Page 61 of Frost Bound

“She’s too cold. Bring her to the fire.” She hustled to the hearth and yanked a cot in front of it. “Lianna, Loshika, get the bath ready. We need to get thissaloeswarmnow.”

Neve followed her, water dripping down his legs, leaving a path behind him.Nonnaegrabbed a pair of scissors and nodded to him. “Lay her on the cot. We need to get the wet clothes off of her.”

He did as she bid, agony and breathlessness crashing over him at the movement. Neve pushed through it and knelt beside the cot. The old woman shoved a blade into his hand.

“Help me. We don’t have much time.”

A kernel of fear rooted in his gut as he cut the ties of the bodice. He placed the knife between his teeth and ripped the garment from her body. He frowned at the undergarment beneath it. “Is that bone?” he whispered to himself as he tugged at the tightly bound cage that seemed to be squeezing her breasts right out the top, leaving bloody sores near her armpits.

“Stop gawking and start cutting,”Nonnaereprimanded, snipping the last of the skirt away. “Each minute could mean her life.”

Neve sliced the top of the undergarment and then pulled the tight fabric apart. The rending of wet satin filled his ears. He kept his gaze averted as her breasts slipped free, and focused on her sleeves. While he didn’t know much about humans, he knew they were prudes when it came to nudity. His wife wouldn’t want him gawking at her body, even if it was in morbid curiosity and not desire.

A breath whistled out of his nose at the bruising around the shoulder of her right arm. A dislocation.

“Lae reillov?” Olwen’s voice sounded behind him.

Neve curled over hisniliave. Frost giants didn’t care about nudity, but his littlevallesdid. “Get out. Flyka, I need you.”

He registered two sets of boots leaving as the giantess squatted next him. The door closed, cutting off the cold air.

“What do you need of me?”

“Her other arm.”

Flyka got to work, carefully slicing off the other sleeve as Neve ran his claw gently over Dahlia’s bruised shoulder.

A sharp breath pulled his attention toNonnae, who stared at one of thevalles’legs. His jaw slackened. Her legs were … a pattern of different-colored skin. A puzzle of flesh.

“What caused this?” he whispered. Humans changed colors constantly with their emotions, but something like this? It didn’t seem possible.

Nonnae’s gaze flew to his for a moment, her hands resting near the human’s knee. “I’m not sure,reillov, I’ve never treated a human before.”

“A witch?” Flyka offered.

The healertsked. “There’s no such thing in any land, only charlatans.”

Neve glanced away asNonnaecontinued to cut the trousers from the human to stare at her face. Just what sort of creature was she? Just whom had he bound himself to?

“Qov,” the healer muttered.

“What?” he asked, still staring at Dahlia’s face, particularly the dots on her nose.

“Infection.”

“From the water?”

“Her thighs, my lord.”

This time he did look. His gorge rose as he got a good look at the mess that was her inner thighs. Flesh peeled away as the healer gently tugged at the soaked bandage that was stuck to the skin, blood and pus sullying the linen.

“How did this happen?” the healer hissed.

“I’m not sure. She’s been stiff on the journey, but I attributed it to her being asaloes.” Shame pricked him.

Nonnaechuckled, but it wasn’t nice, pushing her black and silver braid from her shoulder. “She was limping because she was soqovvingsaddle sore. It was a bloody miracle she made it so far.” Atsk. “She must have an extremely high pain tolerance and a will of stone.”

Neve looked away as the healer continued cutting, and glanced at Flyka, who frowned fiercely.

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