Derric ran over to Dyna. “Diamond, are you hale? Is this a feeling or real? What is happening? The bairns are screaming for your father. Do you see something?”
Dyna rolled over onto her back, holding her head. “Something is wrong. Da is hurt. I can feel it in my belly. Oh, Da. I hope it’s not too bad. I’m sure they’ll get him back here as quickly as possible.”
Brenna entered, picked up Sylvi who was sobbing on the floor, and moved straight over to Dyna. “What’s wrong? It’s Connor, isn’t it? How bad?”
Sylvi began to sob. “Grandda hurt. Grandda. Lia, help him.”
Dyna looked at Sylvi and asked, “Is Lia there, Sylvi? Tora, is Lia with Grandda?”
Tora broke free from her grandmother, who looked like she was about to pass out, and ran to her mother. She leaned over, cupped her mother’s cheeks and said, “Lia and Bwia are there. They twyin to save him.”
Her mother paced, a sick look on her face.
Then Tora ran over to her grandmother and said, “Uppy. Gwandda hurt. Lia dare too.”
Her mother fell into a chair. “Dyna, is this real? Is your father dying? Oh my Heavens, nay. Please say nay. I can’t live without him.”
Dyna didn’t know what to think. Derric picked her up and sat in a chair by the hearth, cuddling her. “Take your time, Diamond. Do what you must. We’ve got the bairns.”
Sandor began to run in a circle, giggling furiously. “Top it, Unca Shakee. Top it!”
Dyna heard that and had to find out the truth, pushing herself to a standing position, ignoring the pain battering her head. “Jake! Uncle Jake. What is happening to your brother? You cannot take him yet. Do you hear me, Jake?”
Sandor ran over and stopped in front of her. “Unca Shakee say Gwandda hurt.”
Dyna twirled in a circle, staring at the rafters. “Stop it right now, Jake, and you listen to me. Are you listening? You. Cannot. Have. My. Father. Not yet! Do you hear me? He’s too young! Leave him be. Do something to save him, Jake. Get over there. We don’t need you here. You need to help your brother! Aline, Grandda, Grandma, not yet. You can’t have him yet!”
Sandor followed his mother and pressed on her leg, “Unca Shakee twyeen.” Then he sat down. He broke into a giggle immediately, then stopped and said, “Awex say he comeen. Awex bwinging Gwandda hewe.”
Sylvi stopped crying and said, “Lia is with him now. Do not worry, Mama.”
Tora cupped her grandmother’s cheeks and said, “Gwandda need Brenna. He comeen home now.”
Dyna said, “Start saying your prayers.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Lia
Hagen spun around as Lia stepped closer. “Do something, Lia. He is dying.”
Lia strolled over to stand behind Brynja, who was now kneeling opposite him on the other side of his sire. She set her hand on Brynja’s shoulder. “I cannot fix him. I don’t have the ability to do that.”
That was too much for him. He shouted, “You always fix people. You save them. You tell us where to go. You make sure no one dies. Do something. I cannot lose my father. Help me, Lia.”
Hagen stared up at the sky, his hands slippery with his sire’s blood. “Help us, please, God. Someone help him. He cannot die here!”
His father had always been one of the clan’s leaders, he and Uncle Jamie, the two everyone looked up to. Now it was Alasdair, Alick, and Els leading. He thought of his aunts, Kyla, Maeve, and Elizabeth, who all adored their baby brother.
Hagen swiped angrily at the tears on his cheeks. His father’s eyes were closed, his color pale. He looked defeated. Weak. Growing weaker by the moment.
His father loved to lead Clan Grant into battle, riding one of the Midnights, carrying a banner, bellowing the Grant war whoop when they came home after a win.
This was not a win. One of the worst losses ever.
“Lia, help me, please.” His voice came out in a whisper.
Lia said, “You can save him, Hagen. You don’t need me.”
