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did. Seeing him, didn't the poor lamb's ashy face just light up like the rising sun? She murmured something, but Holly couldn't hear it. Neither could Thorn, she figured, for he sat down on the bed so carefully he looked almost dainty for one so big. |
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"What was that?" he said, his voice gentle like a feather. He leaned down, put his ear close to her mouth. |
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"Medicine." Holly heard the word this time as it puffed from between Mariah's dry lips. |
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Thorn looked at Holly like he still didn't understand. "Medicine," she repeated irritably. "She said that in her time" Holly stopped, her hand rushing toward her mouth, as though to push what she'd said back inside. "I mean, where she's from" |
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"I know she says she's from another time, Holly." Surprisingly, Thorn didn't sound scornful. Holly glanced at Mariah. Her eyes had closed again. She'd told Holly Thorn didn't believe her, but the man just might be accepting now. |
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And that could help Mariah more than near any medicine. If she knew it. |
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But there was no indication that she'd understood. She seemed to be weakening. Slipping away. |
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Thorn bent over Mariah, his hand cupping the side of her face. Holly knew how hot those cheeks were, how feverish. |
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Not a good sign. Not at all. |
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"Mariah," Thorn whispered. "I spoke with Will. Everything you said about him . . . you were right." |
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Mariah's eyelids fluttered. Those eyes of hers, thoughthis time, when they appeared ever so briefly, they looked like they couldn't focus, not even on Thorn. She murmured something that sounded like, "He's Billy." |
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"That's right." Thorn's deep voice was rough about the edges, but he kept it soft, he did. Good fellow. "Do you know who he is? He's the boy who was lost picking berries. He said it wasn't Indians who stole him away, but he hasn't told me who did. But" Holly saw Thorn's Adam's apple dip up and down along his throat; poor fellow was choking with emotion, he was. "But he's here to avenge his mother's |
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