Credence

The animals are now housed safely in the shop. Tiernan cannot be taken to the hospital in town as the roads are snowed in. Kaleb decides to stitch her wounds himself. Noah gives Tiernan alcohol to drink to dull the pain. When that doesn’t work and Tiernan tries to stop Kaleb from putting in the stitches, Kaleb slaps her across the face to distract her. Kaleb and Noah kiss her in turns to soothe her. Noah tells Tiernan that he loves her. After the wound is finally stitched, Tiernan asks Kaleb why he had to hit her across the face. She suspects that Kaleb is physically abusive, given Cici’s bloody nose in the cave. Noah tells her that Kaleb does not hit women, “unless they’re hysterical and keeping him from saving their lives” (318). Noah tells Tiernan bitterly that he is the only man in the house who has not hit her and the man to whom Tiernan is not sexually attracted, and he hands her painkillers.

Tiernan is dumbfounded. She tells Noah that he makes her laugh and she does want him. Noah prepares a makeshift hot bath for Tiernan in a tub in the hall.