Legacy by Preston Holtry

Author:Preston Holtry [Holtry, Preston]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781945181344
Publisher: Moonshine Cove Publishing, LLC
Published: 2018-04-17T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

“Will he live?” Beldorach looked down at Arrius’s pale face.

Athdara shrugged. “There’s some improvement. At least, he’s no worse than before. We were able to get him to drink and eat a little this morning. Sometimes his body moves as if he is dreaming. I think his manhood is recovering faster than the rest of him.”

Beldorach glanced sharply at her, and Athdara smiled. “It seems he enjoys it when Cadha and Machara bathe him; he may be better than he appears.”

“It’s a good sign, but make sure Cadha and Machara don’t take equal pleasure in their ministrations.”

“He talks occasionally.”

“What does he say?”

“How should I know? His speech has no meaning for me. Now and then he seems to speak Ilya’s name. Perhaps it is not a name and means something else in his language.”

Beldorach made no reply as he looked at the unconscious man. Two days had passed since Tearlach brought him to the Selgovan capitol, and still there was no indication the Roman would recover. He knew Athdara and his other wives had done what they could to nurse him back to health, yet the outcome didn’t look promising. Arrius abruptly sat up mumbling something unintelligible. For a moment longer, he remained in a sitting position, arms hanging limply at his side, looking straight ahead.

Beldorach knelt down. “Roman, can you hear me?”

Slowly, Arrius turned his head toward Beldorach fixing him with an unfocused stare. Beldorach repeated himself, but Arrius made no response. A moment later, Beldorach saw the Roman’s eyes roll upward, and he started to fall back. Beldorach reached out in time and gently lowered him to the pallet to prevent further harm to the unconscious man.

Athdara crossed to the fire and lit a small twig. Returning to the pallet, she reached down and pried open one of Arrius’s eyelids and held the burning ember above the Roman’s face. After inspecting the other eye, she stood up and faced Beldorach.

“His eyes respond to the light. I believe he will live.”

“You and the others have done well.”

Athdara shrugged, indifferent to the compliment. “I did no more than you asked. I would have preferred to see him die. Better for him if he did, for I understand Tearlach already talks of what he will do when the Roman recovers.”

“I don’t intend to give him to Tearlach.”

“Is that wise, my husband? Tearlach and others will not be happy.”

“True, however, they will in time accept it when I tell them why I want the Roman to live. I have plans for him.”

“Even the High Chieftain has limits to his authority. They can overrule you then it would not bode well for you or the tribe. Better to give up the Roman rather than risk your position.”

“You and the others will soon understand why I want him alive. One live Roman may be able to do more for the Selgovi than a hundred or even a thousand dead ones. It wasn’t Tearlach who brought this man here to me. It was destiny.”

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