Page 70 of The Vanishing Throne

As they cross the river, I can see the large metal gears in their thighs revolving so quickly that it looks like their insides are aflame. They are beautiful creations of the same black obsidian as themortair… and yet they are horrifying.

Aithinne is next to me, her eyes narrowed and determined. ‘The little ones attack in groups, so pick them off one at a time. Try not to let them surround you,’ she says, pulling out her own sword. Then she passes me a smile. ‘It’s all straightforward. Uncomplicated!’

Oh, she didnotjust – ‘Really, Aithinne?’

The creatures’ legs eat up the ground fast. So fast. They’re almost here now, just one more hill …

My sword is out. I’m ready.Now.I run beneath the massive frame of a catlikemortair, its limbs towering over me as gracefully as a real animal. I thread myself between its limbs, slicing my blade through the metal there to bring down the beast.

It’s amazing how quickly the creatures move. One minute I’m thinking through my options, the next I see dozens heading straight toward me. I sprint between them and cut through them at the ankles to send the metal creatures crashing down around us. As they hit the ground, snow flies up and adheres to my skin, but I’m movingso fast that the cold barely affects me.

Themortaircrash to the ground, their limbs breaking the earth all around us. I teeter and try to find my footing, but the ground is uneven, buckling beneath my boots.

‘Kam!’

I look up at Kiaran’s call and swear loudly. Behind him are even moremortair, racing through the trees and hills from the west end of the island. Their limbscrash through the forests, sending branches and whole trees flying from the force of their massive bodies. It’s an entire army. If Aithinne invented themortairto withstand most weapons, we can’t stand a chance against that many.

‘We have to jump,’ Kiaran tells me, grabbing for my arm.

I run with him. The fae creatures are pursuing us, pounding across the icy landscape. Aithinne leaps to cut downanother with her sword.

Kiaran leads me up the icy slope of the crag toward the cliffs, our boots pounding through the snow. It’s so cold that my toes are growing numb; I can barely run any more. Kiaran urges me forward as the mechanical creatures gain on us. Once we reach the edge of the crag I look down at the crashing waves. It’s a long way down.

Kiaran looks at me with determination. Oh, Christ, he reallydoesintend to jump. ‘On the count of three,’ he says, pulling me against him.

I wrap my arms tightly around him. Next to us, Aithinne says, ‘See you both at the bottom!’

God help me.

Aithinne lets out a whoop of glee and jumps off the cliff in a single running leap, taking a graceful dive. I don’t even see her enter the water; Kiaran’s holding me too tightly. ‘Whatever you do,’ he says, ‘don’t let go of me.’

The ground is shaking from themortair. They’re going to be here any second. Already the tremors are dislodging pieces of loose rock along the cliff. ‘Me, let go? I wouldn’t dream of it.’

‘Smart lass. Ready?’ Kiaran presses his cheek to mine and whispers. ‘One … two …’

On three, he throws us off. The frigid air whistles past us as we hurtle to the sea below. Beneath us, all I see is the jagged rock sticking up from the bottom of the crag. The cliffs on this part of Skye are high up, and the ocean waves so violent, the jump is anything but safe. We will be dashed against the rocks … if the fall doesn’t kill me first.

Kiaran shifts me so he can hold his hand, palm out, to the sea below. His power surrounds us in a sudden, nauseating burst that would have doubled me over had I been standing. Then I realise Kiaran is slowingusdown, using his powers so we fall at half the speed to reach the bottom. Forme; he’s doing this for me. The rocks would crush me if we landed at full force. Kiaran would survive, but my entire body would be broken.

‘Put your arms tighter around me,’ he whispers, his breath warm on my cheek.

I press my palms to his back and pull him against me. We fall slower, slower still, then it’s as if we’re floating rather than falling. We are weightless above the raging sea, the air around us no more violent than a frigid breeze that ruffles my hair. Kiaran’s warmth surrounds me, his power pulsing and sliding over my skin, as soft as silk. Cold sea mist sprays all around us, dampeningthrough my coat, slicking my face. I shiver when Kiaran draws me closer to press his lips to my neck.

We hit the water. God, not even the Forth was this cold when I leaped into it after a fight with thesluagh. The current wasn’t so strong, so forceful. The cold steals my breath and my insides ache as we plunge beneath the surface. Violent waves throw us back, but Kiaran’s power meets it in a burst that slows us before we slam into the cliff.

He’s tugging us away from the crag, shoving us through the water with a combination of power and the strong strokes of his legs and arms. A wave hits and we’re dragged beneath the water. His hold on me breaks and I’m carried awayby the violent force of the surge. I panic, waving my arms beneath the water to find him, but I can’t see. Air, I need air. I can’tbreathe—

Kiaran seizes my arm, pulling me up. We surface and I heave the frigid air into my lungs. It’s painful, as if the very atmosphere is solid. I push against him, struggling to breathe, to kick, but my limbs are numb and uncoordinated. He almost loses his hold on me again, but my nails dig into his coat, my limbs thrashing.

‘Kam!’ He presses his hands to my face so I’m forced to look into his eyes. Calm, he’s so calm. His power is warming, soothing. ‘You have to swim,’he says, drawing me against him. He strains not to lose me to another violent wave. ‘All right? Just swim, Kam.’

I’ve never heard him sound so gentle. He presses his forehead against mine, holding me against another wave. ‘I’ll be right here with you,’ he says.

I nod once and kick. The effort of swimming is like trying to move a boulder uphill, like each movement makes no difference at all. I’m panting with the effort. Kiaran swims with me, doing most of the work. His strokes are strong, assured, as if he isn’t affected at all by the currents or the waves or the bitter cold. He keeps my arm in a strong, sure grip even as the current threatens to tear us apart. I’m certain his hand will leave finger-shaped bruises after this.

Water crashes against us and I swallow it.Ugh.The too-salty taste makes me choke. I cough and cough, but still I kick forward.

Our progress is slow,agonizing. Even with Kiaran’s powers keeping me warm, it doesn’t stop the cold from seeping through. I’m a tangle of shivers and uncoordinated movements. My trousers and coat cling to my skin, and my boots weigh me down. My body is heavy, like a rock ready to sink straight to the bottom of the sea.

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