He couldn’t stand there and do nothing but watch her bleed. “Tell me what to do to help until Lendra gets here.”
“I’ll need water and clean cloths, and if you could tear away my sleeve before the blood sticks the material to the wound that would be helpful.”
He shouted orders to the servants, their faces pale as they stared at Tavish on the floor, and they hurried to do as he ordered and leave the horror of what had happened behind.
“Soon there will be nothing left of these garments,” she said, trying to make light of the situation and ease her husband’s scowl.
“You’ll have new garments when we arrive home,” he said as he gently eased the bloody sleeve away from the wound and began to tear it away. “You can stitch more if you like. Clan MacBridan produces some fine wool cloth.”
“I would enjoy doing that,” she said, his tender ministration reminding her of how Saber had been, but this was Odran and his touch was the same as Saber’s—tender and loving.
Odran tossed the bloody sleeve in the fire, the flames devouring it quickly, then he turned a serious scowl on her. “Never again, wife.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, confused.
“Never again will you put yourself in danger to protect me,” he ordered fiercely.
Her smile came unbidden. She couldn’t help it or the words that rushed from her lips. “You can’t stop instinct, but mostly you can’t stop love from doing what it will.”
His wife deflated the anger right out of him and that she acknowledged her love swelled his heart with pure joy. He rested his brow to hers. “I cannot lose you. I love you far too much to live without you.” He shook his head. “I cannot fathom such a thing. Life was unbearable until you came along. Your love filled a void deep within me and I never want to feel that empty again.” He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gently.
She welcomed his kiss, her own fear of losing him when she saw the dagger ready to strike him had had her reacting without thought to herself. She loved him—Saber or Odran—it didn’t matter, she loved the man and nothing would change that.
“My lord.”
Odran ended the kiss, resting his brow to hers once again for a brief moment before turning to Finch, staring down at Tavish.
“Bring some men and get this cleaned up,” Odran ordered.
“Aye, sir.” Finch nodded and took off.
Elysia took a clean cloth as soon as a stack was deposited on the table along with a bucket of warm water and was about to dunk it into the water when her husband snatched it from her and set to work gently cleaning the blood from around the wound.
“What do you think Tavish meant by another righteous one will come?” Elysia asked.
Odran was glad to see for himself that his wife was right. The blood soaking her sleeve made the wound appear far worse than it actually was. It probably wouldn’t even leave a scar by the time she got done healing it.
He raised his head to look at her as he responded to her question. “Some believe the curse has affected more than the three clans. Some believe that it is the reason for anything that goes wrong in the area, even the recent battle.”
“I thought the battle was over a land dispute.”
“A couple of months back some crofts that sat on the farthest outskirts of Clan MacBridan land suffered fires and illnesses. Many believed the curse was spreading and feared it would reach the church that several clans had built on Clan MacBridan land. They wanted to save the church from the curse. They insisted my father surrender a good portion of the land around the church. Naturally, he refused to part with what was rightfully his and the other clans retaliated.”
Elysia scrunched her brow. “How would Tavish be involved with that?”
“The very same question I asked myself.”
Lendra entered then, hurrying over to Elysia, though stopping briefly when she spotted Tavish’s body, her eyes wide, but she asked no questions. “My lady, are you all right?”
“Aye, Lendra, I am good. A minor wound. I need you to get me some yarrow ointment from the cottage, then help me tend the wound,” Elysia said.
“Aye, my lady,” Lendra said and went to turn away.
“Also, Lendra, please gather your belongings. You’ll be going with me to Clan MacBridan.”
Lendra smiled. “I am pleased to serve you, Lady Elysia. Will we still be leaving today with you wounded?”
Odran answered before Elysia could. “You will be informed when a decision is made.”
“Aye, my lord,” Lendra said with a bob and rushed out of the keep.
Warriors entered the room along with Finch, and Tavish was removed and the blood cleaned away in no time.
“All has been made ready to leave, my lord,” Finch said. “We await your word.”