Stubborn Love

If he hadn't been so preoccupied with her injury he wouldn't have let himself get so close to her. Rhyme wouldn't allow her to come to more harm and let himself remain too caught up in focusing on her injury. She agreed with his assessment of usefulness for the sheep's skin, and he tried to set thoughts of their children from his mind. Of course they were also his main goal, keep them safe. He'd been so close to losing them he'd realize as he cleaned Shaye's wound of the drying blood.

He winced, looking down to see her busy at his wound as well Rhyme started to dissuade her but her expression said he wasn't going to get far if he tried. He shook his head as he turned his attention back to the herbs between them. "The horsetail should bind the wound together, and the trillium will help ward off infection." He told her as he focused on preparing the herbs instead of how close she was. Rhyme couldn't let his mind travel down that path. He applied his concoction to the gash in her side carefully. "You shouldn't have been out there today." He chastised her gently instead of offering thanks for likely saving his life or at least a limb. Rhyme wouldn't have seen the danger until it was too late.