Read Online To Love Again by Bertrice Small - Free Book Online Page B

match,” Ceara said honestly. “They married in haste born of their overwhelming lust for each other. By the time they realized it, your grandmother was with child. Several years later your grandfather found himself truly in love with Maeve, and she with him. Brenna was appalled. She feared history would repeat itself, and she adored her sister, who is five years younger. She pleaded with Maeve not to wed Berikos, but Maeve refused to listen. Brenna called her a fool, and has referred to her as such ever since, despite the fact the marriage between Maeve and Berikos was a successful one.” Ceara turned to the other woman. “Go and fetch Berikos, Maeve. He is at
her
house.”
    Corio returned with his grandmother’s medicine basket, and Ceara began the task of examining Brenna’s wound. She cut away some of Brenna’s thick white hair, shaking her head at the size of the wound. This was far more serious than anything she had ever seen. Brenna’s hair was severely matted with all the blood she had lost. The skull bone itself was open and had a large chip missing from it. Ceara wasn’t even certain she could close the wound. Nature would have to do the job. As gently as she could, she cleaned the wound with wine, wincing when Brenna groaned. She sprinkled one of her healing powders generously over it, and then bandaged it with clean, dried moss. She had never felt so helpless in her entire life.
    The girl had stood by her side, handing her what she needed, and never flinching once. Her presence seemed to soothe Brenna. Frankly, Ceara thought that only rest, time, and the will of the gods could make a difference now.
    Corio had gone from the hall for a time and now returned, a small bowl in his hand. He gave it to his grandmother. “Ithought that perhaps you would want this for Brenna,” he said.
    She smiled up at him approvingly. “Aye, ’tis just the thing. Here, Brenna, drink this. It will give you strength. Help her to sit up a bit, Cailin,” Ceara ordered.
    Cailin sat on the bench behind her grandmother and gently propped the older woman up. “What is she drinking?” she asked, noting that Brenna sipped the reddish liquid almost eagerly.
    “It is cattle’s blood,” Ceara answered. “It is nourishing, and will help Brenna to rebuild her own blood.” Ceara held back a smile at Cailin’s look of distaste. At least the girl hadn’t fainted.
    “Ceara!”
A deep voice thundered. “What is going on? Is what Maeve tells me true?”
    Cailin looked up. A tall man with snow-white hair and matching twin mustaches had entered the hall. He was garbed in a dark green wool tunic embroidered with gold threads at the neck and sleeves. Around his neck was the most magnificent gold torque, worked with green enamel, that Cailin had ever seen. He strode directly up to the bench where Brenna lay and looked down.
    “Hail, Berikos,” Brenna said mockingly.
    “So, you are back,” Berikos said grimly. “To what do we owe this
honor
, Brenna? I thought never to see you again.”
    “Nor I you. You have grown old, Berikos,” Brenna said. “I should not be here at all were it not for Cailin. I would have died in the forest safe in Nodens’ care rather than come to you, were it not for our grandchild. I am here for her, Berikos, not for myself.”
    “We have no grandchild in common,” he answered.
    “Berikos!”
Ceara’s voice was sharp. “Do not persist in your stubborn folly over this matter. Kyna is dead.”
    A sharp look of sorrow swept over the old man’s face and then was gone. “How?” he demanded, his voice impersonal, the pain forced back to where none could see it.
    “Last night,” Brenna began, “I went with Cailin to the Beltane fire, but I grew tired and returned home early. In theatrium of the villa I stumbled over the dead body of our son-in-law, Gaius Drusus. I ran to Kyna’s bedchamber. She was dead upon her bed, ravaged and beaten to death. I never even felt the blow that felled me. When I