Dark One Rising(43)

“Then what?” she answered back, not for once believing anything he said, just trying to buy some time in order to decide what to do.

“Then we will take you back to your fiancé who is waiting for your return. He’s worried about you.”

She peeked over the side again. It was steep, but there was another landing quite a few feet below, and from there, she’d be closer to the water. She could jump without hurting herself. She looked down at the raging, cold water. She was an excellent swimmer, but the water was fast and strong, and the cold would probably stiffen her joints so much she wouldn’t be able to move them. She didn’t care. She’d rather take her chances with the river than with Fallon, or that guy. When she looked at him, she felt like he was looking straight through her. She felt violated. She shook away the fear and swallowed it back. Courage.

“I’ll bet he is. Why don’t you tell him that you lost me over the cliff and be done with it.”

“I have been enlisted to find you and bring you home safely. I cannot go back empty handed.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint you, but he’ll have to keep waiting and worrying.”

She started to clamber down the side of the cliff, this one much steeper and more treacherous than the one above. She slid on her bottom again, trying not to build up too much speed where she wouldn’t be able to stop. The dust was flying, and the loose scree was sliding down the cliff face and falling over the edge to the water below. She was close enough now that she could hear the roar of the water making it’s way southward. She finally reached the landing and grabbed a hold of another root, stopping herself in mid-fall. She let go and slowly fell to the level spot. The other two men were sliding down behind her and soon would be upon her. She looked over the edge and took a deep breath, preparing herself for the long fall. She removed her cloak; the loose material would surely wrap her up, and she would drown. She looked up at the remaining two men again and smiled.

“There’s nowhere for you to go, Princess. Come back up here; my promise still stands,” the man with the red eyes said.

His voice was the same but the tone was different. It had a lisp to it now, almost as if he were hissing out his words.

“I’d rather take my chances with the water.”

“The cold of it will kill you. You’ll die before you could ever swim to shore.”

“But at least I died on my own terms, by my own choice, not by his.”

She was still building up her courage, when the man-at-arms fell from above and landed behind her on the perch. She turned quickly and looked at him. He smiled at her.

“There’s nowhere to go but over. It’s a long drop.”

She backed up and felt her heel reach the edge of the landing. She peered quickly over her shoulder and looked down. She had to make sure she jumped out far enough or she’d kill herself on the rocks below. She smiled back at him and turned from him, jumping out and over the cliff. He tried to grab her as she went, but could not get a hold of her. She braced herself for the impact, took a deep breath in, and hit the water, hard.

The man looked down as she fell into the water, making a splash that reached high in the air. He turned and looked over at Jaron, who was frowning at him.

“Are you going to go after her?” the man asked Jaron.

Jaron stared at the other man, and the eyes behind the hood grew brighter. He lifted his arm and held his scaly black hand palm side out to the man. “No, but you are.”

A surge of energy emitted from out of his hand and struck the man on the chest. His body flew backward and over the side of the cliff, falling to the rocks below. Jaron looked out over the river then turned and climbed up the cliff, back to his horse waiting at the top.



***



Melenthia felt her body racing down the river and tried getting air into her lungs, but the water was pulling on her. Her head bobbed up and down as she struggled to keep her face above the water. Her limbs were cold, almost numb, and she was getting stiff fast. She moved her arms as best she could, trying to make progress toward the shore. She kicked her feet when she could, but the powerful water made moving fluidly almost impossible. She gasped again when her head rose above the rapids and brought air into her aching lungs. She had to get to shore or she’d travel so far down river she’d never figure out where she was. She looked up to the cliff behind her; the men were gone. Somewhere in the raging swirling water, a body was floating. She hoped she didn’t see it. She flapped her arms some more, trying to move, trying to keep the feeling from leaving them completely. If her limbs froze up totally, she’d become a human log in this large, long river. She went under again, and the water swirled around her, choking her and flipping her over. She struggled to right herself but hit her head on a rock. The sharp pain seared through her head, and she wanted to cry, but if she opened her mouth even a little bit, she would take in too much water. She felt dizzy and nauseous, but she refused to pass out. She kicked her legs, and her head popped up out of the water. She gasped for air. A trickle of something thick ran in her eye, and she looked at the water, now red with her blood.