Page 47 of Highlander of Steel
With his hand to his brow, as if that might help him see better, he surveyed the landscape, wishing that the moon would come out from behind the clouds again.
It would rain soon, he could smell it in the air, and he hoped to find her before it began to pour. Trying to locate someone in the dark was bad enough, but with the blur of a deluge, it would be doubly difficult.
That was when he saw her.
A splash alerted him to a figure in the water, almost at the invisible border where the cove met the open sea. Fabric floated around her like seaweed, her arms thrashing, fighting against the current that grew stronger at the mouth of the cove.
Heknew of that dangerous undertow, but she wouldn’t. She hadn’t reached that far during their lesson, and he hadn’t thought to warn her.
Heart thundering so hard that he could feel it in his skull, Killian jumped down from his horse and ran for the cliff steps. He bounded down them faster than he ever had before, and hared across the beach while pulling off his shirt and unbuckling his belt, for he wanted nothing to hinder him in the swim to save her life.
He paused on the shoreline for half a second to wrench off his boots, then ran straight into the bitterly cold water, the night temperature so intense that it felt like fire licking his flesh, burning him. He didn’t care, wading in up to his waist before he dove beneath the surface and swam with everything he had.
The current tried to fight him too as his hands cut cleanly through the surface, his legs kicking fiercely, but the tides were no match for his determination. With all the fear coursing through his veins, doubling his strength, he did not doubt that he could have swum all the way to Denmark if he had wanted to.
Up ahead, Ailis had just disappeared beneath the water. With each couple of strokes, her pale face popped up again like a beacon, before she was dragged under once more.
I’m here, lass. Just keep yer head up a moment longer.
But he knew she would start to tire. There was nothing more dangerous than being trapped in treacherous waters. Even thestrongest of swimmers, when they began to tire, could meet a watery death.
With one final effort, his fingertips straining toward her, he touched the floating skirt of her dress. He grabbed it and pulled her to him, reeling her in like a selkie in a net, though the tug made her thrash harder, her gasping breaths making his heart ache.
Clearly, she didn’t realize that help had arrived.
“It’s me, lass,” he crooned, wading through the water as he managed to grab an arm. “It’s me.”
Ailis ceased flailing and flapping, her terrified eyes glinting in the gloom as she turned her gaze to him. “Killian…” she managed to rasp as a wavelet slapped the back of her head.
“Aye, I’m here,” he told her, pulling her all the way in. “I’m goin’ to get ye to shore, but I need ye to cling to me back. Can ye do that?”
She nodded, spluttering, her arms eagerly looping around his neck.
Not yet allowing himself to feel relief, Killian turned around. Following his instruction, Ailis wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms squeezing his throat a little too tight, but he could handle that as long as she was safe.
With his bride secured, Killian began to swim, just as the heavens opened. The water began to dance with the heavy patter of rainfall, churning up the somewhat peaceful cove, as if the sea itself was none too pleased that he had stolen away a sacrifice.
She’s mine,he vowed as he powered through the current.And nay one will have her but me.
18
Ailis shook so violently that she could feel her bones rattling. Her jaw ached with the strain of clenching her teeth. No part of her was still, not even her mind, what with the sort of cold that made a person feel like they would never be warm again.
She didn’t know where Killian had gone, but he had left her at the mouth of a cave with his dry shirt and his plaid wrapped around her. Indeed, it only occurred to her in his absence that he mustn’t be wearing anything at all.
Has he left me? Has he abandoned me for me stupidity?
Just then, she saw him on the cliff steps, descending at a pace that sent her heart to her throat. It didn’t help matters that he was entirely naked, the rain and the faint moonlight making his bare skin gleam.
He was carrying something in his arms, mostly hiding his dignity.
It became clearer as he ran across the bay toward her that he had a giant fleece with him, and the thought of its warmth lifted her spirits ever so slightly.
“Once ye’ve warmed up a little,” he said without preamble, “we should get ye back to the castle.”
Her teeth chattered, allowing no reply.
“Aye, well, let me wrap this around ye.” He exchanged the fleece for his plaid, quickly belting the latter around his hips before she could see too much. “Can ye walk a few steps?”
