Page 89 of Wild Scottish Rose

“Hey!” A shout sounded at the shore, and I turned to see the boat rental guys running across the road. Praying the engine would start, I turned the key and was rewarded with the engine rumbling to life. Pushing the throttle forward, I zipped away from the dock just before the guys reached me.

“I’m bringing it right back,” I called over my shoulder. “It’s…someone’s in trouble.”

I didn’t know if they heard me over the engine or not,and frankly, I didn’t care. All I could think about was getting to Shona before something catastrophic happened.

Don’t go to the island.

Everyone here had told me that. From day one. And yet what was Shona doing? She was kayaking up to the damn island. I would throttle her if I wasn’t so damned worried for her.

And, yes, the irony wasn’t lost on me, given Shona had said almost the same thing.But I get it, Shona. I can’t lose you when I’ve just found you.

I rounded the island, directing the boat to where I’d seen her last. There, I found her sitting in her kayak, waving her hands at the shore.Is she… is she chanting? What the…

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Plants sprang, literally sprang up from the ground, weaving tightly together as they grew toward the treetops, quickly forming a dense and impenetrable hedge at the waterline.

How on earth is that happening?

Did she?

No, don’t be a fool, Williams.There was no way…

What could that possibly mean?

Shona. Had. Done. That.

What was that? Magick?

Confusion caused me to slow the boat.IfShona made those plants happen…then she has been hiding things from me all along.

My mind flashed to Shona, naked, chanting in her garden to celebrate Mabon. The mystery that surrounded her. The hesitation to share more of herself. And now, plants growing out of thin air. My conclusionwas notlogical,but as a storyteller, the puzzle pieces were coming together.Ryan said he’d seen water horses.

To protect the island.

And yet, Shona had been safe until I arrived…a stranger.

Shit.

Shona’s involved in all of this.

The guileless and beautiful woman I’d fallen in love with had...lied to me?

The water shifted, moving at an unnatural angle, and panic gripped me.

“Shona!” I shouted, and she turned, horror on her pretty face.

“Owen, no! Go back!” Shona screamed, grabbing her paddle, and pushing away from the beach.

It all happened so fast and yet, seemingly in slow motion. Three horses rose, taller than the tallest tree on the island, formed entirely of the water. The loch seemed to heave, like someone pulling the rug out from under you, and my boat was dragged toward Shona. For one heartbreaking second, her eyes caught on mine, and then the water horses ran her over, tossing her high into the air before she landed with a sickening plop in the water. I dove into the loch as they turned and aimed for me, wanting to be clear of any potential danger from the boat. I swam as rapidly as I could in shoes and a sweater and when the Kelpies raced over me, I sucked in a breath of air. I couldn’t tell which was down or up, I just held my breath and let my body get tossed around until the water calmed slightly. Risking opening my eyes, I spied sun, and swam toward the surface.

Breaking the top, I gasped for air, and spun around, seeing Shona in the water nearby. She floated, her life jacket holding her head up, blood running down her face. I jumped into action.

If this was how I’d lost her I would never forgive myself.

Or her.

“Shona, baby, come on. Wake up,” I crooned to her when I reached her. Pulling her close so that her body rested on top of mine, I held two fingers to her neck, panic making my hand slip. The water was cold, colder than I’d anticipated, and tremors racked my body as I fought to stay warm. When I felt her pulse flutter under the tips of my fingers, I almost cried. “Come on, pretty girl, time to wake up.”

Shona’s eyelashes fluttered, inky spikes against a bone white face.

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