The Marriage Spell Read Online Free Page B

glance. Charms carrying protective spells were common since many people were wary of wizards, though Abby considered them fairly useless. A wizard had to have a good reason to cast spells because so much power was required—and if a strong wizard seriously wanted to bespell a person, the average protective charm wouldn’t be much help. But if the charms made people feel safer around wizards, they had some value.
    As a rich man, Frayne could afford the best spells and so could his friends. She was tempted to see if they were also using shielding charms, but checking would be discourteous, not to mention distracting when a man’s life weighed in the balance.
    Ashby said, “I’ll see if I can get him to agree to your using magic.”
    Interesting. Either Frayne had a charm that was not easily removed or his friends didn’t know where he carried the charm and were reluctant to waste time looking for it. Ashby bent over his friend. “Jack, will you grant permission for Miss Barton to examine your injuries?”
    Frayne blinked his eyes open. “Wyrdling,” he breathed, as if that was answer enough.
    â€œ
Please,
Jack! Try for courtesy. Miss Barton is a wizard of good reputation and gentle birth. Ransom and I will stay with you, so you’ll be safe. But for God’s sake, grant her permission!”
    After another long, rattling breath, Frayne mouthed, “Very well.”
    Permission had to be freely granted to neutralize a charm, and Abby wondered if Frayne’s obvious reluctance would block true consent. But when she tried scanning again, she was able to sink her awareness into his body, sensing what was whole and what was damaged. By the time she reached Frayne’s neck and head, she should be well attuned to his energy.
    As she slowly skimmed her palms above his legs, she murmured, “The bones in his lower right leg are broken in four places. The worst is a fracture in the large bone, and the broken bits have pierced the skin. That’s what’s causing the bleeding. But his knees and thighbones are undamaged, which is good.”
    â€œYou can really sense that?” Ashby asked with wonder.
    â€œYes. Bones are easy. Internal organs can be more difficult.” She continued her scan, moving slowly up Frayne’s body without ever touching him directly. As a woman healer working on a man, and an aristocrat at that, she needed to be circumspect.
    There were bruises in profusion and several cracked ribs, but nothing lethal until she shifted her hands to the area above his throat. Immediately she felt violent energy stabbing her palms. She probed more deeply, needing to understand in detail. When she was sure, she said grimly, “Two bones at the base of the neck are broken.”
    One of the men sucked in his breath, but didn’t speak. She guessed that both understood that their friend was mortally injured. For the sake of thoroughness, she completed her scan, moving her hands above Frayne’s skull. “He has a bad concussion,” she said, “but I don’t think there’s serious brain damage.”
    â€œThe broken neck is surely enough,” Ransom said heavily.
    Unfortunately he was right. Yet still Frayne breathed. She frowned as she considered the extent of his injuries, trying to remember if she’d read anything in her father’s books that offered hope.
    â€œCan you do anything for him?” Ashby asked.
    Before Abby could reply, Frayne drew a harsh, painful breath—then choked and stopped breathing. For a moment, Abby felt her own heart stop at the fear he would die right now. She splayed her hand over the center of Frayne’s chest. His heart still beat, though faintly. What he needed was air in his lungs.
    She placed her hands on both sides of Frayne’s throat, pouring in energy and praying that she might temporarily stabilize the damaged neck and throat. It took all the strength she had, but she could