by Vella, Wendy
“I don’t understand this. Everyone is here!” Dev roared. “Why are we in pain?”
Something stirred in the air, but when Maddie looked up, the sky was still blue and cloudless.
“Hands,” Dev said.
Each Sinclair took another’s hand until they formed a circle. Each person of Raven blood stood at their spouse’s back. Maddie felt the hair on the back of her neck rise as the air thickened.
“Harry,” Nicholas said. “I saw blood.”
Chapter 12
Harry could hold his liquor and rarely got to a point where it took the edge off his intelligence. Today, however, he was drinking to put aside the memory of those Sinclairs and her… Madeline Caron, with her fierce eyes and beautiful face. He hadn’t realized that fact until the man across from him went to fill up his glass again. Harry placed his hand over the top.
“Enough, thank you.”
“’Tis just a drink to seal the pact between us,” Braden Calloway said. “Long may it be profitable.”
The man had a face women loved, but his temperament at best could be termed fiery.
Had Harry been thinking clearly, he would not have walked into this empty warehouse to meet Calloway with only Faris at his side. He was usually far savvier than that and never stepped in a direction without checking all exits and problems that may arise first.
“Harry, if I may have a word,” Faris said from behind him.
“About what?” Calloway demanded. The man had a reputation for shoddy business dealings. He’d never crossed Harry, and that was what had lured him here today. That and the fact he’d wanted something to distract him from his thoughts.
Harry, you are an idiot.
He excelled at business, it was something he’d taken to with ease, and could often spot a charlatan at ten paces. Something in Faris’s voice told him he’d had his blindfold on today.
“Just a few minutes, Mr. Calloway, and we will return,” Faris said calmly. “I simply need to discuss a matter with Harry.”
“You have no say in this, heathen!” Calloway stood now, hands braced on the desk.
And just like that, Harry was clearheaded. No one spoke to Faris like that.
“If my friend and business associate wishes to speak to me, then he will, Calloway, and I would suggest you think again before calling him a heathen in my company. He is, in fact, one of the most intelligent, articulate men of my acquaintance, and an astute businessman.”
“He is a liar!” Calloway roared.
“How do you know he is telling a lie when he has not spoken a word other than to ask to speak with me?”
They were in a warehouse not far from the docks where the meeting had been set. They were to discuss Harry supplying the man with goods; the deal had gone well until now. Clearly he’d been too preoccupied to see something Faris had, and now he wanted to alert him to whatever it was.
“It’s all right, Harry.” Faris was always calm. In fact, Harry had never seen him lose his temper.
“No, it’s not all right.” Harry got to his feet also, feeling at a disadvantage still sitting. “If you wish to speak with me before the papers are signed, then speak to me you will, Faris.”
“You would listen to him over me!” A vein was bulging in Calloway’s neck now.
“He is someone I respect, so yes, I will speak with him.”
“Which suggests you do not respect me, Sinclair. I would advise you to tread carefully. If you intend to sully my reputation, I will not stand idly by.”
“I think we both know your reputation is already sullied, Calloway; however, until now you’ve not attempted to swindle me.” Harry never backed away from confrontation.
“You’ve read the contract! Why have questions now?” Calloway glared at Faris.
“Because that is not the same contract that you presented two days ago on the Charlotte Anne,” Faris said.
Harry grabbed the paper he’d been about to sign and began to read it. When he got to the pricing, he understood Faris’s concern.
“These terms are different to what I agreed upon, Calloway. You’re trying to cheat me.”
“You dare to question me! You and that heathen are liars!”
“We do dare to question you,” Faris said. “I too have checked the terms, and they are not as was originally quoted.”
“They are not.” Harry added his voice. “I think this meeting is over.” Alcohol did not make Harry mean like some—it usually made him happy—but in that moment, he felt rage flood his body. Both at himself and the man who’d intended to cheat him.
“I dismissed the rumors about you, Calloway; it seems now that was remiss of me. You are someone I will never do business with again.”
“You would take his word over mine?”
“It is not his word.” Harry now stood beside Faris. “I can see with my own eyes that you are trying to swindle me. After today, I shall ensure our paths never cross again.”
Calloway had three men with him; until now they’d simply stood silently at the sides of the room. Harry had wondered at the need for their presence. It became clear as they moved to stand beside Calloway and pulled out their pistols.
“What are you going to do, shoot us?” Harry asked politely. “That would make an awful mess and need a great deal of explaining when I do not return to my ship.”
“Your heathen has cast a slur upon my character, and I demand an apology. From both of you.” The man was beyond reasoning with; Harry could see that. His face was almost purple with rage. They needed to get out of here now.
“I think you have that wrong. It was you who abused him and tried to cheat me, and I will ensure those I do business with know exactly what you are capable of. Of course, many already do, however I chose to ignore the rumors.”
“I demand an apology!” Calloway’s eyes were wild.
“Let me assure you, there will be no apology for the truth,” Harry said. “Let’s go, Faris.”
He saw Calloway grab a pistol from the man beside him and aim it at Faris. Harry pushed him to the floor and took the bullet in his side. It dropped him to his knees.
Pain gripped him as he struggled to grab his own pistol.
“Bastard!” Faris was beside Harry now.
“Leave!” he heard Calloway roar, followed by the thud of footsteps.
“Harry, dear Christ, my friend.” Faris pulled out his knife and slit the shirt open.
“That is one of my favorites,” he said through his teeth as the pain made his head swim.
“Why must you always be the bloody hero?” Faris tore off his necktie and pressed it to the wound.
“That bullet was aimed at your heart,” he gritted out as a wave of nausea swept over him. “A simple thank-you will do.”
“We need to get you back to the ship before you pass out.” Faris helped him rise, and each movement was agony. “Press your hand to the wound.”
He was sweating when they reached the door.
“Stay with me, Harry,” Faris said as they walked slowly down the road. “Not far.”
It was in fact not far, but to Harry it seemed an effort of Herculean proportions. Each step jarred pain through him, and his fingers were soon wet from his blood that poured from his body. They reached the docks to find them full of people, as they always were.
“I’m giving you my ship and everything else.”
“You’re not going to die, don’t be dramatic!” Faris’s voice had risen, which it always did when he was scared.
“I am likely going to die, Faris.” His voice sounded off. Weak and wavering. Harry hated being weak. “You will have it all.”
“Shut up!” Faris roared. “I’m not letting you die.”
“I-It cannot be stopped.” Harry felt himself sway. Faris managed to keep him upright. “The infection will take me, if I last that long.”
“Will you please be quiet and reserve your strength!”
“Tell my family I was glad to meet them,” Harry rasped. Suddenly
his need to stay away from them seemed foolish in light of the fact he was about to die. “And her… tell her I am gl-glad I met her.”
“Who is ‘her’?”
“M-Maddie. Tell her for me, Faris.”
They were just about at his ship when the thunder of horses hooves filled the air.
“What fool would be galloping through here,” Faris gritted.
Harry turned, attempted to focus, and saw Dev, Cam, Wolf, and Eden—in fact a gaggle of Sinclairs on horseback. Strange, he thought. Why were they here? A carriage stopped behind them, and out got Max and Essie.
They dismounted as one and ran to his side.
“What’s happened?” Dev demanded, reaching them first.
“He’s been shot in the side. That bastard Calloway did it because Harry was protecting me.”
Faris’s words seemed to come from a long way off now. Almost as if he was dreaming. Harry could feel his head growing foggy.
“F-family,” he managed to get out. “S-sorry.”
“Harry, let me see now.”
“Essie.” He made himself greet her, because, well, she was his cousin. “Ouch!”
She was touching his side, and fire burned through him, which had him panting in seconds.
“Let’s go. We need to get him home to my supplies—and Lilly, should she be required.”
Things got a bit hazy after that. He was jostled, and the pain intensified so much that he was close to blacking out. His curses were unpleasant, and yet he was a seaman, so hardly unexpected.
“It’s all right, Harry, we have you.”
Looking up into the eyes of Wolf Sinclair, who was above him for some reason, he noted they were unusually bright.
“I don’t want to die.”
“You won’t, trust me. We will not let that happen.”
“Because we’re family?” Harry whispered.
“Exactly.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Cam was suddenly at his side.
Harry’s eyes rolled back in his head, and everything went black.
He woke as they carried him inside, simply because the pain dragged him to the surface. Vicious pain that lanced through his body, robbing him of breath.
“Is he… I can’t say it.”
“Maddie?” He roused, hearing that voice, and latched on to it.
“I am here.” She moved into his line of vision. Harry tried to focus and push back the darkness.
“Beautiful,” he managed to get out, then gripped a handful of her skirt and held on. If he was holding her, he couldn’t die. This thought took root inside his head. She would keep him anchored to this world.
“Walk with him. We need to get him to a bed.”
Harry heard voices as he was carried, each step lancing pain through his body. There was blood, he knew that too, lots of blood.
“Not ready to die,” he whispered. She leaned down, placing her lips next to his ear.
“Then fight, Harry, fight with everything you have, because we are not ready for you to die either.”
Chapter 13
“Harry, let go of my skirt,” Maddie said as she tried to prize his fingers from the material.
“No.” The word was gritted out and filled with pain.
“Just sit with him, Maddie,” Somer said. “He feels the need to hold something, and it happens to be you.”
She didn’t know what was happening, or indeed what she had witnessed earlier, but she knew it was odd. The air had felt different when they’d come together, and then they’d held hands and it had suddenly charged with tension.
“Of course, if you think I should.”
“We do.” Max came to her side. “It’s all right now, sister, we just want to help Harry.” He lifted her onto the bed.
How had Nicholas known Harry was in danger? Then some had gone in a thunder of feet, running toward the stables, leaving the others to prepare. For what, she’d asked Rory, and he’d said Harry was hurt and would need their help.
How had they known?
Emily had then dragged Maddie behind her into Max’s house, and soon they’d been running about the place, preparing a bed and helping Alice collect medical supplies.
Fleur had been put in the care of the nannies with any of the other children who were now here, which seemed to please her hugely.
Maddie had asked what was going on. The answers had been vague and unclear to her mind. What weren’t they telling her?
Those thoughts had fled when they returned with Harry bleeding in Wolf’s arms.
“How bad is he, Essie?” Lilly asked, entering the room they had taken Harry to.
“It’s bad, but the bullet has gone through his side and is not lodged. I don’t know the damage inside him, but for now we can try healing him the old-fashioned way first, as I fear this one will take a great deal out of you, Lilly.”
“I will be here should you need me.”
Old-fashioned way?
They all arrived again, the Raven and Sinclair families. Filing into the room, somber faced. Why were they here, when surely only Essie and Alice were needed, and a doctor? Had they called for a doctor?
Harry moaned, drawing her eyes away from the others and down to the man who had his face turned and pressed into her side. He still held her skirt in a surprisingly fierce grip, considering how weak he must be.
“Don’t leave me.”
Leaning over him, Maddie touched his cheek. It was ice-cold.
“It’s all right, Harry, we won’t leave you.”
He lifted his head and looked at her.
“You,” he whispered.
“Me?”
“Don’t leave me.” He hissed out a breath as Dev began removing his shirt and exposing the mangled mess that the bullet had left. Harry was watching her, so she kept her face calm, though inside, fear chilled her.
Surely he could not survive such an injury. She rested a hand on his head, her fingers stroking his hair.
“I won’t leave you.”
“Harry, you must drink this for me,” Essie said.
He clamped his lips shut as Essie handed the cup to Maddie.
“This will help with the pain and put him to sleep. Make him drink it.”
“Drink this now, Harry.” Maddie put her arm under his shoulders, easing him upright. “All of it.” She spoke in the voice she used on Fleur when she was being naughty.
He did, choking, gagging, but she got it down him. He took her fingers as soon as the cup was drained and gripped them tight.
“Some of the things you may see will shock you, Maddie, but I will explain it all soon,” Rory said before stepping back and away from the bed. “Trust that it is good and right.”
“I don’t understand.”
Her brother’s smile was small. “I doubt you ever will, but it is a miracle, Maddie, and a blessing to be part of.”
“All right now, Harry, I am going to look at your side,” Essie said.
“Hold his feet, Wolf. Cam, up beside Maddie. The rest of you make a connection,” Dev said.
What are they doing? Her eyes went from Rory to the others. They were doing what they had outside.
The Sinclairs all moved closer to the bed, taking each other’s hands. Dev placed his hand on Essie’s neck. Lilly held on to Cam, and her other hand was clasped by her husband. Eden, the twins and Warwick, Alice and Kate—they were all there. Nicholas too.
Maddie felt it again, the stirring of something in the air. Ravens stood behind Sinclairs. Rose to Wolf, James to Eden, Emily to Cam. Max and Rory.
Maddie’s heart thudded hard inside her chest. What was she witnessing?
Dev’s and Wolf’s eyes were a vivid, almost unnatural green now, the others were focused on Harry with fierce intensity. Nicholas had his eyes closed as he gripped his wife’s hand.
“His color is pale, Essie,” Dev said, “but still strong enough.”
Essie worked quickly and efficiently, cleaning the wound. Harry did
not make a sound, even considering the pain he must be in. The grip on her fingers was relentless, but Maddie didn’t mind; it meant he was still alive.
As the bullet had left his body, Essie did not have to do an extraction. But still what she did was taxing on Harry’s strength. Maddie felt the moment he slid into unconsciousness.
“It is best,” Essie said. “He will not feel the pain now.” She continued to clean the wound, then doused it in something and lastly applied a thick paste. “I think this will do, Lilly.”
“And yet, just a bit of healing will expedite matters and ensure there is no infection.”
“Lilly,” Dev cautioned.
“The infection, Dev.”
His nod was brief.
Lilly moved from her place, breaking the connection. Looking down, Maddie saw Harry’s eyes were still closed, his fingers still holding hers. Stroking his hair, she prayed he survived this. Her stomach clenched at the thought of this large, vital man leaving them.
“Just a small amount, Lilly,” Dev cautioned.
Essie moved, and Lilly took her place. The connection was again formed. This time it felt different. The air was suddenly thick with something—the only thing she could call it was magic.
Her eyes found James, and he smiled; it was gentle and reassuring. Max and Rory looked the same.
Lilly put her hand on Harry’s side, and he twitched, body jerking. Maddie felt the heat slowly fill him, as her hand was on his forehead.
Dear Christ, Lilly was healing Harry? Could that be possible?
“That will do.” Dev pulled her hands free. He then placed an arm around his wife’s shoulders, and they both left the room. Suddenly the air was normal once more.
Was this some kind of witchcraft? Looking at the faces around her, she didn’t believe it was evil, and yet what had just happened?
“We will explain,” Rose said, moving to hug Maddie.
“He will still have a recovery ahead of him, but Lilly has assured there will be no infection, and the damage inside is minimal,” Essie said. “We must notify his grandmother too.”
“I will go to the ship and speak with them, and they can pass on what has happened to the grandmother,” Wolf said.
