Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 98745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Her husband interrupted her. “Finley has treated many battle wounds. He has good knowledge of how to treat wounds.”
“Battle wounds,” she emphasized.
“Arrow,” Noble snapped.
Leora stared at her husband as she finally realized the severity of the situation and in a whisper as if speaking to herself, she murmured, “Someone wants me dead.”
Why it had only now become real to her, she couldn’t say. Perhaps it was because the person had come so close to succeeding in killing her that she realized how dire the situation actually was. Instinct had her gripping her husband’s arm, and only then did she realize she was nestled in his arms. Her head rested in the crook of his arm and his other arm fell across her waist.
“You didn’t let me fall,” she said, somehow instinctively knowing he had caught her before she tumbled off her horse.
“He moved fast, he did,” Finley confirmed. “And shielded you with his body with more than one arrow nearly missing him.
Finley’s praise seemed to annoy Noble, and he ordered, “We cannot linger here. Make sure the men are ready to leave and find out if the culprit has been found yet.”
Finley stood. “A quick pace will not serve her well.”
“Neither will remaining in this area where more marksmen may linger,” Noble warned. “And find out why he was not spotted.”
Finley nodded and shouted orders as he walked away.
“Did duty have you catching me?” Leora asked, though that he caught her was all that mattered, and yet she had asked anyway.
“Instinct,” he said, which was true. Instinct played an important part in a warrior’s skills. It often saved a warrior’s life. What he didn’t tell her was how his heart felt as it slammed against his chest when he saw the arrow skim her brow and blood begin to pour from it. “I would prefer to camp and give you time to rest but that would not be wise.”
“I agree. The sooner we are on our way the better. Is there a stream nearby?”
“An hour or more away,” he said, the slower pace he planned on setting keeping them from reaching it sooner. But that depended on whether his wife could tolerate the ride or if they would have to stop sooner.
“Good,” Leora said. “The stream will provide an image for me to see the wound, then I can clean it and apply a clean cloth and a dab of honey as well, if Finley has any. Though anyone who treats wounds would have honey.” She tried to sit up.
“Stay as you are. There is time yet before we leave.”
She did not argue with him since her head spun when she struggled to sit up straight. She let herself relax in his arms, finding an unexpected comfort there.
“Noble,” she said softly as he adjusted the cloth around her head.
His eyes met hers and he saw the worry there. “Something troubles you.”
“I did not take the threat to my life seriously until…”
“Until you almost died today,” he finished when she was unable to.
“I think part of me thought the whole thing foolish or a mistake. It was difficult enough finding out that my mum and da were not my true parents, but then to discover that there was someone who wanted me dead while it is possible another person sent warriors to search for me seemed nonsense to me. And it still could be so since I could be the wrong woman they search for. Sky has similar hair coloring to mine if that is what they are going by to identify the woman. This could all be a colossal mistake.”
“The thing you must realize, Leora, is that the search is focused on you and your sisters. Word probably already circulates that it is not Elsie they search for so the mercenaries will turn their attention to you and Sky. To make sure the mission is a success, they will kill you both. Slayer will have thought the same and it is probably the reason he keeps your sister under his protection. No doubt whoever the woman is with a substantial price on her head is a threat to someone, while to another person the woman holds importance. This mystery must be solved if you and Sky are to remain safe.”
“Sir, he has been found,” Finley called out as he approached.
Leora caught the flare of fury that rose in her husband’s eyes upon hearing that and she feared it would not bode well for the man.
“I am going to leave you to rest beneath the branches of that tree,” Noble said with a nod toward a towering spruce. “While I go talk with this man.”
“I will go with you,” she said, latching onto his arm, making it clear she intended to do just that and explaining why. “He must see for himself that he failed. That I remain strong and suffered nothing more than a minor wound and that he will now suffer the consequences for his failure.”