So he watched and he waited. He could hear her mumble, "One step at a time, Lainie, just one step at a time. Don’t look down."
When she had almost reached the top, she looked up as if she were ignoring the abyss below and the raging waters.
He watched as Lainie kept moving, kept creeping forward, inch by weary inch. He watched as her arms shook from fatigue and her body shook from terror. Then she stopped to rest. She paused bent over, knees and hands in the dirt and the mud. Her wet hair hid her face until she looked up and he saw the fear. He prayed she would have the strength to keep going. Tears of pride and bitterness at this situation welled in the back of his throat.
"Come on, little fox, you can do it. I know you can," he said. "And you do, I'll tell you how proud I am of you."
He watched her rub her hands over her thighs and then rested enough to keep moving, she scrambled up over the next obstacle. Just a little farther away the path sloped and fell away to deep chasm, sloping to the rushing river below. There was a steep decent to a small ledge. From there the rock fell away to water.
Slade was on the other side watching and so terrified for her he couldn't move.
"Come on little fox," he whispered. You can scramble over it with your eyes closed."
She looked at him with a tear stained face then at the water below.
"I know you can do this, one step, Lainie, then the next. Your brothers must have seen to it," he coaxed, praying he was right and wishing he could replace the tears with laughter and smiles.
He watched her stare at the trail as if it were the end of the world, "Come on Lainie, you can make it. Just a few more steps and you’ll be in my arms."
The apparent weakness in Lainie's body frightened Slade. He'd never seen her when she wasn't able to keep up with him in every way. She only had this last treacherous obstacle to cross. She couldn't give up now. But she was so exhausted she was wheezing trying to inhale enough air.
Don't doubt her, Slade told himself. She's done things just as hard this day, and she hasn't failed. It’s not very wide. Just a few more steps and you'll be there. Come on Lainie.
He kept repeating those words, hoping he could give her courage with his thoughts. Suddenly, she disappeared from view. Heart lodged in his throat, he raced to her. If she saw him, it might help. If he could encourage her, it might help.
He saw her. Everything moved with the slowest motion, but he couldn't reach her. She inhaled a deep breath and then another. Lainie walked forward. A branch slipped under her foot throwing her off balance. She turned as she fell, her arms flailing, her hands searching for anything that would stop her fall.
He heard the tiny rush of air from her lungs when she landed, the hard ground knocking the breath from her. With nothing to grab hold of she rolled toward the ravine and the river. She was falling down a slide made of wet-slick rock to the tumbling rapids and jagged boulders below.
"Slade!" Lainie screamed.
"Sweet jesu." First her feet then her knees slid over the embankment. She groped for a hold but couldn't find anything. Then he could see her only from the waist up. He raced forward, wondering if he would reach her in time and cursing himself for a damned fool for not realizing she wasn't right behind him. She struggled to pull herself up and nearly lost her grip.
An instant later, his hand wound beneath her arms, and he pulled her free. She fought wildly before she seemed to realize that she wasn't falling anymore, and that he had pulled her to safety. He braced his feet apart and held her against his body savoring the beat of her heart so close to his.
"Easy, little fox. I'll keep you safe. I promise if it's the last thing I do," he murmured wondering if he made her a promise he couldn't keep.
Slade felt her shaking in every limb. Then she gave herself to his protection, sagging against him.
"Are you hurt?" he asked urgently.
He held her away, his hands on her shoulders, not wanting to let her go, but needing to see for himself.
Lainie nodded her head and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She stared into his eyes with such trust, he ached with the knowledge.
He ran his fingers down the length of her arms and held her hands, turning them over. The palms of her hands bled from rock-cuts, and she had bruises on her arms. He swore softly while he watched the trail of silver tears sliding down her cheeks. Her face was death white, and her lips trembled. For a moment she closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest, soaking his shirt with her tears.
"Can you walk?" he asked, holding onto her shoulders and looking hard at her face.
She inhaled a deep breath and nodded her head once more. As if mesmerized, she put one foot in front of the other moving away from him and toward the valley where they headed, but her legs shook and he wasn't at all sure she would be able to go on, at least not without rest. Their pursuers wouldn’t rest.
"We can't turn around," Slade told her. "We don't have a choice now. We have to keep going."
Slade tried not to be rough with Lainie. He wanted to encourage her, but his voice came out ragged and harsh.
"I can do it," Lainie said, nodding to show she understood all that was at stake. "I don't want to go back. I can do it."
Slade pulled her close and brushed his mouth lightly across hers. The kiss was unlike anything he had given her or anyone else. With this kiss, he asked for nothing in return. For the first time in his life, he thought only to give. Slade eased her down onto a fallen tree and sat beside her, cradling her while she shook with a mixture of weariness, terror and relief.
"I've done a damn poor job of protecting you," he murmured. He pulled the satchel of water he'd slung across his back and dampened a cloth. When the cool cloth touched Lainie's face, she drew back.
"It wasn't your job to protect me," she said, pushing his hand away. "You were just going to collect the bounty--remember?"
He remembered all too well. His feelings had changed. "Easy, sweet heart, it's just water, like your tears."
He felt her resilience. Before she said anything, she stiffened. "I'm not crying," she whispered.
"Of course you're not," he agreed a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.
He continued, wiping away the tears on her dirt stained face and pushing the wet strands of hair from her eyes. When he finished, she let off a long ragged breath, her body shaking in his embrace.
"Drink," he said, leaving no room for argument. He felt as if he tortured her with every step.
Without disagreeing, she sipped slowly from the water satchel. Slade watched knowing this peaceful silence and moment of comfort was about to end.
A low sound of pleasure came from her as she swallowed. Holding the satchel with both hands, she drank greedily, ignoring the tiny trickle that escaped at one corner of her mouth.
Slade touched the tiny drops of water with his finger, reveling in the moment then he followed with his tongue. She jumped with the caress and dropped the satchel. He laughed and caught it, closed it, and slung it across his back once again.
"It's time," he said softly.
"One more minute?" she asked, her eyes huge with resolve.
"No, if we wait any longer, Jericho's men might figure this out and be on our back trail before we know it."
"Then--"
He hated what he did to her. With gentle fingers he brushed her neck. He found her pulse points.
“If you don't want to see where we're going, I could carry you over my shoulder. A slight pressure here, he touched her, and you would faint. You wouldn't know a thing or see anything until we were safe.”
Lainie closed her eyes for a second almost as if she contemplated what he said.
"You can't carry me over that," she said, pointing in the direction they were about to go.
"You're like a little fox. Agile and lithe. But for all their cunning and grace, A fox isn't very big or very heavy."
Slade stood, pulling Lainie to her feet and then off them in a quick easy motion. He shifted
his grip, holding her balanced against his hip with one arm. It all happened so quickly, she didn't have time to draw a breath.
"Slade, put me down. You can't mean to do this."
An odd strangled sound escaped her lips.
Slade frowned.
"I didn't mean to scare you," he said.
"You didn't," she said faintly. "I just didn't expect--" she wiggled in his arms as if she were asking him to put her down.
But he didn’t want to let go of her. He was afraid that if he put her down, he would lose her. So he waited, watching her.
"It's just…" she was trying to explain something.
He smiled, still waiting, relishing the feel of her body so close to his and knowing she lived, and by taking this crazy path over the mountain, he had not sent her to her death.
She let out a noise that was half sob, half laugh. "I've never had to ask for help."
Slade was left speechless. Those few words told him a lot about her. Slowly, he nodded. And the small motion told him why she hadn't made mention that she was struggling just to stay on her feet let alone jump across cliffs. It simply hadn't occurred to her. She was used to doing for others, not the other way around. She had always been the strong one.
"And I'm not used to having a partner," Slade said. "I've pushed too hard and too fast. I'll make another deal with you."
“What's that?"
"If I'm going too fast for you and you need to rest, you'll tell me."
Gently, he set her on her feet. Slade slid an arm around her waist, and she leaned into him.
"Tired, little fox?" he asked.
She smiled at him. "I'm beyond tired."
"Put your arm around me and I'll help. It's not too far."
"I can--"
Suddenly, Slade touched a finger to Lainie's lips. "Hush," he whispered against her ear. "I hear voices."
She nodded and did as Slade asked. She didn't say anything.
Slade felt her stiffen as if straining to hear the he’d spoken of.
Slade was right. Voices floated up from below. Jericho and his mercenaries had become eager to end this and were searching for them.
"Bloody hell," Slade swore. "Get down!"
But Slade didn't wait for Lainie to respond, He had her pressed on her stomach against the solid rock before she could breathe.
"Keep your head down," he told her in a very soft voice, hoping Jericho wouldn't see or hear them.
Slade handed Lainie the water and drew his bow. She watched him as he began crawling on his stomach toward the ledge where he could look over and see below.
Down the slope where they had begun the treacherous path were three mercenaries leading their horses. They were headed straight for Slade. Red was in the lead. He spotted Slade. When the mercenary shouted, arrows started whizzing and ricocheting off the rocks.
Slade returned the fire, picking targets with care. There wasn't much cover, but the mercenaries made good use of the rugged terrain. They flattened themselves behind boulders and crevices.
Unfortunately, all but Red were beyond the range of Slade's longbow. The mercenary took an arrow in the arm but that wouldn't slow the man down for long.
Slade slithered back to Lainie and pulled her to her feet.
"Get ready to run."
To Slade it looked as if she wanted to object, but he shook his head.
"A few steps then jump," he told her. He didn't give her time to think. He thrust her forward. She ran and jumped. He followed her, flying over the black abyss, landing hard and holding her upright when her foot slipped. Seconds later, they were running for their lives.
Slade's hand was clamped around her arm, lifting her, hurtling her forward, then lifting her again the instant her feet touched down.
They had almost reached the horses when arrows started crashing around them, whizzing through the air. Slade made no attempt to take cover. He just tightened his grip on Lainie and ran faster. He knew their best chance of survival was reaching the horses before Jericho's mercenaries could reload.
The rocks evened out and the footing became more solid. They reached the horses. Slade tossed Lainie into her saddle, vaulted onto Baby, and raced toward the valley.
“Whatever happens, trust me, Lainie. Keep going and know that I’ll be there for you. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He prayed he spoke true.
The narrow trail continued to climb. Slade kept the horses pointed uphill, not stopping when the path became so narrow that their legs brushed against rocks.
Without warning, the trail opened a little. A large boulder spanned most of the opening to the trail. And in front of them, the valley opened up. But the valley wouldn't provide them with any respite if the mercenaries got through. He spun Baby around and raced back to the packhorses, urging them past the boulder. He turned to Lainie.
"Let's see if we can block the path," he said curtly. "Get off your mare and give me a hand."
She slipped off the horse and walked to Slade. He was putting all his weight into moving the boulder toward the trail. Lainie put her shoulder against the huge rock and pushed with all her strength. Slowly the boulder began to move. Once they got it off its resting spot, it began to roll with a horrifying thunder. The path down hill helped the momentum. Soon it was hurtling downward, finally coming to rest where rock ledges nearly met.
The sound of curses floated up the canyon, now blocked by the boulder. Slade wiped sweat and rain water from his forehead with the back of his arm.
"Time to take a long deep breath and relax," Slade said.
"Really? I don’t think I could have gone on much longer."
Slade smiled and pulled Lainie into his arms in an easy motion. He stared at the boulder for a few long seconds. The path was completely blocked.
"I had just about given up hope of ever getting rid of them."
"You think they're gone?"
"Not for ever. They'll go the long way around, and it will take days for them to catch up with us if they ever do. I'm hoping for the latter." The silence seemed to linger in the fading light of the day. Suddenly above the silence, the sound of the horses’ hooves beating a rapid staccato on the rocks below floated toward them.
"Were safe?" she asked as if she couldn't really belief they would have some kind of respite.
"For now," Slade said, agreeing with her.
Lainie grimaced and sighed.
"Let's find a spot to make camp. I think there is a small stream that flows through here.
~ * ~
Two hours after the sun descended, they rode into a thicket of trees that surrounded a nearby creek.
"We can camp here for the night," Slade said. He dismounted then helped Lainie off her horse.
She groaned. Every part of her body ached.
"Don't move," he told her after he set her on the ground and laid out her bedroll to sit on. "I'm going to take a look around. Try and get some sleep."
"I don't want to move," she murmured.
Lainie watched Slade's back as he walked away one more time. Then she snuggled down into the covers. Footsteps startled Lainie awake. She woke in a rush, sitting up so quickly that blankets scattered. "Slade?" she asked.
"Easy, little fox. It's me. There is nothing to be afraid of."
Blinking, Lainie looked around. "How long did I sleep?" she asked.
"Almost an entire day." Slade looked up from the fire.
"I don't remember falling asleep. One second you were telling me you were going to have a look around and the next--well the next is right now."
"I remember," he said with a soft smile and green eyes twinkling with humor then deep desire.
She'd seen that look before, but it seemed like an eternity ago. They'd been through so much danger.
"What do you remember?" She pushed her hair from her eyes then tied it in a knot behind her head to keep it out of her face.
"I remember that I came in and tried to pull the blankets over your shoulder. You kissed my hand t
hen snuggled deeper into your bedroll."
"I kissed your hand?" she asked.
He nodded. "I was so touched by your gesture and so damned tired, I almost slid in beside you."
She felt heat sweep up her body to land on her cheeks. She touched her palms there to make sure, wishing she could hide from her own desire.
"Did you find anyone?" she asked, needing to change the subject.
"No, are you hungry?"
Highland Song Page 21