Daemon said. "Keep looking at me. If you sleep, how will you know your virtue is safe?"
"Garron will keep it safe," I mumbled.
"Not if you close your eyes," Garron said.
Frowning, I opened them to watch Garron. He stood near the fire, staring down at the flames.
"You don't mean that," I said.
"Can you be sure? Stay awake, Lamb," Daemon said.
"Why Lamb?"
His grin widened. "You're rather adorable and obviously need our care. Just like a little lamb."
Daemon was odd. All the brothers were. And I found I didn't mind it. Or them. They were all so beautiful to look at. I found myself staring at Daemon's twinkling eyes and smiling mouth and quickly looked away.
Garron bent down near the fire, disappearing from sight for a moment before standing with a bundle of cloth.
"The stones are hot," he said.
He tucked the bundle under the blankets near our feet. Daemon's hand found my arm trapped under the blanket, and he began to rub it briskly.
"How does your head feel?" he asked.
"It doesn't ache yet."
"And your stomach."
"Settled. For now."
"The water helped then. I don't like the blue tint to your lips, though. Tell me if your head or your stomach begins to ache as you warm."
It took a bit of snuggling against Daemon and several stone changes before the shivers stopped. As I warmed, it became harder to keep my eyes open. I yawned and moved a little closer to Daemon's warmth, which I could finally feel. The hand on my arm moved to wrap around my waist and press me against him.
Without thought, I tried to hold him in return. However, the blanket still trapped me.
"Ah, Lamb, it's better if you do not," Daemon said, understanding my intention. "Garron is watching us closely and will remove me from my place at even a hint of impropriety. And without that blanket separating us, our positions would become very improper."
"Garron said you were the tired one," I mumbled, letting my eyes close. "Stop speaking and go to sleep, Daemon."
He and Garron both chuckled. Neither told me I needed to open my eyes again, so I kept them closed and let myself sleep.
I couldn't be sure how long I stayed like that, warm and safely wrapped in his arms, but it was long enough that my growling stomach and a slight headache woke me. When I opened my eyes, Daemon was gone, and I had a clear view of the pot simmering over the fire. Brandle paused stirring it and looked over at me.
"Stew and biscuits," he said. "Are you hungry?"
"A little. My head aches." I lifted my hand to touch my temple where it hurt the most, but he moved quickly to catch my hand.
"You have a large lump there. It would be best not to touch it."
I nodded and started to sit up. He slid an arm around my back to help me. His hand touched bare skin, and I hesitated only briefly before sitting up and tugging the blanket higher around my shoulders.
"I've laid out your shift inside," he said. "Can you walk on your own?"
"Yes." Holding the blanket to me, I swung my legs over the side of the table. Plain slippers waited for my stockinged feet.
"Garron said you had a few small cuts on your feet," Brandle said, bending to slide the slippers on one foot first, then the other. "We found your boots, but between the cuts and your palms, slippers will be easier for you to put on for now. If your feet hurt, tell me. When you're finished, I'll put more honey on your hands."
I nodded, stood, and carefully made my way to the cottage while ignoring the rest, who watched.
Inside, my shift waited on the chair. It was dry and smelled faintly of wood smoke, which I didn't mind. It wasn't hard to ease it over my head. I didn't bother with the tie at my neck, though.
Covered and alone, I tentatively touched the lump on my head and thought of the man who'd tried to take me twice now.
Brandle and the others would have questions. Of that, I was certain. But what could I say? I refused to lie as Maeve had done to us. Yet, what truth could I tell without implicating her?
A knock sounded at the door.
"Are you well, Lamb?" Daemon asked.
"I'm well enough," I said. "You can open the door."
They were all waiting just beyond the threshold.
"Who in the hell is that man, and why is he determined to take you?" Edmund demanded.
"I would prefer you not hit each other," I said before Brandle could cuff him for swearing. "I understand how much it can hurt."
Garron reached out and flicked Edmund's ear, and a small smile tugged at my lips.
"This amuses you?" Edmund demanded, rubbing his ear.
"Very little does of late, but yes, seeing you get your ear flicked for uttering a simple curse did bring me a moment of humor.
"You want answers I cannot truthfully give," I said, looking at Edmund. "However, I suspect someone hired the tracker to return me home." My gaze swept over them all, taking in their bruises and scrapes. "I'm sorry I cannot go with him. I know my presence here continues to bring you all hardships."
"We don't wish for you to leave with him," Brandle said. "We've witnessed his treatment of you. Your family should have had more care in choosing the man they sent after you."
"Do you believe a man of good standing virtue would have been willing to enter the forest for coin?" I asked. "I will take more care and stay close to the cottage and whoever remains with me until my hands are healed and I am able to leave."
Garron and Eadric glanced at Brandle.
"Yes, avoiding the edge of the clearing would be wise," he said. "Garron removed the tracker's remaining supplies as well. We hope he'll not remain much longer."
"Thank you," I said to Garron.
"Come," Brandle said. "The stew is ready."
I thought it odd that was the end of their questioning and glanced at Edmund. He watched me with a frown. Darian, who stood beside him, slung his arm around Edmund's shoulders.
"You looked quite comfortable sleeping on the table," Darian said. "Perhaps you'd like to sleep there again tonight."
Edmund only scowled harder and elbowed Darian in the side.
Eadric stepped forward, blocking my view of the pair, and offered his arm. His good cheer had me accepting his escort with a small smile.
"Do the slippers fit?" he asked.
"They do. Where did you find them?"
"In Turre."
Three sets of hands whacked the back of his head. I stopped walking and scowled at the others.
"I already know you are able to go there. Why else do you believe I asked for your help?" I caught Eadric's face between my bandaged hands as he rubbed the back of his head. He stilled and stared at me.
"I cherish your honesty, but you cannot speak every truth that springs into your mind, Eadric. It's dangerous, and I know you're not that thoughtless."
His gaze held mine.
"I'll trade you," he said.
"Trade? For what?"
"One useful thing for a kiss."
Had it been any of the others, I would have retreated into the cottage. However, the glint in Eadric's eyes wasn't lecherous. It was mischievous.
"And why do you want a kiss?"
His smile bloomed brighter than any summer blossom.
"Winning your kiss before any of the rest will prove I'm not as simple as they believe."
"You are clever indeed." I leaned in and brushed my lips against his cheek. "Payment for confirming what I already guessed." I switched to the other cheek and kissed that one as well. "And advance payment for feeding me my dinner."
Eadric smirked as he guided me to the table under his brothers' watchful scowls. To my amusement, he made soft cooing noises as he fed me and wiped the corner of my mouth with his thumb often. I felt cared for and loved in a way that I hadn't felt in a long while. And I liked it.
"You eat like a baby sparrow," he said. "I don't ever want to stop feeding you."
"If you don't, I will surely burst," I said with a laugh.
Everyone at the table stopped eating to stare at me, and I cleared my throat to cover my slip.
"Excuse me." I rose and moved to leave the table.
"Sit, Kellen," Brandle said. "It will be inconvenient to chase after you to apply the honey."
How could such a simple phrase make me bristle? It wasn't the words but the man who delivered them , I acknowledged to myself. Brandle-the-worrier provoked me more than Edmund but for an entirely different reason. It was the way he watched me with knowing patience.
I moved toward the fire and sat on the short stool near it. The heat from the embers warmed me, and I felt my skin prickle. A moment later, a blanket wrapped around my shoulders, and I looked up at Liam.
"If you fall ill on top of your existing injuries, Brandle will never let you out of his sight again," Liam said. He slipped his hand under my hair to pull it free of the blanket, and his fingers caressed the back of my neck in the process. I shivered and faced the fire again.
"How long will it take my hands to heal?" I asked without looking at any of them.
"Seven days," Brandle said.
Seven days of their focused attention? I would never last.
"I am a danger to you all," I said. "Edmund saw me for what I was the moment I entered this glade. Don't become complacent. You have already been hurt due to me."
"And what are you?" Edmund asked, standing menacingly.
"Trouble," I said.
He snorted. From the corner of my eye, I saw Garron grab Edmund's shoulder and force him to sit again.
"You don't need to fear us," Brandle said.
"I've already told you. I don't fear you, Brandle. I fear for you."
"Liar," he said without malice as he stood. He crouched beside me and set the honey pot on the ground. "Give me your hand."
I hesitated, and the damn man saw it because he chuckled and said, "You have nothing to fear from me, Kitten."
"Kitten?" I echoed, not believing he'd referred to me so.
"You only accept affection on your terms, and you tear things apart when you're unhappy with your circumstance. Do you disagree?"
I turned my head toward the flames again. "Just apply the damn honey, Brandle."
Darian hooted with laughter, and a few of his brothers joined him as Brandle picked up the pot and started applying the mixture to my extended hand. His fingers trailed over my skin as he bound my palms. I knew he was purposely trying to provoke me, so I ignored him and focused on counting embers.
When he finished the second hand, he caught me off guard by kissing my fingertips.
My gaze flew to his.
"We haven't been hurt because of you," he said. "And caring for you isn't a hardship. Before you came, we had very little to look forward to each day."
I tugged my hand free and stood. He remained where he was as I entered the cottage and closed the door on them all.
Silently cursing my damaged hands and the events that brought me to this glade, I paced the small space and struggled to quell the emotions threatening to emerge.
"You will not feel," I whispered to myself. "Think of Eloise. Think of Mother and Father and of home. You are stronger than this."
When I pivoted, I saw Edmund watching me through the far window. I stopped moving and stared at him. He, more than the rest, understood what I wanted to feel. The rage. The frustration. The all-consuming need for revenge.
I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. I dropped my shoulders, releasing the tension in them.
Lifting a finger, I traced between my brows and smoothed away all visual traces of my upset. He watched me through it all and tilted his head as he studied my outward calm.
Then he walked away.