Page 28 of Valka
“Here. If you won’t let me do it, you do it. Heat some water and put this in it, try to get some into her mouth and make her swallow. It will help. The old woman said so.”
He watched her, narrowing his eyes at the female called Louise for a few moments before he spoke. “Svatka. Old woman Svatka.”
Louise nodded and smiled at him. “Svatka. She said it would help. I’m sorry, I just want to help Delia so badly.”
He reached his hand out and Louise placed the small cloth filled with herbs in his huge hand.
“Please help her, Valka. She saved every one of us. Without her, we’d have died down in the bottom of that ship long before we ever ended up here. She kept us believing we would make it off that ship until we actually did.”
Valka decided he liked this female because she spoke highly of his Delia. “You make water,” Valka said, shoving the herbs back at her. “No yell Valka. Skaevin eat you.”
Louise took a moment to consider the proximity of the skaevin, then looked over her shoulder at Toska, knowingbetter than to decide to enter Valka’s cave without her mate’s permission. They’d only just made a shaky alliance and the last thing she wanted was to anger him and end up with another male that might not be so agreeable.
“Go, the skaevin won’t hurt you. I’ll wait here,” Toska said, pointing to the closest side of Valka’s cave entrance. “But don’t yell at him.”
“I’ll guard beside you,” Elkva said, immediately seizing on the opportunity to help guard Valka’s home. Then he focused on Valka. “Where will my Patricia wait?”
Valka’s eye twitched at the thought of the crying female near him, but at the moment she wasn’t crying, and she was important to Elkva who Valka actually liked, or at least didn’t mind so much. “There,” he said, pointing to the fire pit. “No. Cry!” he insisted pointing his finger directly at her.
“I won’t,” Patricia promised, rushing past him to sit exactly where he indicated, though she kept her gaze bouncing back and forth from Elkva to Delia with every second that passed.
Valka stalked back to his fur bed, crawled across it and gathered Delia in his arms as he sat on his butt and held her close. He smoothed her hair back out of her face once more with his huge, gruff hands and despite everyone nearby, he pressed his thick lips to Delia’s cheek. Then he just sat there, holding her as he waited for her to wake.
A rustling sound drew his attention. He looked up to find the skaevin had moved closer to the cave’s entrance so it could see Delia. “Delia wake soon,” he told the skaevin.
~~~
“Raska! Come! Come fast!”
Raska pushed Bettina away from him and got to his feet. He stalked angrily to his cave entrance and stood proudly, completely naked for all to see. “Why do you disturb me? I am claiming my female!”
“You claimed your female all night,” one of his friends said snidely.
“You should not begrudge your chieftain his own female! What is a chieftain without a female to tend his needs?” he shouted after them.
The first who’d been calling for him, shoved the others out of his way. “No one cares about your female! We come for Skala! You have to come now!”
Raska sighed. “What has he done now?”
“He attacked Valka’s female! Valka has attacked Skala! You must stop him!”
“Valka’s female?! That’s Delia! Is Delia well?” Bettina asked worriedly as she ran to the entrance of the cave.
Raska shoved her back inside.
“Silence!” he shouted at her. “Your only concern is that I am satisfied. If she dies it is not of your concern! Do not leave this cave, ever! Sit and remain silent!”
He turned to question the men who came for him. “Why do you waste my time? Tell me at once he needs me! Valka will kill Skala!” Raska shouted angrily.
“We just did! It is why we are here!” one of them said defensively.
Raska shoved past Bettina and grabbed his halberd. “You stay here!” he yelled at Bettina, before storming out of the cave once more.
Raska took off at a run toward Valka’s cave. He stopped halfway and looked over his shoulder at the males following, but at a distance. “You caused me to tarry! My brother’s death will be on your hands! Step up now!”
The males looked at each other, then at Raska, who still looked at them expectantly. They wanted Raska to handle Valka and not have to be involved.
“If Valka kills Skala and myself, he will come for you next!” Raska bit out angrily.