Another contraction hit. Mairi’s fingers crushed Ariella’s. Her eyes squeezed shut. Her jaw clenched so hard Ariella feared she might break a tooth.
Ariella leaned closer. “Breathe with me. In. Slow. Out.”
Mairi shook her head, panting. “I cannae.”
“Yes ye can,” Ariella said, steady. “Ye have done this twice already. Ye ken what to do. This body of yers kens what to do. It will nae fail ye now.”
Mairi’s breath hitched. “It hurts.”
“I can see that it does,” Ariella whispered. “But it is pain with purpose. It is bringing yer child to ye.”
Mairi’s eyes fluttered open and found Ariella’s. Something softened there, the tiniest release of fear.
Ariella remembered Skylar’s voice, years ago, patient and sure while Ariella sat beside her cousin in the McIntosh solar with a doll in her lap and a stack of cloths like it was a game.
Keep yer voice calm,Skylar had said.It gives the maither something to hold onto. Fear spreads. Calm does too.
Ariella tightened her grip on Mairi’s hand, becoming that calm with every breath.
Moira hovered near the basin, muttering to herself. “More cloths. More water. Saints, where is that blasted healer?”
“She will come,” Ariella said without looking away from Mairi. “For now, Mairi and I manage.”
Mairi’s laugh came out rough. “Manage. Like it’s stew.”
Ariella smiled gently. “Ye make stew sound easy.”
Mairi groaned again as another wave hit, longer and sharper. Her body tensed. Her back arched slightly. A low sound tore from her throat, half rage, half agony.
Ariella braced, voice firm. “This one is strong. Let it pass through ye. Daenae fight it.”
Mairi bared her teeth. “Easy for ye to say.”
“I ken,” Ariella murmured. “So curse me if ye must. But breathe.”
Mairi’s nostrils flared. She dragged air in, shaky, then forced it out on a hiss.
“That’s it,” Ariella praised. “Again.”
Moira pressed a cloth to Mairi’s brow. “Here. Bite this instead of me.”
Mairi grabbed it and muttered something impolite.
Ariella shifted slightly, repositioning Mairi’s pillows the way Skylar had described. “Yer shoulders loose. Yer jaw loose. When the time comes, ye will push, but nae yet. Nae until yer body tells ye.”
Mairi’s eyes darted toward the doorway. “Callum?”
“He is outside,” Ariella said. “He is being kept from fainting, I assure ye.”
Mairi snorted, then winced as another contraction began. “He better nae faint. I’ll never forgive him.”
Ariella squeezed her hand. “He will nae. He loves ye. He is terrified, but he is there.”
Mairi’s eyes filled briefly. Not from pain alone. “I hate being in bed.”
“Do ye wish to stand?”
“Aye.”
