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“I’ll lift her up to you. No, darling, don’t try to stand yet.” Sedric picked her up in his arms. “I’ll stay here until the salting’s done so none go near the ash.”
Before he set her on the stallion in front of Keegan, Sedric kissed her. “You’re in fine hands now, not to worry a bit about it.”
“Bollocks.”
“We’re right behind you,” Marg promised, and mounted Igraine.
“I’ve got you.”
Merlin took off at a gallop, and the movement made her stomach pitch and roll.
“I thought you’d sent it.”
“So you said, and a fine idea that would’ve been.”
“Then I knew. He was going to kill Bollocks, just to hurt me.”
“I’d wager that’d be harder than he thinks. The dog’s a champion.”
Her head, so heavy, lolled back. “It said it saw with Odran’s eyes, spoke with his mouth. And it did.”
“Strong magicks, strong enough for that, and for the sword to slice.”
“What happened? What happened? I heard—” Marco ran hands over Breen’s face when Keegan pulled up. “I didn’t know where to find her.”
“Take her now, brother. She’s hurt, but already healing. Take her inside, and Marg and Aisling will see to the rest.”
“Okay, all right. It’s all good now, baby, Marco’s here.”
“Bring her in, lay her down.” At the door of the farmhouse, Aisling snapped out orders. “Lay her down on the divan, Marco, and take the baby.”
As she shoved the whimpering Kelly into Marco’s hands, she pulled pins out of her pocket to bundle up the tail of her hair.
“He’s fussing, walk him around, jiggle him. He wants his supper, and he’ll have to wait a bit. We’ll get that jacket off, and the sweater as well, and see what’s what, won’t we?
“Keegan, the potion, the blue bottle, the squat one with the yellow topper. Seven drops in two fingers of whiskey.”
“I don’t like whiskey.”
“You’ll drink it, like or no. Here’s Marg. You’ll get the potion, won’t you, so Keegan doesn’t muck it up.”
“I wouldn’t muck it up.”
“Be useful and hold her hand while I see to this. Ah, the flaming bastard. Marco, would you step out for just a moment, and tell those boys I said stay outside if they know what’s good for them.”
“I wish I could snap out orders like you.” Breen gave Aisling a vague smile, then closed her eyes. “General Hannigan.”
She took Breen’s other hand. “Outnumbered by men, you learn. Keegan, fetch a candle.”
“Do I hold her hand or fetch a candle?”
“Do both! And Breen, you’ll look at the candle, at the flame. Look at the light. This will hurt a bit.”
“It already hurts.”
“A bit more. Now look at the candle, the light. Into the light, see it. Feel it. Be it. Into the light where it’s warm. It soothes, the warm does.”
She felt the pain as Aisling worked, but distantly, like a dream pain. She heard her grandmother’s voice join Aisling’s, both as soothing as the candle flame. Easy, quiet, and she drifted on them.
