Chapter Eleven

Nori held herself tightly together as the healer worked on her grandfather. Rory had come in moment ago, and the other woman had crossed silently to her side, worry etched on her face as she linked her fingers with Nori's. With Phillip's soldiers and the five warriors Gavin had sent with Nori, the room was beyond crowded.

"I've cleaned and sutured the wound," the healer said as she stood.

"He's okay?" Nori whispered, not wanting to awaken her grandfather who'd drifted off shortly after the older woman had arrived and given him a drink laced with something to help with the pain.

"I've done all I can. If he catches a fever or infection sets in…" The woman shook her head. "It's in the gods' hands now." She hefted the bowl of bloodied water and headed toward the door.

Nori didn't see who ushered out the woman. She moved closer to the bed, taking the chair the woman had vacated and leaning in to rest her head by her grandfather's.

"You saved my life," she whispered, knowing the arrow had been meant for her. If Gavin hadn't tugged her to him at that moment. If her grandfather hadn't turned when he did. It would be her lying there.

"We'll keep vigil on your king," Rory said behind her. Nori glanced back and saw her point at one of the men who'd helped carry Phillip above stairs. "You may stay. The rest of you will guard the door from the corridor."

None of them argued, not even to challenge the fact the five warriors from the Dread Lands were staying inside. They simply bowed to their unconscious king and filed out of the room, the last one tugging the door closed behind him.

"Don't think taking an arrow will save you from sharing more about my parents," Nori warned the too still figure before her. "There's so much I want to know. Things only you can tell me."

The door opened behind her, and she knew who was there before he even spoke. She felt it in the way her body relaxed as if his mere presence would make everything okay. Then he was at her side, lifting her to take her place in the chair then setting her on his lap. She wrapped around him, burying her face in his neck as she finally gave way to the tears she'd held inside. He spoke, but her sobs kept her from hearing what he said. All she knew was that he was there, holding her, protecting her. His arms were tight around her, fingers brushing through her hair as she cried until she felt empty.

"I don't want to lose him."

"I know," he said, not giving any false promises.

She forced her gaze up to his. "Was it Robert?"

He nodded, hand cupping her face. "He may not have fired the arrow, but he was definitely behind it. He'll never get the chance to touch you again."

"Once word spreads of what he's done to my grandfather, there will be nowhere he can hide," she vowed. She was sure even his father wouldn't try to hide him.

"Cris took a group of warriors and went after him. They'll bring him back here for justice."

She nodded at Gavin's words, throwing up a silent prayer for Cris and the others. Robert had proven beyond a doubt that he wasn't a man of honor. If Cris were hurt…

"He'll be fine," Gavin said, pulling her gaze back to him.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"Your worry is easy to read and unnecessary. Cris is no mere soldier. He's a warrior."

"Soldiers aren't weak," she argued. "My father was a knight, a soldier. Rory's father is a soldier."

"Mmm," he agreed noncommittally. "Luckily, you're both married to war kings and will be surrounded by warriors for the rest of your lives."

She shook her head then laid it against his chest again. They sat in silence for a long time, the sound of his heartbeat lulling her into a light sleep. She wasn't sure how long she had been out before the sound of someone calling her name tugged her awake. She glanced up at Gavin, but he nodded toward the bed. With her heart in her throat, she turned and found her grandfather's gaze on her.

"You're awake. How do you feel?" She shook her head at that question. He'd been shot with an arrow. Did she really expect him to say he was fine? "Do you want a drink? Are you in pain?" She was babbling and couldn't seem to stop.

"I'm fine." His voice lacked the strength it usually had, and once again, she found herself thinking he was no longer the larger-than-life figure he'd always played in her life, a man whose mere presence had everyone around him bowing and begging for the opportunity to serve him in any way he needed. She'd watched him with awed eyes as a child. Now, she saw the man behind the crown. The one he could be if he only allowed himself.

"York should be here soon," Gavin told him.

Phillip nodded. "Thank you. At least, he might not kill me if I'm already knocking on the door."

"No!" Nori cried. "You said you were fine."

"I am. Forgive my poor attempt at humor. You look tired, Nori. Why don't you go rest, now that you can see I'm alright. I'll rest better knowing you're taking care of yourself."

She wanted to argue, but Gavin agreed, lifting her to her feet and standing beside her.

"I'll be back." She leaned down and placed a kiss on her grandfather's cheek.

"I'll be here," he promised. "Rest well."

Gavin took her hand and led her from the room.

"See that a tub and water are brought to our room," he commanded the warriors in the hall.

"I don't need—"

"You have blood on your dress," Gavin interrupted. "We could both use a chance to clean up."

"What about Robert?"

"Con will let me know when Cris returns."

He opened the door to the room they were staying in and, with his palm against her back, guided her inside, leaving the door open. He led her to the chair before the fireplace and sat, pulling her back onto his lap. When he wrapped her tightly in his arms again, she realized he was doing it as much for himself as he was for her.

"I'm okay, Gavin."

He shuddered, dropping his head and breathing her in. She returned the embrace, and neither of them said another word until the tub was in place, steam rising from the water that had been added, and the door was closed, leaving them blessedly alone.

"Let's get you undressed," he whispered.

He made quick work of removing her clothes then his own, letting her know he planned to join her. She kept the silence until he was at her back, one palm covering her stomach while the other hand brushed through her hair.

"Gavin?" She sensed he was deep in thought and wondered what pulled him away from her.

"I'm not an easy man, Nori. They call us savages, and there are times when I am that and more."

She almost turned to face him but felt his hands tighten as if to halt her. She forced her body to relax against him instead. "I'm not afraid of you."

"I hope that's true," he whispered. "At some point, you're going to see the brute I am, but I need you to know, no matter what you witness, I will never hurt you."

"I know that," she promised. They sat in silence for a few moments before Gavin spoke again.

"My father wasn't a kind man, but he was a saint compared to the man he sent me to train under, Bolton. Bolton liked to play games," he began. "Theo was sent to him for training before me. I was quiet and skilled at hiding, which was no fun for our father, so Montrose didn't wait too long before sending his other bastard son for training. He was probably already thinking it would leave Rory unprotected, though I didn't realize it at the time."

She placed her hand over his on her belly, lacing their fingers together.

"Bolton took advantage of Theo's size, sending him into situations he didn't think he'd survive. Probably at our father's suggestion. The fact Theo always returned enraged him. He saw the way the others looked at Theo with a bit of hero worship. Still, he sent Theo out, again and again. That was his way of trying to break my brother."

"And you? How did he try to break you?" Nori forced the question out.

"He started sending me with Theo. I think he hoped I'd either die or be the cause of my brother dying."

The way Gavin said it sent a shiver over her, but he didn't seem to notice it this time. She wondered if that was all he'd share, but after another long moment, he continued.

"I kept returning with Theo. Battle after battle, we survived. I'd met Crispin and Conrad and maneuvered things until they were forced to join us along with several men my brother had formed a friendship with. All of them are still with us."

"When did you decide to leave Bolton and his training?" she asked.

"We were sent to join a battle on the border of the Dread Lands. It was a set up. One we weren't meant to walk away from. At that point, we'd had enough battles near or in the Dread Lands that we'd already spoken of leaving and seeing what we could build there. None of us were willing to allow the bastard who'd tortured us to live. We returned long enough to kill Bolton and any of the men who stood with him then burned his keep until only the charred skeleton remained. Jamie, Marcus, and Geoffrey were already trying to tame things along the border of the Dread Lands, but there was plenty of land left for others. We headed deeper into the Dread Lands and claimed some of it as our own. Theo met Miles and a group of warriors with him and ended up taking Miles as his second."

"Cris and Con stayed with you."

"They did. I refused to choose between them, so they both became my seconds. We helped Theo gain control of his lands then decided to forge farther. I made my home on the coast. It's beautiful, with white sandy beaches and water for as far as the eye can see. We had trouble with marauders trying to attack from the sea for a bit, but those have tapered off since I sent back the last ship with a crew of two and a warning."

"I can't wait to see our home," she murmured, glancing up at him.

"I need you to understand I won't bend when it comes to your protection," Gavin warned, gripping her hips and helping her turn until she straddled his thighs, facing him. "I won't compromise. I've killed to protect my people and the lands we've claimed. There's no limit to what I'll do when it comes to you."

She nodded, unsure what he wanted her to say.

"When Buckingham is brought in, he will die by my hand. I won't allow his actions, or those of any men who stand with him, to go unpunished."

"I know," she whispered.

"You won't ask me to spare him?"

"I'll never ask you to be anything less than the War King you are," she vowed. "I trust you." She leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.

"I'll never make you regret that," he swore then took her mouth again. She felt his hardness against her and rose to her knees in preparation to sheath him. He stopped her, though, gripping her hips and lifting her as he stood. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck, as he stepped from the wooden tub and took her to the bed.

"I need you," he whispered as he bore her down, sliding easily between her thighs and thrusting deep.

"Yes!" she agreed, rising to meet each thrust, running her fingers and tongue over every inch of him she could reach. His mouth slid across hers, teeth tugging at her bottom lip before nipping bites scattered across her jaw as he moved to her ear.

"You make me feel alive," he whispered. "I may never be worthy of a queen like you, but I promise I'll spend every moment of the rest of our lives striving to."

"You're the man I never knew I needed," she fired back. "The man I'm falling in love with."

With a groan, he took her mouth again, his lovemaking desperate as if he needed her like he needed air to breathe. She understood. She needed him with the same ferocity. They crested the tide together, flew, and when she crashed back down, he was there, wrapping her in his arms, holding her tightly with an unspoken promise that he'd never let her go.