Page 59 of Duncan

Only silence answered him.

FOR HOURS NICOLE stood at the battlements of the watch tower looking for any sign of the hybrids approaching the island. The laird had put plenty of watchers on duty to do the same, but she had grown too restless to stay inside. Thinking about Duncan only made her more unsettled. She also knew that doom was headed their way; doom that she was supposed to avert.

How can I stop an army of shifters, another army of hybrids, their mindless spawn, and the enchantress who killed my aunt?” All I can really do is heal.

The sun would soon set. If any or all of the clan’s enemies waited until nightfall to attack the island again, the watchers would have trouble seeing them, although she doubted Derdrui and the Cait Sith would stage a direct attack on the stronghold. It would be wiser to infiltrate the island and kill the clan’s vassals so they could take their places. Then when they came to work in the morning the guards would let them walk right into the stronghold.

Everyone here is going to die eventually, even the immortals.

“See anything else slithering out of the water and sprouting arms and legs?” Caroline came to stand beside her, and offered her the jug she was carrying.

“Not yet.” She didn’t bother to sniff the open jug but took a healthy swallow from it before she handed it back. “Nice. Wine?”

“Maybe. The ferryman makes it, and he can’t answer questions.” The diver set the jug on the edge of the wall before she regarded her. “Too tired to work in the infirmary?”

“There are no more wounded that need healing. The laird sent home the vassals that wanted to be with their families to prepare for the funerals.” Her anger with Duncan after the scene in the great hall had also left her emotionally drained. “I’m back to being useless again.”

“You don’t have to be.” Caroline removed a small sack from her pocket and tucked it into her hand. “I found this washed ashore on my islet, but I need to go check on Val, and see if she was able to read that shifter’s mind. Take it to the infirmary for me?”

Before Nicole could think of an excuse the diver left her literally holding the bag. From the bulge in the hemp cloth she could tell it was another orb, which meant it was a forest bomb or an imp egg. Since both were bad news she couldn’t toss it over the tower wall or bury it somewhere. The only place it would be safe was inside Duncan’s cabinet of Fae curiosities.

“I’ll just give it to him and leave,” she muttered as she went back down stairs and made her way to the infirmary. If he wasn’t there, she’d call one of the guards to wait with the object until Duncan returned.

Inside the dimly-lit chamber, the hearth had burned so low it had been reduced to a few feeble embers. Stretched out on the pallet in the corner lay Duncan, his long limbs shivering under the woolen blanket he’d wrapped himself in. Nicole set the orb on the closest table and rushed over to him. But as she reached out to him, he opened his eyes and caught her wrist with a gloved hand.

“I’m no’ ill,” he said, rasping out the words.

“I need to teach you how to lie better.” She climbed onto the pallet, wrapping her arms around him as he stiffened. “The other healer is here, just relax and tell me who you treated.” As the spasms started in her belly she caught her breath. “Uh-oh. That pregnant girl who works in the kitchen had her baby?”

“Aye, Jamma’s the màthair of twins.” As his tremors slowly stopped and hers began he took the blanket and wrapped it around her. “The delivery, ’twas swift.”

Nicole gritted her teeth as the contractions he’d transferred to her grew more intense before they abruptly faded. “Thank heaven for small favors. I am so glad you can’t get me pregnant.”

“Now you lie,” he chided as he pulled her into his arms and rubbed his hands over her shivering back. “You’d make a gentle and kindly màthair, much as your own, I reckon.”

“I don’t know if my mother was anything like that.” As the last, wrenching contraction tore through her she blinked away the tears of pain. “She returned to Elphyne when I was just a toddler. Because most people thought she’d run off with another man or killed herself, no one ever talked about her.”

Duncan rose from the pallet and poured a mug of water, which he brought over and had her drink as he helped her to sit up. “Why did you touch me just now? You swore you’d never help me again.”

“Thanks for reminding me.” She lifted the mug from his hand, held it higher, and dumped it over his head before she climbed off the pallet. She gestured to the table. “Caroline sent you an orb for your cabinet. Have a lovely evening, Healer.”

Nicole almost made it to the door before a final, wrenching pain made her double over and nearly collapse. Twins, he’d delivered twins, and she was beyond stupid for taking the pain from him when he needed to suffer, no, he wanted to suffer–

Duncan grabbed her and cradled her against his chest. “Cease running from me.”

“Then quit trying to protect me from everyone and everything.” She looked up at him. “What happened in the village is just a preview of what we’re facing. When the enchantress arrives, it’s going to be much, much worse. The only way we can save as many people as possible is together.”

“Does seeing me suffer please you? For I cannae enjoy watching you in pain. Time and again today among the wounded I wished order the guards take you out of the village.” He pressed her close. “Curse the Fae and their facking boons.”

Before Nicole could reply the laird came in carrying his wife, whom he placed on the pallet. Lark, Caroline and Julianne came in after them, while Meg stood out in the passage, her face wet with tears.

“She screamed and swooned after but touching that hybrid once.” Connal knelt down beside her. “I’ll never permit her touch another for as long as she lives.”

Nicole exchanged a look with Duncan before they went over to Valerie.

“I’m all right,” the laird’s wife said, groaning as she sat up on the pallet. “No, please don’t,” she said as Nicole reached for her. “Reading Dearg’s mind was absolutely harrowing for me. She’s almost as sadistic as the enchantress.”

Julianne made a face. “I bet sifting through her head totes wasn’t a party.”