Free Knight Everlasting by Jackie Ivie

cloak out from beneath her with the other one. No one offered to help her toss it over her shoulders, but she wouldn’t have accepted if they had.
    â€œThe lad’s a bit . . . bruised,” Aidan supplied.
    â€œThere is na’ much you can do for bruising. Have you tried cold water?”
    â€œAye,” the man at the door replied.
    â€œDoes it need to be wrapped then?” Juliana asked.
    Both men chuckled, sobered, and then guffawed again. Stopped. And then looked embarrassed. Totally embarrassed. Juliana folded her arms and regarded them.
    â€œNae. We’ve . . . na’ tried wrapping it,” Aidan finally replied.
    â€œThen what do you expect of me?” she asked.
    The man at the door answered her. “Well . . . you see . . . ahem. It’s na’ so much that he needs the bruising attended to, as he needs the fact he’s injured attended to.”
    â€œWhere is he injured?” Juliana asked.
    Both men cleared their throats. Neither one replied. She noticed that neither of them would meet her eye either. Both seemed to be blushing now. Juliana raised her eyebrows.
    â€œOh,” she finally said.
    The man at the door grunted. “Name’s Tavish,” he supplied. “And we were thinking if Arran had a bit of sympathetic . . . female about . . .”
    â€œHe’d stifle the groans?” she finished.
    â€œI think he’ll appreciate the company.” The man at the door was openly grinning. Juliana nearly returned it.
    â€œWell then, cease delaying me. Take me to him.”
    The thin man pulled his head out of the door and opened it. MacKetryck preceded her out of the tent, but he was waiting when she exited. He wasn’t the only one. There were another three men standing about, looking like they’d just come to their feet. Juliana watched as they doffed tams and straightened kilt bands, and nodded at her. She turned away quickly.
    â€œCome. We’ll do introductions later. I’ll see you to Arran.”
    He didn’t wait to see if anyone agreed, but she already knew he expected complete obedience from his clan. And her. She wouldn’t argue it anyway. She didn’t want introductions either.
    She heard Arran before she saw him. He was in the large tent closest to the horses. He lay on a cot facing the side of the tent and he was rocking in place while voicing soft heartrending groans. Either they’d lied about the extent of his injury, it was more severe than they’d known, or Arran was the weak sort. Juliana didn’t know anything about wounds to a man’s groin, but her heart immediately pulsed at the agonized sound as Aidan lifted the door flap.
    â€œArran, lad! Look!”
    The young man rolled his head toward them. His face was lined with pain, but there wasn’t a tear in sight. She’d guessed him as a young lad yesterday. Now, she knew the truth. He wasn’t much younger than her seventeen years. He was as handsome as his older brother, too.
    â€œI’ve brought you a visitor.”
    â€œI-I-I doona’ wish—” His voice stopped when he saw her.
    â€œThis is Juliana.”
    â€œNa’ her. Aidan! Why-why-why did you-you-you have to bring a-a girl ?” He put such contempt on the last word that Juliana stopped, went to her full height, crossed her arms, and raised her brows.
    â€œNow, Arran. This is na’ just any lass. This is the one I rescued.”
    â€œI-I-I already ken . . . who she is.” She watched Arran ease onto his back and lift into a semisit when he got there, scowling as he punched a roll of blanket into a back support to lean on, and catching his breath as he did it. He sounded slightly less pained, though.
    â€œShe wished to thank you firsthand for the fresh meat. How could I tell her nay? She’s my responsibility now. I doona’ take those lightly.”
    â€œThank you-you-you . . . for visiting,” Arran remarked and turned his head