I nodded.
“Och nae, Princess, ye are nae well.”
I nodded again.
I heard Torin bark at someone, “Room, hot water if ye hae it.”
Then Torin carried me up a narrow stair, the steps creaking under our weight, and into a small room.
He placed me sitting on the edge of a bed, and unwrapped the plaid from my shoulders. The wool was damp from my sweat.
Torin pressed his hand to my cheek. “Ye are burnin’.” He pressed me down to the bed, pulled off my rainboots, lifted my feet up, and pulled the blanket up over my shoulders. “I hae tae go see tae the horses, Princess, I will be back in a few moments.”
“Where’s Dude, does he know where I am?”
“I will bring him.”
He left the room. I rolled up into a ball and tried to survive.
23
LEXI
1558 - THE RED BOAR INN IN KIRRIEMUIR
Iwoke up and Torin was leaning on the bed, facing the door. A wave of nausea hit and I clapped my hand over my mouth. I scrambled up, dislodging Dude, who had been lying on my feet.
Bowl...?
I scrambled past Torin and on my hands and knees retched into the bowl until I was weak and had nothing left.
I sat on my heels. “I feel better. All done.”
I pushed the hair back from my head.
“So uncomfortable.”
I untied the tie around my waist, pushed down my skirts, and left them in a pile on the floor. I crawled over to the bed and draped across the lumpy mattress.
Torin said, “Ye hae tae get all the way up in the bed.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Tis uncomfortable.”
I lay there for a moment.
Then I asked, “Did I get in…?”
“Nae.” He picked me up around my waist and deposited me in the middle of the bed.
He pulled the blanket up and patted my shoulder.
I muttered, “I won’t do that again. I’m done.”
I lay there for about three minutes, then scrambled up, lunged toward the bowl, and threw up, multiple times.
No no no no no. No.
