She turned back to Callum, swallowed the lump in her throat. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you is surely not enough.”
Neither are a thousand lifetimes, sweeting. But we survived them and I’ve found you.
“Everyone here wants you to be comfortable and happy on Skerray,” Callum was saying, not at all the words she’d heard.
Or had she?
She didn’t know and wasn’t going to ask. He’d already dropped to his knees before the hearth and busied himself lighting the driftwood piled there.
“I am grateful.” She rubbed her hands, lifted them to ease Gubbie’s carrier straps off her shoulders, so glad he’d now be able to roam free again – at least inside the cottage. But as she lowered the cat-sack to the floor, letting him out, her back pinched again and she cried out with the jabbing pain.
“Eeeee…!”
At her cry, Gubbie bolted into the teeny sleeping area where he’d surely hide until he was certain she wouldn’t make any further weird noises.
But she did, wincing aloud when she reached round to press a hand against her left shoulder. “Owwww, my back…”
Across the room, Callum pushed to his feet, the driftwood just beginning to burn, bluish flames licking the wood, the heady scent of the sea filling the cottage.
Any other time, Alanna would’ve gushed over the fire’s beauty, the coziness of the cottage. But her back hurt like a hundred fire devils were clawing at her, and Callum…
He stood staring at her, a look of almost dread on his face.
“It’s just my back,” she told him, the pain already easing. “I think I pinched a muscle sleeping on the oar-bank,” she added, wondering. “Or Gubbie accidentally scratched me. He sometimes does. His feet are ticklish so he won’t let me clip his claws. They’re razor sharp and cut deep.”
“Gubbie scratched you…” He glanced at the low, dark-raftered ceiling, blew out a breath.
He’d gone pale as a ghost.
“Guidsakes,” he said, pacing now. “By Thor and all his bleeding lightning bolts…”
“What is it?” Alanna hurried after him, her pain forgotten. “Are you ill?”
He stopped, swung round to look at her. “I’m no’ sick, just mad. Losing my mind crazy-mad.”
“Nae, I fear that might be me,” Alanna admitted, all the strange snippets she’d heard racing back to her, haunting her.
“Perhaps we are both crazed?” She felt a burning at her hip then, fiery as if he’d grabbed a piece of flaming driftwood and thrust it against her flesh.
But then the sensation vanished and – she remembered – it was only her little heart-shaped piece of wood from theLovers. She’d tucked it into the pouch that hung from her belt.
Retrieving the luck-piece, she set it on the table, then crossed the room, hoping to lure Gubbie back amongst the living. But her blasted back pinched again when she reached to draw aside the sleeping area’s blue curtain.
This time she only hissed, but Callum heard.
“Lords of thunder,” he swore, sounding alarmed enough that she whirled about, hurried over to him.
“What is it?” She grabbed his arm, worried. “Are you hurt?”
“It’s back,” he said, pointing at the table.
Alanna followed his stare, seeing no reason for his shock. He’d seen her stony heart back in theLovers’glen. Or was there another reason for his upset?
She couldn’t imagine what.
The only other thing on the table was a small earthen jar.
Chapter 16
