Read Online Tapestries 04 - Threads of Destiny by N. J. Walters - Free Book Online
Authors: N. J. Walters
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at least she hoped he would.
35
Picking up a bowl of hot water in which Mara had mixed something she guaranteed would keep the wound from becoming infected, Kathryn poured it over the wound, flushing it out.
When that was done, she picked up the threaded needle and began to place small, fine stitches in his flesh, closing the wound. The medicinal paste came next and she smeared it over his blotchy red, swollen skin and then placed a soft pad over it and wrapped strips of linen around his shoulder to keep it in place.
Mara worked tirelessly next to her, removing bloody and wet linen, replacing it with fresh and generally doing anything that Kathryn asked of her. The afternoon had waned as she’d worked and now candles blazed around her. Many of the warriors were standing around her makeshift operating table, holding a thick taper high, giving her the light she needed to work.
When she was done, Tienan opened his eyes. They were blurry with pain but he offered her a smile. “Thank you,” he mouthed, no sound coming from his lips.
Kathryn felt a tear roll down her cheek. She raised her shoulder and swiped her face into it. She wasn’t going to break down and cry in front of a room full of strangers.
“No problem. Just don’t make me have to do it again.” Tienan’s eyes were already shut tight, his breathing even. “Now he goes to sleep,” she choked out. Turning aside, she plunged her hands in a bowl of tepid water and washed away as much of the blood as she could before grabbing a towel to dry them.
Logan released Tienan’s shoulders and straightened. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head. “Thank you.” She patted his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. “You know there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for the two of you.”
He nodded, then released her.
“It was then she remembered that Logan had been wounded as well. “What about your arm?”
A lock of hair had come loose from her bun and he tucked it behind her ear. “It is nothing. I’ll clean it later but it is already mending.” She nodded, knowing that their genetics made them very fast healers.
Kathryn sensed Marc behind her and sighed. She wasn’t ready to deal with the situation she now found herself in. She wanted to clean up and then she wanted to sleep.
Tired. She was so damn tired. Her life had been a pressure-packed tightrope walk for weeks now and her body was showing the strain. As if on cue, her stomach began to ache. And who the heck knew what a jump in time and space had done to her physiology. That is, if she truly believed that’s what had happened.
At this point she didn’t care.
36
Mara patted her on the arm before gently lifting Tienan’s head and putting a pillow beneath it. “You did well. Get some food and rest. I’ll watch over our patient.” She glanced at Logan.
It was the “our” that did it for Kathryn. She knew that the older woman would care for Tienan. “Thank you. For everything,” she added. Mara smiled and nodded as she draped the patient in a thick fur covering.
“I’ll let you know if anything changes.”
Kathryn handed her the bottle of aspirin. “If he wakes with a fever, give him three of these.”
“Are you done?” Marc’s voice was so close to her ear that she jumped.
“For now.”
The words were barely past her lips when he swooped her off her feet and into his arms. She grabbed his shoulders for support as he turned. “What about Logan?”
“I’ll be fine.” He stood next to them, his gaze on Marc. “I’ll watch over Tienan.” Some look passed between the two men that Kathryn couldn’t understand and she was too damn tired to try to figure it out. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, she’d get the lay of the land and make a plan. Tonight she just wanted a bath and bed.
The men all stepped aside as Marc carried her toward the door. Only Christina stopped them. “I prepared the guest room at the end of the hall and left some clothing
35
Picking up a bowl of hot water in which Mara had mixed something she guaranteed would keep the wound from becoming infected, Kathryn poured it over the wound, flushing it out.
When that was done, she picked up the threaded needle and began to place small, fine stitches in his flesh, closing the wound. The medicinal paste came next and she smeared it over his blotchy red, swollen skin and then placed a soft pad over it and wrapped strips of linen around his shoulder to keep it in place.
Mara worked tirelessly next to her, removing bloody and wet linen, replacing it with fresh and generally doing anything that Kathryn asked of her. The afternoon had waned as she’d worked and now candles blazed around her. Many of the warriors were standing around her makeshift operating table, holding a thick taper high, giving her the light she needed to work.
When she was done, Tienan opened his eyes. They were blurry with pain but he offered her a smile. “Thank you,” he mouthed, no sound coming from his lips.
Kathryn felt a tear roll down her cheek. She raised her shoulder and swiped her face into it. She wasn’t going to break down and cry in front of a room full of strangers.
“No problem. Just don’t make me have to do it again.” Tienan’s eyes were already shut tight, his breathing even. “Now he goes to sleep,” she choked out. Turning aside, she plunged her hands in a bowl of tepid water and washed away as much of the blood as she could before grabbing a towel to dry them.
Logan released Tienan’s shoulders and straightened. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head. “Thank you.” She patted his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. “You know there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for the two of you.”
He nodded, then released her.
“It was then she remembered that Logan had been wounded as well. “What about your arm?”
A lock of hair had come loose from her bun and he tucked it behind her ear. “It is nothing. I’ll clean it later but it is already mending.” She nodded, knowing that their genetics made them very fast healers.
Kathryn sensed Marc behind her and sighed. She wasn’t ready to deal with the situation she now found herself in. She wanted to clean up and then she wanted to sleep.
Tired. She was so damn tired. Her life had been a pressure-packed tightrope walk for weeks now and her body was showing the strain. As if on cue, her stomach began to ache. And who the heck knew what a jump in time and space had done to her physiology. That is, if she truly believed that’s what had happened.
At this point she didn’t care.
36
Mara patted her on the arm before gently lifting Tienan’s head and putting a pillow beneath it. “You did well. Get some food and rest. I’ll watch over our patient.” She glanced at Logan.
It was the “our” that did it for Kathryn. She knew that the older woman would care for Tienan. “Thank you. For everything,” she added. Mara smiled and nodded as she draped the patient in a thick fur covering.
“I’ll let you know if anything changes.”
Kathryn handed her the bottle of aspirin. “If he wakes with a fever, give him three of these.”
“Are you done?” Marc’s voice was so close to her ear that she jumped.
“For now.”
The words were barely past her lips when he swooped her off her feet and into his arms. She grabbed his shoulders for support as he turned. “What about Logan?”
“I’ll be fine.” He stood next to them, his gaze on Marc. “I’ll watch over Tienan.” Some look passed between the two men that Kathryn couldn’t understand and she was too damn tired to try to figure it out. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, she’d get the lay of the land and make a plan. Tonight she just wanted a bath and bed.
The men all stepped aside as Marc carried her toward the door. Only Christina stopped them. “I prepared the guest room at the end of the hall and left some clothing
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