The carpet did little to save my arse from the wooden boards beneath it. I took Keelynn’s hand, still too damn cold, studying the black band staining her blood-drenched fingers.
Married. To a human. And I didn’t feel like impaling myself on an iron sword. Who would’ve thought?
“Could it have to do with the marriage bond?” I asked no one in particular.
“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Rían replied.
None of this made sense. Not one bit. I nudged my brother’s boot. “She needs another blanket.”
“Four is more than enough.”
“Her face is too pale.” And her lips held no color.
“She’s probably too feckin’ warm.” Ruairi unbuttoned the collar on his shirt. “It’s roastin’ in here.”
“One more blanket. Please.”
Rían rolled his eyes but shifted another blanket. I tucked the heavy wool around Keelynn’s still form, then settled back onto the hard floor to wait for some bit of color to return to her cheeks.
“Stop staring at the poor woman,” Rían ordered. “It’s unnerving.”
“Do I tell you to stop staring at Aveen? No. Now leave me the hell alone.” He spent far too much time in the room where he kept her. Sometimes I heard him talking like a loon, as if she could hear him from the other side of death.
Rían shot to his feet and stalked toward the door. Cursing, Ruairi swiped at his brow. “It’s too feckin’ hot in here, lad. I need some air.”
I waved him away. I didn’t want him in here when Keelynn woke anyway.
I wasmarried. I should’ve been more upset. Instead, I felt . . . elated?
It wasn’t fair. She’d wake up devastated, and here I was smiling like a lovesick eejit. First things first. Get off this floor and put some distance between us. The chaise below the window. Perfect. Now I needed to find something to occupy my hands so I didn’t look nervous when she woke.
I dragged a book from Brigid’s shelf.History of Magic. Brilliant.
The moment my arse hit the chaise, I heard the sweetest sigh. This would be all right. We would find our way through this. Keelynn would forgive me.
* * *
Why would you do this to me?
I am not your wife.
You should have let me die.
Cold night air kissed my cheeks, darkness closing in from all sides as Keelynn’s words invaded my brain. Instead of keeping a level head like a grown male, I’d let my temper get the better of me. What right did I have to be upset about the awful things Keelynn had said to me? Everything had been true. I deserved the insults and the hate.
Keelynn stomped through the door of Brigid’s cottage, avoiding my gaze where I waited next to a smirking Ruairi.
What had I honestly thought? That she would just accept being tied to me and be happy about it? It was only a year. Was a year with me so bad? Look at what had happened between us in a matter of weeks.
If I had an entire year . . .
A year of freedom.
A year ofher.
How could I ask her to make such a sacrifice?
I could marry someone else. But I wouldn’t. Not even to break these curses. How could I trust someone not to take advantage of me? Look what had happened with Áine and Brigid.