From time to time, fans are treated to small sneak peeks from the Outlander book series. Diana Gabaldon regularly shares what she calls her Daily Lines, offering brief excerpts from her work in progress. Some of these passages are longer, while others are just quick glimpses meant to set the tone for what’s coming in the full novel.

These previews never reveal major plot twists. Instead, they usually show where the characters are physically and emotionally — especially since the family rarely stays in one place for long after leaving Fraser’s Ridge. A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out will be the tenth and final novel in the main Outlander series, and a new short tease has now been released — this one centered on Young Ian.

Young Ian Turns to Claire for Help in A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out

The excerpt opens with Totìs urgently running to Claire. Readers may remember that Totìs joined the family in Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone. He is the child Young Ian shares with Emily, his Mohawk wife — though the situation is more complicated than it seems. Emily believed that Totìs carried Young Ian’s spirit and that they conceived him together, even though there was no way at the time to scientifically confirm this.

In the Outlander TV adaptation, the show makes it more explicit that Totìs is Ian’s biological son. In the books, however, Gabaldon intentionally keeps the truth ambiguous. Regardless, Totìs and Young Ian clearly view each other as father and son. In this excerpt, Totìs calls Young Ian “Papa” and refers to Jamie as “Grand-da.”

According to the passage, Totìs seeks out Claire because his father has fallen and broken his leg. The situation is urgent, and Claire immediately drops what she’s doing and rushes to help, heading toward Young Ian, Jamie, and William.

Gabaldon shared the full excerpt on her Facebook page.

Why Claire Stays Behind Instead of Helping Jamie and William

This moment also helps answer a question raised by earlier excerpts: why Claire initially prepares to accompany Jamie and William to rescue Lord John Grey at the end of Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone — but ultimately remains at Fraser’s Ridge. This new tease appears to provide that explanation.

A previous excerpt, shared on Reddit, takes place shortly after this scene. Jamie and William are with Young Ian by a creek, where he has been injured. As suspected, Ian’s leg is broken — and not just slightly. Claire determines that it’s a severe compound fracture. She also notices broken ribs, though those injuries are less immediately dangerous.

The leg injury turns out to be even worse than expected. Upon closer examination, Claire realizes there are at least three separate breaks. Faced with a patient who urgently needs her skills, Claire stays behind to care for Ian, while Jamie and William continue on to help Lord John Grey.

Outlander Book 10 remains in progress.