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“Why would Roan believe that?’
“Bliss has had success in healing where others have not.”
Tara nodded and left, wondering if Bliss had any luck with removing curses.
Hours later, the men returned, unsuccessful. They had no plans of stopping their search, they simply needed nourishment and warmth. Reeve had detoured to Tara’s cottage, and when he didn’t find her there, he went to the keep.
He downed a tankard of hot cider before going to look for her, assuming she was tending Trey, but Mercy was the only one there.
“Have you seen Tara?” he asked, entering and looking to see how his brother was doing. Trey appeared to sleep contentedly, and he was barely warm to the touch, a great relief to Reeve.
He realized that Mercy hadn’t answered and he glanced over at her and repeated the question. “Have you seen Tara?’
Duncan entered as he asked, and when Mercy again hesitated, he said, “Did you not hear Reeve?”
“I did,” she admitted with a nod. “But I fear he will not like hearing what I know.”
Reeve stood tall and alert. “Where is she?”
This time Mercy’s answer came quick. “She went to look for the children.”
Reeve was out the door so fast that the flames in the fireplace flickered as if a strong wind had brushed past them.
“Didn’t you try to stop her?” Duncan asked
Mercy smiled. “Do you truly believe you can stop a woman intent on a mission?”
Duncan hunched down in front of her and rested his large hand lovingly over her rounded stomach. “I couldn’t stop you.”
“Then you have your answer.”
Trey stirred then, and they both turned their attention to him.
They both were shocked when Trey’s eyes sprung open.
“It’s Duncan, Trey,” he said, grabbing hold of his flaying hand. “You’re safe.”
“De—”Trey choked trying to speak.
Mercy was quick to get him water, and he took it like a man dying of thirst.
Trey tried again, but Duncan warned against it. “Don’t speak. There’s time for that later. You need to save your strength.”
Trey groaned and closed his eyes, sleep once again claiming him.
Tara was lost, but at least she had found the children. They had been huddled against a towering pine in the opposite direction from where everyone had been searching. She didn’t know what had made her turn that way, but at the last moment she had the overpowering urge to do just that, and so she had followed the urging and found them.
Unfortunately, the snow had begun falling heavier again, and she had lost her way home. She had wrapped the scarf she wore around Alida’s head and then wrapped her shivering body in the blanket she had brought along. She carried Rand in her arms, her fur-lined cloak wrapped around them both. His little body shivered until her body heat and the warmth of the cloak finally penetrated his bone-aching chill, and he remained snuggled comfortably against her.
“There!” Alida shouted, pointing off to the right. “There’s the path.”
After what seemed like hours, though wasn’t, of senseless wandering, Tara tightened her hold on Alida’s hand, and said, “Homeward bound.”
Reeve was furious when night was near to falling, and they hadn’t found Tara or the children. They had no choice but to return to the keep. All he could think about was Tara and those children out in the freezing cold all night. They would be lucky to survive, and that had his heart beating wildly, his stomach clenching, and his anger mounting.
“They’re found. The children have been found.” Cries of joy rang in the air as Reeve and the men entered the village, and for a moment, he was relieved; that was until he realized no one had mentioned Tara.
He stomped up the steps to the keep and entered with a scowl on his face and an ache in his heart.
