he carried her off."
Funny thing, Joe McCracken didn't smell like he'd been drinking.
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60
Sweet Inspiration
by Penny Watson
Chapter Seven
Cold and pain. That was all Lucy knew. She heard sounds, too. A high-pitched whistle, eerie and unsettling, like the wind in the trees. And voices—one was deep and rich...and very close to her. Nicholas. She smelled his comforting scent, felt the scratch of his beard on her face. It was possible that she was draped over his body, fighting for his heat and vitality.
But she couldn't be sure. There was another voice, tinny and high, almost childlike. But she could tell from the tone that it was an adult, and he was worried.
Lucy struggled to open her eyes. Yes, her face was touching Nicholas' cheek. In front of her sat a tiny old man, wrinkled with time, and he was driving. They must be in a car, but she couldn't see the road. Only blackness. The pain radiated from her head, down to her back and legs.
Thankfully, it seemed to be waning. She was desperate to talk to Nicholas, but unable to form the words. An overwhelming fatigue claimed her. Lucy was too weak to resist it.
"Dear God, Lucy, don't you dare die on me. Hold on, love, we're almost there." Vaguely, Lucy felt Nicholas grip her more tightly, and suddenly the cold was interrupted by something hot and wet. His tears?
Her eyelids fluttered as sleep beckoned enticingly. Around her the black void gave way to a glowing mist, and Lucy had the sensation she was falling. The mist dissipated and an enormous castle made of glass appeared below her in the 61
Sweet Inspiration
by Penny Watson
distance. It sparkled with flecks of color and movement within. More beautiful than any fairy tale castle, it glistened with lights, with musical sounds and laughter, and vibrated with some sort of energy that seemed magical to her. I must be hallucinating. Maybe this is what heaven looks like.
Her last shattering thought was that she would never see Nicholas again.
Surrounded by swirling eddies of snow, Nicholas clutched Lucy to his chest. He stopped in front of Hector's cottage and prayed silently. Dear God, please let her live. Don't let Hector refuse me. The tiny home was dark, but smoke spiraled from the chimney and a few lights twinkled from the lower windows. Markus knocked hesitantly on the front door, and eventually a shriveled woman appeared.
"Helga, we need to see Hector. It's an emergency, as I told you on the phone."
The old woman's gray eyes widened slightly as she spied Nicholas. Two long braids hung down below her waist, and a green apron covered her clothes. She and Marcus clasped hands in greeting and she turned misty eyes to Nicholas.
"Come inside. Hector will see you. But I must warn you, he is very angry."
Nicholas carried Lucy's limp body into the healer's cottage.
As was habit, he ducked his head before crossing the doorway. Gently he placed Lucy on a bed in the center of the room, then knelt down and brushed a curl from her bloody forehead. His hand trembled so badly he could hardly control it.
62
Sweet Inspiration
by Penny Watson
The steady thumping of a cane on the wooden floor captured Nicholas' attention and he glanced up to see Hector, fuming with anger. The old man was barely three feet tall, with long wispy gray hair and sparkling green eyes. He wore baggy pants and a woolen vest, buttoned up to his neck. At the moment his features were pinched, his leathery skin pulled tight over sharp cheekbones. The points of his ears jutted out from his hair and his fierce expression worried Nicholas.
"What have you done, Nicholas? This is forbidden. The council will be furious. We are not permitted to interfere with the lives of Sudlanders." Nicholas watched warily as Hector Ischman, master healer for Glasdorf and head of the Elfin Council of Seven, paced along the floor in front of the bed.
The old man stooped over a gnarled walking stick, hobbling back and forth with nervous
Funny thing, Joe McCracken didn't smell like he'd been drinking.
[Back to Table of Contents]
60
Sweet Inspiration
by Penny Watson
Chapter Seven
Cold and pain. That was all Lucy knew. She heard sounds, too. A high-pitched whistle, eerie and unsettling, like the wind in the trees. And voices—one was deep and rich...and very close to her. Nicholas. She smelled his comforting scent, felt the scratch of his beard on her face. It was possible that she was draped over his body, fighting for his heat and vitality.
But she couldn't be sure. There was another voice, tinny and high, almost childlike. But she could tell from the tone that it was an adult, and he was worried.
Lucy struggled to open her eyes. Yes, her face was touching Nicholas' cheek. In front of her sat a tiny old man, wrinkled with time, and he was driving. They must be in a car, but she couldn't see the road. Only blackness. The pain radiated from her head, down to her back and legs.
Thankfully, it seemed to be waning. She was desperate to talk to Nicholas, but unable to form the words. An overwhelming fatigue claimed her. Lucy was too weak to resist it.
"Dear God, Lucy, don't you dare die on me. Hold on, love, we're almost there." Vaguely, Lucy felt Nicholas grip her more tightly, and suddenly the cold was interrupted by something hot and wet. His tears?
Her eyelids fluttered as sleep beckoned enticingly. Around her the black void gave way to a glowing mist, and Lucy had the sensation she was falling. The mist dissipated and an enormous castle made of glass appeared below her in the 61
Sweet Inspiration
by Penny Watson
distance. It sparkled with flecks of color and movement within. More beautiful than any fairy tale castle, it glistened with lights, with musical sounds and laughter, and vibrated with some sort of energy that seemed magical to her. I must be hallucinating. Maybe this is what heaven looks like.
Her last shattering thought was that she would never see Nicholas again.
Surrounded by swirling eddies of snow, Nicholas clutched Lucy to his chest. He stopped in front of Hector's cottage and prayed silently. Dear God, please let her live. Don't let Hector refuse me. The tiny home was dark, but smoke spiraled from the chimney and a few lights twinkled from the lower windows. Markus knocked hesitantly on the front door, and eventually a shriveled woman appeared.
"Helga, we need to see Hector. It's an emergency, as I told you on the phone."
The old woman's gray eyes widened slightly as she spied Nicholas. Two long braids hung down below her waist, and a green apron covered her clothes. She and Marcus clasped hands in greeting and she turned misty eyes to Nicholas.
"Come inside. Hector will see you. But I must warn you, he is very angry."
Nicholas carried Lucy's limp body into the healer's cottage.
As was habit, he ducked his head before crossing the doorway. Gently he placed Lucy on a bed in the center of the room, then knelt down and brushed a curl from her bloody forehead. His hand trembled so badly he could hardly control it.
62
Sweet Inspiration
by Penny Watson
The steady thumping of a cane on the wooden floor captured Nicholas' attention and he glanced up to see Hector, fuming with anger. The old man was barely three feet tall, with long wispy gray hair and sparkling green eyes. He wore baggy pants and a woolen vest, buttoned up to his neck. At the moment his features were pinched, his leathery skin pulled tight over sharp cheekbones. The points of his ears jutted out from his hair and his fierce expression worried Nicholas.
"What have you done, Nicholas? This is forbidden. The council will be furious. We are not permitted to interfere with the lives of Sudlanders." Nicholas watched warily as Hector Ischman, master healer for Glasdorf and head of the Elfin Council of Seven, paced along the floor in front of the bed.
The old man stooped over a gnarled walking stick, hobbling back and forth with nervous
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