Demon Laird (Legacy of the Mist Clans) (17 page)

“I’ll be buggered,” he said and gave Ronan a wink. “Ye did me proud today.”

“Proud?” Ronan asked in confusion. He thought his da would not be happy losing to him.

“
Aye, this day is the one I have been waiting for since I started teaching ye how tae wrestle. I never went easy on ye, I never gave an inch. Laddie, ye have earned the victory this day.” He held out his hand. Ronan grabbed it and they both levered themselves upward. “Let’s lift an ale tae this, Ronan.”

Ronan had been so stunned that he didn’t care about controlling the ring any longer. The people slapping him on the back and shoulders in congratulations weren’t important. The only thing that mattered was the respect and pride he saw in his
da’s sparking blue eyes.

Ronan’s belly rumbled and he sighed softly. Waking without nightmares with a bonny lass at his bedside was something he wanted
to savor a bit longer. He gazed at Lia a long moment, wondering if he could somehow untangle his fingers without waking her. But he remembered that she slept as lightly as a cat. If he could, he’d pick her up, place her in his bed, and let her sleep for as long as she wanted.

Now ye are b
loody daft, lad. Ye slighted her and treated her with contempt ever since she arrived. She should have let ye drop in the street and kicked ye in the arse for good measure. Ye have no right tae the thoughts ye be havin’.

He sighed softly and sat up, trying
to carefully withdraw his hand.

Sure enough, her fingers tightened on his and her eyes flew open. She sat up sharply and winced, her hand going
to the back of her neck. “Sweet Mary,” she muttered.

“Forgive me, lassie, I was
tryin’ not tae wake ye.”

She moved her head
to look at him but grimaced and froze at an awkward angle. Yet, somehow she was able to smile at him. “How are you feeling?”

“Apparently, much better than ye. Ye need
tae unwind yerself from that chair or ye may find yerself stuck.”

She chuckled softly but her humor quickly vanished as she moved and groaned.

Ronan looked to the loophole. “Aidan should be here momentarily tae break our fast.”

“Ronan, I can go downstairs and get the food.”

He shook his head. “This is a habit of his from long past. Every morn we break our fast together and share what news we’ve heard, or if his birds have been singing.”

“Birds?
I didn’t know Aidan had birds.”

Ronan winked at her. “Not the feathered kind. Aidan’s birds sing songs of information, secrets, of treachery and deceit.”

Lia rubbed her eyes. “The birds… they’re spies?”

He nodded. “As a lad, I had a talent for disappearing into the shadows, hiding right under someone’s nose
and they didna ken I was there. Aidan had a talent for eavesdropping. He’s honed it tae an art, and I have found his skills and his birds extremely valuable.”

She arched an eyebrow at him. “You too have honed your skill into an art.”

He grinned. “But, lassie, I need tae get dressed and—”

“Ronan, when was the last time you changed your bandages?”
she asked, eyeing one on his back.

He ducked his head. “I keep
meanin’ tae do that…”

She moved, wincing again
, but grabbed a corner of a rumpled bandaged and gently tugged it away. She sucked in her breath. “Damnation, your wounds are festering badly in places. I need to get them cleaned and put fresh bandages on you.” She paused and felt his forehead. “And you still have a fever.”

Ronan’s stomach rumbled again
, loud enough that Lia heard it, and she looked at him, startled. He shrugged. “After we break our fast, then ye may tend tae me. If Aidan doesn’t get here soon, I’ll be gnawing on the furniture like one of my hunting dogs.”

She laughed but winced again.

He sighed and reached out, wrapping his fingers around the back of her neck, working the tight muscles. His eyes widened. “Ye rebuke me, but, lassie, ye’ve got some vicious knots in yer neck.”

She closed her eyes and fair melted under his hand. “What was I saying?”

Ronan shook his head, chuckling. “Do ye need anything for it? I can fetch what ye need.”

“I will get it
, Ronan. I need to bring up several items for you. But there is one thing you can do for me, if you don’t mind.”

“I’d be happy
tae, lass.”

She turned so her back was toward him and her fingers caught his. She didn’t try
to push him away, instead, she directed him to a specific point in her neck.

“Press right there with one or two fingers. You should feel a small knot right next
to the bone in my neck.”

He did as she asked and his eyes widened as he felt exactly what she meant.

“Now find the one on the other side of my neck.”

“What be this, lassie?”

“It’s a spot where if you apply enough pressure, it will force the muscles in my neck to relax.”

“And they call me the Demon Laird,” he muttered. “It sounds a bit like witchery
tae me.”

She laughed again. “Nay, think of it this way
: When fighting with your sword, did you ever receive a stinging blow on your wrist that made your hand go numb and you dropped the weapon in spite of yourself?”

“Aye,” he said. “Several times
, and it doesna have tae be much of a blow—or even draw blood.”

“That’s because there’s a spot in your wrist just like
the one in my neck. I just need you to press down on those spots until I tell you to stop.”

“Are ye certain,
lassie? I dinna want tae hurt ye.”

“I will tell you if you use too much strength.”

“Verra well.” He pressed his fingers against the small knots and she told him to keep increasing his strength. He took a breath to refuse, certain he would somehow cause injury, but it was as if the knots under his fingers suddenly loosened. They were still there, but now they didn’t seem so large and prominent under his fingers.

Lia released her breath and her entire body sagged. “Thank you,” she said and looked at him over her shoulder. This time she did not wince.
“I feel so much better.”

He withdrew his hands, amazed
that something so simple could have such a profound effect.

Lia turned her head sharply and he heard the small bones in her neck pop. She repeated the
action in the other direction.

Ronan stared at her. “Ye sound like me afore I go into battle.”

She wrapped his brat tighter around her. “I hope you don’t mind that I borrowed this.”

“Keep it, lassie,
I have a dozen of them.”

“Thank you.” She paused and looked at the door. “Now my stomach is rumbling.”
She looked down at herself. “I should go change.”

He nodded. “Please return and break
yer fast with me,” he said softly. “I wish tae speak more with ye regarding yer words yestereve.”

“Of course, Ronan. I’ll be back shortly
, and after we eat, I can tend to your bandages as well.”

“Excellent.”

****

Lia dressed
, although she was certain her head was stuffed with wool. At least Ronan had helped rid the kink in her neck. Her thoughts focused on him and she frowned. He seemed a completely different man. He had gone from hating the Sassenach healer, believing her a spy and someone who brought this plague upon his people, to jesting with her, worried if he might inadvertently hurt her. How was this possible? How could he change so suddenly?

Lia sighed softly, wishing her thoughts would stop chasing themselves. She shouldn’t question Providence
. At least Ronan was allowing her to tend to him, and she would be able to help find the answers to this Demon Laird nonsense. She shook her head, remembering Ronan’s festering wounds. No wonder he had such a strong fever. He did not realize what he toyed with. In his weakened condition, it wouldn’t take much for the festering wounds to turn the tables on him in a heartbeat.

She changed into some fresh clothes and washed her face. She still felt like she could sleep for a week. But after Ronan
, there were still others who needed her both in the great hall and in the village. At least with finding the truth of the blighted grain, Lia could see an eventual end to the madness. It might take a very long time, but as long as everyone got rid of the blighted grain, there should be no more people getting sick

After she dressed, she went below stairs and fetched what she needed for Ronan, glad to note that there were no emergencies to attend to. She found Alba and asked her to boil a pot of water and bring it to Ronan’s solar. The girl blanched but said nothing and nodded. Lia watched her disappear into the kitchen. Alba was the one who demonstrated the greatest fear over the Demon Laird. If Lia could convince her Ronan bore no threat, no doubt the other servants would follow suit. Lia’s stomach rumbled, reminding her Ronan had asked that she break her fast with him. She turned and hurried up the stairs.

Aidan opened the door before she completed her knock. He grinned
and his eyes widened at the armload of supplies she carried.

“Lassie, allow me,”
he said and took them from her.

“Thank you
,” she said and stepped inside. Her gaze immediately fell on Ronan. He had dressed—well, partially. He wore only his trews and padded on bare feet over the rugs placed on the wood floor to help keep the chill at bay. He draped his tunic over the back of his chair, no doubt waiting to don it after Lia finished tending his bandages. Again her breath caught in her throat—even covered in bandages his physique was still impressive. Lia found herself wondering how he had achieved it.

“Well met, lass,” he said and pulled a third chair
to the table. “Join us, please.”

“Thank you,” she said again and joined them at the table.

As they ate, Aidan began the conversation. “I was just telling Ronan a bit of what ye told me yestereve.”

“Aye,” Ronan said. “Thi
s illness is called the falling-down sickness?”

She nodded. “No one knows its cause. It can be difficult
to identify because so many believe it is a sign of possession, as you have seen. Usually Sueta and I only saw the person after exorcisms had failed and they suffered the condemnation of the Church. Because of that fear and hatred, many were reluctant to tell us everything.”

Ronan nodded. “
That is understandable, but it would only make your work more difficult.”

“
Aye.”

“How long did it take y
e tae develop a cure?”

Lia blinked at him then swallowed hard. He didn’t understand and would no doubt hate her answer. Perhaps even return
to hating her again. She ducked her head, wondering if she should lie to him.

“Lass?”
he asked.

“I am sorry, Ronan,” she whispered as she met his gaze. “
There is no cure for this illness.”

The color drained from his face, and the spark vanished from his gray eyes. He swallowed hard and
she watched fear replace his shock. His hands shook and he dropped his small eating dagger.

Lia moved quickly before her words could truly sink in. She wrapped her fingers around his hand and held it tightly. “Ronan, listen
to me.”

He stared at her hand and nodded once.

“There is no cure, but this illness can be managed.”

“Managed?” His voice was hoarse but his gaze returned
to look at her.

“Aidan told me of your blackouts as a child
, but they were rare, so rare that people did not fear the Demon Laird. You call them blackouts, but Sueta calls them passive fits. Ronan, don’t you see? You learned to manage this on your own without any help.”

He blinked at her then frowned. “Passive fits?”

“Aye. The ones you suffer now, where you fall to the floor, your limbs no longer under your control—Sueta calls them active fits. But Aidan told me those only began after you freed yourself. He thought it was due to your head wound, and I believe he is right.”

“I told ye, brother,” Aidan said, watching Ronan closely.

“Sueta believes, and I agree, that the fits are two different manifestations of the same illness. I have treated children and adults that demonstrated both, some more extreme than yours. But it is important that you realize this will be a process—I won’t be able to stop it overnight.”

“But I still may suffer the fits?”

“You might, but my purpose will be to lessen them in frequency and severity. You can still live a normal life.”

“A normal life as the Demon Laird?”
he growled and tried to pull his hand from hers.

“Brother,” Aida
n said in gentle rebuke.

Lia refused
to release his hand. “You did not think of yourself as the Demon Laird before, even though you suffered from this illness. Why not?”