Page 99 of Luthias

“Your reckoning, ’tis much the same as mine.” He wanted to wrap his arms around her, and hold her safe from all the ugliness in the realm. “If you would, Mery, say naught of what you ken to anyone.”

“I won’t.” She looked over at the sparkling water, and something odd flickered over her features. “You were right, this is a beautiful place. Can we have a picnic here instead of by the loch? There are probably a lot of bugs by the water.”

“There’s a meadow beyond the trees there, but we must walk down,” Luthias said as he tethered the horse to a good grazing spot, and went over to the edge of the trail. “I cannae promise you a monster, but ’tis a good time to see golden eagles, swans and ospreys as they journey from their nesting grounds.”

Emery started to say something, and then a series of low, heavy thuds made her frown. “What is that?”

He looked up to see a huge boulder tumbling down from the higher slopes, and lunged at her, knocking her out of the way. As it slammed down on the spot where he and Emery had just stood a shower of dirt rained down on them. The gigantic rock bounced up and hurtled over the edge, falling into the water with a tremendous splash.

Luthias looked down at Emery. “You’re no’ hurt?” When she shook her head he scrambled to his feet and drew his dagger, stepping back to scan the upper cliffs. “Show yourself.”

His shout drew no one into his sight, but some other, smaller rocks and dirt pelted his boots.

“Do giant rocks usually fall down like that around here?” she asked as she stood and brushed off her clothes.

“No, and ’tis been weeks since the last storms.” Luthias looked over the edge at the loch, but the stone had sunk to the bottom. He felt curiously unsteady, and then realized the cause: the ground had begun shifting under his feet.

“Stay back, my lady.” Luthias took a cautious step forward, only to see a large rift form in the earth between him and Emery. “’Tis collapsing.”

Chapter Eleven

Emery saw the crack in the ground suddenly growing branches that stretched out in all directions. The impact of the boulder must have made the already unstable soil loosen even more.

“Luthias.” She darted forward as much as she dared, and held out her arm. “Grab my hand. Hurry.”

He shook his head. “Stay back. ’Twillnae harm–”

The ground beneath him suddenly disappeared, and he dropped out of sight. Emery froze in disbelief as she stared at the emptiness where he had just been standing. Then she saw the laird below her, tumbling head over heels down the slope. He bounced off an outcropping and went flying into the air, only to land in the loch with a huge splash.

“Luthias.”

She ran down the foot path, her breath burning in her chest as she made her way down the slope. She kept her eyes on the loch, hoping to see him surface, but saw no sign of the laird. It didn’t help that she kept losing her footing and stumbling, but she managed to stay upright. As she reached the embankment she saw a tartan slowly float to the surface a few yards from shore.

You don’t know how deep it is, the sensible part of her brain reminded her, while her heart pounded with terror. You can’t swim, remember? You’ll panic and go under and drown.

“Fine.” Swallowing against the bile rising in her throat, Emery waded into the water. “Then I’ll drown with him.”

The shock of the cold water made her teeth chatter, and the silty bottom made her boots slide, but she kept her gaze fixed on the plaid. The plaid would still be attached to Luthias, since he wore it pinned to his tunic. All she had to do was reach the plaid.

You’re really going to drown.

“I won’t, I’ll be careful.” Feeling her sodden clothes dragging at her made every step more difficult. The loch got much deeper very fast. She was shaking so hard now she was making the water churn around her.

Like the day at the beach when the current pulled you under. You’re going to die like your mother.

“No, I’m not,” she muttered under her breath as she sank down chest-deep in the loch, “The minute I get back to my time, I’m taking swimming lessons. I am not going to die, not when I can save his life. Luthias. Luthias.”

No bubbles or movement came from the water around the tartan, which was now starting to sink almost as fast as Emery.

“No.” She spat out a mouthful of water, or maybe she threw up a little. She couldn’t tell which. “I’m going to get him. We’re going to live. This is why the sword brought me back. To save him. To save this MacRoss.”

Why would it bring back someone who can’t swim to save a drowning man?

Emery stopped and shouted, “Will you shut up?”

A bunch of birds suddenly took wing from the edge of the loch. The sunlight glittered on the rippling water. Everything seemed to go quiet, even inside her head.

“Thank you,” she said.