Page 106 of Luthias

“Sit down.” Once he did she knelt down and pulled up the torn leg of his trews to inspect the slash, which was long but thankfully shallow enough not to need stitching. As she inspected the wound she closed her eyes for a moment, and then tried to sound normal as she asked, “How did you get hurt?”

“A tree we reckoned dead, ’twas rotted out, and fell too soon. The bark caught my leg.” He watched her pour the whiskey over the gash without reaction. “You’re a healer?”

“No, but I know that if you don’t clean wounds they get infected. Fester.” She gently blotted the cut before she tore a strip from the linen to use as a bandage. “Was anyone else hurt?”

“I shoved the other cutter out the way.” He took the bottle from her and raised it to his mouth.

“No drinking,” Emery scolded, taking it away from him.

Callen sighed. “You remind me of my màthair.”

“Good, so don’t make me smack you like she would for drinking during the day,” she said, setting the bottle out of his reach. “You need to keep this clean and dry until it heals, so change the bandage after you wash up for the day––and wash these pants, too.”

“Aye.” As she bandaged his leg he inspected her clothes. “Why dinnae you dress in skirts?”

“Have you seen the gowns these girls have to wear?” She rolled her eyes. “I won’t even mention how poor the fabric quality is. I might as well prance around in a great big potato sack belted with rope.”

He chuckled. “’Tis the only reason?”

“I never wore skirts or dresses as a kid. Too short.” Emery used some water to wash the blood from her hands. “Anything I saw at the store was always too long for me, and my dad was a disaster at hemming things. By the time I was in the third grade he gave up and let me dress like a boy.”

Callen frowned. “What of baubles?”

“Jewelry?” When he nodded she tugged out the gold chain from the collar of her leine to show him. “My dad gave me this right before he passed away.”

The woodcutter suddenly reached out and took hold of her right hand. “And this?”

“My mother gave it to me for my sixth birth—ah, naming day.” She rubbed her thumb over the thin gold ring on her pinky. It had been the last gift Olivia Parker had given her before she’d drowned. “I never thought about it, but my necklace and ring make me feel safe.”

“’Tis pretty.” He didn’t try to keep holding her hand. “I saw you riding back to the castle with the laird. You like him, dinnae you? When he names you his woman, he’ll give you his ring.”

“That’s not going to happen. I can’t stay here.” Saying it out loud made her heart ache, but it was the truth. “We’re just...friends.”

“’Tis more than that,” Callen said, studying her face. “’Tisnae a simple thing, to open your heart to someone. ’Tis as asking to be hurt.”

“Tell me about it.” Emery gave him a rueful look. “You’ve been there, haven’t you? What did you do about your first love?”

“Lost her to another, and cursed myself for a fool.” His expression darkened. “Love, ’tis sometimes madness.”

“It’ll be okay.” She bumped her shoulder against his. “You’ll find someone else. You’re a nice man.”

He uttered a surprised laugh. “How reckon you thus?”

“Despite your very bad behavior, I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt.” Emery pulled down the leg of his trews and stood. “You should go and rest. Also, if you’re going to fake an injury and blame a rotten tree, use a piece of wood to scrape yourself instead of a knife.”

Callen gave her the oddest look. “You ken what I did?”

“It’s not magic. I know the difference between an accidental gash and a deliberate knife wound. Also, your trews would be torn, not cut like that.” She went to finish unloading the cart, and when she carried the last of the supplies into the headman’s cottage she glanced through the window at the woodcutter. Although he’d been stupid enough to hurt himself to get out of work in order to do whatever mischief he was up to, she felt sorry for him.

You’ve already got enough on your plate with the laird and your mission. Don’t add Callen to the mix.

Emery gathered the empty food sacks the headman had left, but when she walked back out to say goodbye to the woodcutter, he was gone.

Luthias returned from talking to the herdsmen to find Darach and his men finishing the work of filling in the holes in the old Pritani burial mound. He dismounted and walked around the ancient grave to count the places where holes in the mound had been recently dug.

“We’ve sent for a druid to perform the burial rites again,” the chieftain told him as he handed off his shovel, and walked a short distance away with Luthias. “He used a cart this time, and from what’s left, ’twould seem he took all the long bones and skulls. If the demented bastart should do such, he’ll no’ stop here. We’ll want guards at the village and kirk graveyards.”

Luthias nodded, and then noticed Ameron and Kyal among those repairing the damage to the mound. “Why didnae you leave Emery’s guards back at the keepe?”