I woke in the middle of the night with sweat beaded on my brow. The covers were off of the bed, mangled on the floor as if I had fought a great battle in my sleep. Screaming had pulled me out of the horrific dream I was having, and for a moment I thought I had heard my own yells.
I felt the need to scream now. Visions of Hew crushed beneath the weight of his horse, unable to scoot from beneath the animal, burned in my mind. I stilled in the bed, sitting up so that I could listen.
For a moment all remained quiet, but it took only a second before another scream ripped through the castle corridors.
I leapt out of the bed. Bri. She must have gone into labor sometime in the night. I could only hope that it was just starting, and I had not missed being there for her.
I burst into her and Eoin’s bedchamber, relieved to see that Mary was already making preparations, ordering others about while Blaire administered Morna’s mixture to Bri.
I ran to her side, giving her my hand as she squeezed it tightly with an incoming contraction. “How are you? Is everything well?”
She grunted in between words, determination set in her face. She was beyond ready to get the child out of her. “Yes, as well as it can be, I believe. Will you get out there and tell Eoin he better get his ass in here this second? I don’t give a damn it it’s unusual for men to stay at the bedside during delivery. If he misses the birth of his child, I shall never forgive him.”
“Of course.” I had to pry her fingers loose and turned to Mary only briefly before leaving. “Is she close, or do we have some time before the baby arrives?”
Mary must have been able to tell something else distressed me for she answered me quickly, waving me on to whatever other task sat on my mind. “Nay, she isna as close as she wishes. We have some time still.”
I nodded and ran out of the bedchamber, nearly running into the three men—Eoin, Arran, and Kip—huddled together in the hallway. I knew I must do as Bri bid first. Although I was certain my dream had meant something, I couldn’t know for sure that what I had seen had been real.
I grabbed Eoin’s arm and pulled him away from the circle, smacking him lightly as I scolded him. “What on earth do you think you are doing? You better get in there with Bri right this instant or I am going to drag you there myself.”
He looked back at me nervously. “I am afraid to, Adelle. I doona think I can bear to see her in such pain, and I couldna live with the guilt if something happened to her and the babe.”
I softened, feeling sorry for him. It was easy for women to forget what a terrifying ordeal childbirth was for the father. “Nothing is going to happen to them. Morna’s drink will help with the pain soon and all will go well. Trust me, if you miss this, Bri will not understand. Go. Now.”
He nodded and hurried down the hall, leaving me to turn my attention to Arran and Kip. “I need to ask something of both of you. I know that you may think me mad, but please I beg you, listen to me before you dismiss me.”
Kip stood silently, giving me an expression that I knew meant he dreaded whatever I was about to tell him. He knew it would only mean more work for himself.
Arran nodded and reached out to lay a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “Aye, of course, Adelle. What is it?”
“I had a dream, a terrible one. I’ve never had one quite so vivid. It was dark, and Hew was lying on his back in the snow. His horse had fallen on top of him, crushing him, and one of his arms hung oddly to his side.” Saying what I’d seen out loud made it seem more real to me. As I finished, my voice cracked. I couldn’t keep a tear from falling down my face.
Arran glanced quickly at Kip and then back at me. “Do ye think that he is in danger, lass, or did ye only have a dream that has upset ye?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know, but I’m afraid that he might be. I know it seems crazy.”
Arran squeezed the shoulder he held under his hand. “Nay, it isna crazy. We have all seen too much of what Morna can do to think so. Kip and I will ride at once.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry to send you, but I can’t leave Bri right now.”
Arran was already moving down the corridor, Kip following silently behind him as he called back to me. “Of course you canna. Doona worry. We shall find him in time.”
I believed that they would. They had to. I couldn’t bear to think otherwise.
Chapter 21
Once Morna’s medicine worked its way through Bri’s system, her screams lessened substantially and things began moving rather fast.