Rionna jumped up and bent anxiously over Mairin, her face creased with concern. Around her, murmurs arose as everyone focused on their mistress and her obvious distress.

“Mairin!”

Ewan was on his feet, his hands reaching to steady her. She would have fallen had he not hauled her up against him. She went limp, her legs no longer able to sustain her weight.

“Mairin, what’s wrong?” Ewan demanded.

“Sick,” she gasped. “Oh God, Ewan, I think I’m dying. The pain.”

She sagged again and Ewan went down with her, easing her weight to the floor. Above her, Alaric’s worried face appeared.

“What the hell is going on, Ewan?” Alaric demanded. He shoved Rionna back and maintained a protective perimeter around Mairin.

And then she turned her head and retched all over the floor. The sound was awful even to her own ears, but it felt ten times worse.

It was as if she’d swallowed a million pieces of glass and they were shredding her insides.

She curled into a ball on the floor in so much pain that in a moment of weakness, she prayed for death.

“Nay!” Ewan roared. “You won’t die. I won’t allow it. Do you hear me, Mairin? I won’t allow it. You will obey me, goddamn it! For once you will obey!”

She whimpered as Ewan hauled her from the floor. She winced as his shouts rung in her ears. He yelled orders and the hall was alive with the sound of scrambling feet and answering exclamations.

She was jostled about in Ewan’s arms as he charged up the stairs. He burst into their chamber, all the while shouting demands to the rest of his clan.

He wasn’t gentle as he laid her on the bed. Her stomach heaved again as the smell of her own vomit seared her nostrils. Her dress. It was ruined. Now she couldn’t even be buried in it.

Ewan clasped her face in his hands and leaned down until their noses were nearly touching.

“No one is burying you, lass. Do you hear? You will live or, so help me, I’ll follow you to hell and drag you back kicking and screaming the entire way.”

“I hurt,” she whimpered.

His touch gentled as he smoothed the hair from her face. “I know, lass. I know you hurt. I’d bear it for you if I could. Promise me you’ll fight. Promise me!”

She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to fight, and the pain screaming through her insides made her want to curl into a ball and close her eyes, but when she tried, Ewan shook her until her teeth rattled in her head.

“Ewan, what’s wrong with me?” she whispered, as another wave of pain overwhelmd her.

His face was grim and going more blurry by the minute. “You’ve been poisoned.”



CHAPTER 27


But he found himself offering fervent prayer now as he stood over Mairin’s bedside. Maddie flew in behind him with Bertha on her heels.

“You must make her vomit, Laird,” Bertha said. “There’s no time to waste. We don’t know how much of the poison she took in and she must rid her stomach of all its contents.”

Ewan bent and grasped Mairin by the shoulders, rolling her to the edge of the bed so her head hung over the side. He took her face gently between his hands and pried her mouth with his thumb.

She twisted and fought against him but he tightened his grip, refusing to give way.

“Listen to me, Mairin,” he said urgently. “We must rid your stomach of its contents. I must make you vomit. I’m sorry, but I have no choice.”

As soon as her lips parted, he thrust his fingers to the back of her throat and she gagged and convulsed. With only one arm to hold her, it was difficult.

“Help me hold her,” he barked to Maddie. “If you can’t do it, call one of my brothers.”

Bertha and Maddie both leaped forward, pressing their full weight against Mairin’s body.

Mairin gagged again and she vomited onto the floor.

“Again, Laird,” Bertha urged. “I know ’tis difficult to see her in such pain, but if she’s to survive, it must be done.”

He’d do anything to keep her from dying, even if it meant causing her agony. He held her head and forced her to retch. Again and again she heaved until nothing more would push itself out. Her entire body was so rigid, it was a wonder she hadn’t broken any bones yet.

Still he pressed on, determined to keep her alive. Finally Bertha touched his arm. “ ’Tis done. You can release her now.”

Maddie got up and wet a rag with water from the washbasin and thrust it at Ewan. He wiped Mairin’s mouth and then her flushed, sweaty forehead.

Carefully he eased her back onto the bed and then stripped the clothing from her body. He tossed the garments aside and instructed the women to clean the chamber to rid it of the noxious smell.

He sat by Mairin’s side as he pulled the covers to shield her nakedness. He watched anxiously, feeling so helpless that it kindled a rage so deep that he burned with it.

He could hear the commotion outside his chamber door, knew his brothers were there, and others, but he wouldn’t take his eyes from Mairin.

The women rapidly cleaned the mess from the chamber and removed the offending clothing. Moments later, Maddie returned, shutting the door firmly behind her.

“Laird, let me take over her care,” she said in a soft voice. “She’s emptied her stomach. There’s naught to do but wait now.”

Ewan shook his head. “I won’t leave her.”

He ran a finger through her limp hair and touched her cheek, alarmed by how cool her skin felt to his touch. Her breathing was shallow, so light that many times he’d leaned his head down, afraid that no air escaped her nose any longer.

She’d slipped into unconsciousness. She hadn’t moved, hadn’t stirred or cried out from the vicious pain assaulting her. He didn’t know what was worse. Hearing her helpless cries or seeing her as still as death.

They both frightened the hell out of him.

Maddie stood by the bed for a long moment, and then with a sigh, she turned and left the chamber.

Before Ewan could recline on the bed beside Mairin, his brothers burst into the chamber.

“How is she?” Alaric demanded.

Caelen didn’t speak, but the storm was there in his eyes as he stared down at Mairin.

Ewan touched Mairin’s cheek again and ran his fingers underneath her nose until he felt the light exchange of air on his skin. There was so much turmoil churning in his gut. Rage. Fear. Helplessness.