stretched at an odd angle. " Is he dead? "
" No. I snapped his neck. It will be a while before his body repair s the damage. I will see you home and then come back for him. "
Her gaze wavered to the sky with unease . " You will never make it back before sunrise. "
Bram 's eyes darted to t he sky that showed lighter shades of blue , proving dawn hovered near . He lay Talia down and headed over to the Oiche Sith . He dragged him toward the trees that were cluster ed closer together. " I will cover him with leaves ," he told her. " He should be safe as long as he stays put until nightfall . "
Once Fergal's body was covered, Bram picked up Talia again, cradling her like a precious bundle. With all his warrior strength, he still had a gentle heart.
They broke through the trees , overlooking Coomkeen as the sky turned yet a shade lighter and a yellow glow warmed the horizon.
Talia moaned and her eyes fluttered open. She struggled to be free and Bram placed her on her feet. Adryanna moved forward to make sure she didn ' t fall.
"A nother one of them ," Talia pointed with one hand and held onto Adryanna ' s arm with the other.
" It ' s okay, " she soothed. " He will not harm you. He saved us. "
Talia 's eyes surveyed Bram with suspicion , but she didn't bolt .
" Why were you out in the woods, Talia? " Adryanna questioned her, drawing her attention.
" I… " she glanced at Bram then back to Adr y anna again. " I could not sleep and saw you leave on your mount. " She folded her arms over her chest. " I do not know what I was thinking. I followed you, knowing I could track your movements. I wanted to know where you were going. Where you go every night. I have seen you leave your dwelling when all else sleeps. " She glanced at Bram again as if she realized then her mistake. The Oiche Sith did not sleep when the sun set in the sky. It was obvious Talia had her suspicions of where Adryanna went and who she met in the forest, but the female didn ' t voice them.
" An unwise move, " Bram spoke up. " For both of yo u," he added." His gaze shifted to Adryanna for a moment before settling on Talia again. " The Oiche Sith often hunt at night. Once the blood lust sets in, it is difficult for my kind to suppress it. You were prey to them. "
Talia shuddered and rubbed her arm. " I want to go home. "
Bram nodded. " Go then . "
Talia whirled around and hurried along the path, glanc ing back only once to see if Bram followed.
Bram waited until Talia was a good distance away before he spoke again . " I must hurry also, " he told Adryanna gently.
She gripped his arm. " There is no way you will make it back to Dungannon in time. Stay with me. "
His brows lifted and he shook his head. " It is too dangerous. "
" It is unsafe for you to set out for home. You only have to look at the sky to know I speak the truth. "
His gaze shifted to the horizon where yellow burned brighter as the seconds ticked by.
" You can hide in my room, " she hurried to say. " My window has wood closures to keep out the light. Please, do not attempt to make it back to your village. You are fast, but not fast enough to outrun the sun ' s rays. "
He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. " Aye. " He met her gaze, his blue eyes mimicking the color of the deepest blue of the sky. " Let us hurry before your village awakes and sees us. "
Chapter Twenty-Two
Bram paced Adryanna ' s room. He felt trapped within the four walls as the sun blazed the land with light. She and her mother left hours ago to pick berries. The walls were not thick and he could hear the conversation between mother and daughter. Adryanna ' s father had ventured out to take care of the animals before he set out for the shop. She told him her father was a carpenter, a fine one by the looks of it. Adryanna ' s bed was wood carved with an intricate design of spirals and interchanging angles. Her father possessed a steady hand.
He sat down on her bed, his hand smoothed over the furs. This was her bed
" No. I snapped his neck. It will be a while before his body repair s the damage. I will see you home and then come back for him. "
Her gaze wavered to the sky with unease . " You will never make it back before sunrise. "
Bram 's eyes darted to t he sky that showed lighter shades of blue , proving dawn hovered near . He lay Talia down and headed over to the Oiche Sith . He dragged him toward the trees that were cluster ed closer together. " I will cover him with leaves ," he told her. " He should be safe as long as he stays put until nightfall . "
Once Fergal's body was covered, Bram picked up Talia again, cradling her like a precious bundle. With all his warrior strength, he still had a gentle heart.
They broke through the trees , overlooking Coomkeen as the sky turned yet a shade lighter and a yellow glow warmed the horizon.
Talia moaned and her eyes fluttered open. She struggled to be free and Bram placed her on her feet. Adryanna moved forward to make sure she didn ' t fall.
"A nother one of them ," Talia pointed with one hand and held onto Adryanna ' s arm with the other.
" It ' s okay, " she soothed. " He will not harm you. He saved us. "
Talia 's eyes surveyed Bram with suspicion , but she didn't bolt .
" Why were you out in the woods, Talia? " Adryanna questioned her, drawing her attention.
" I… " she glanced at Bram then back to Adr y anna again. " I could not sleep and saw you leave on your mount. " She folded her arms over her chest. " I do not know what I was thinking. I followed you, knowing I could track your movements. I wanted to know where you were going. Where you go every night. I have seen you leave your dwelling when all else sleeps. " She glanced at Bram again as if she realized then her mistake. The Oiche Sith did not sleep when the sun set in the sky. It was obvious Talia had her suspicions of where Adryanna went and who she met in the forest, but the female didn ' t voice them.
" An unwise move, " Bram spoke up. " For both of yo u," he added." His gaze shifted to Adryanna for a moment before settling on Talia again. " The Oiche Sith often hunt at night. Once the blood lust sets in, it is difficult for my kind to suppress it. You were prey to them. "
Talia shuddered and rubbed her arm. " I want to go home. "
Bram nodded. " Go then . "
Talia whirled around and hurried along the path, glanc ing back only once to see if Bram followed.
Bram waited until Talia was a good distance away before he spoke again . " I must hurry also, " he told Adryanna gently.
She gripped his arm. " There is no way you will make it back to Dungannon in time. Stay with me. "
His brows lifted and he shook his head. " It is too dangerous. "
" It is unsafe for you to set out for home. You only have to look at the sky to know I speak the truth. "
His gaze shifted to the horizon where yellow burned brighter as the seconds ticked by.
" You can hide in my room, " she hurried to say. " My window has wood closures to keep out the light. Please, do not attempt to make it back to your village. You are fast, but not fast enough to outrun the sun ' s rays. "
He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. " Aye. " He met her gaze, his blue eyes mimicking the color of the deepest blue of the sky. " Let us hurry before your village awakes and sees us. "
Chapter Twenty-Two
Bram paced Adryanna ' s room. He felt trapped within the four walls as the sun blazed the land with light. She and her mother left hours ago to pick berries. The walls were not thick and he could hear the conversation between mother and daughter. Adryanna ' s father had ventured out to take care of the animals before he set out for the shop. She told him her father was a carpenter, a fine one by the looks of it. Adryanna ' s bed was wood carved with an intricate design of spirals and interchanging angles. Her father possessed a steady hand.
He sat down on her bed, his hand smoothed over the furs. This was her bed
Similar Books
