Gifted Thief (Highland Magic #1)(88)

The cavern was rather pretty. The green light cast by the worms should have created a horror film effect; instead, the place was soft and welcoming. I sidled between the stalagmites (or was it stalactites? I could never remember) and enjoyed not being squashed between walls of stone. It was like walking through a grand cathedral; I wouldn’t have been surprised if organ music suddenly bellowed up ahead.

With more space to manoeuvre, the others abandoned single file. Their heads bobbed as they conferred: Byron and Aifric, William and Michael, Diana and Dorienne. I tagged along at the back, taking in the scenery. Even without the hushed voices of the Sidhe, the cavern wasn’t silent. There were splashes of water falling from the smooth, rounded ceiling. There was also a strange but not unpleasant whine that whistled past my ears. When the others stopped moving and I realised where the sound was coming from, my stomach dropped.

‘Shite,’ I whispered.

There was a rope bridge stretching from the edge of the cavern across an abyss. I couldn’t see the bottom but I bet it was a long way down. Picking up a loose stone, I threw it over the edge. It was a good ten seconds before it struck something. For the first time since this journey started, I was glad that Brochan, Lexie and Speck weren’t here with me. Speck would have a heart attack.

‘That rope must have been here for decades,’ Diana said in a low, worried voice. ‘How can we be sure it’s safe?’

I waved my hand. ‘I’m good with heights,’ I chirped. ‘Once the Darrochs have opened the way, I’ll go first.’

‘The hell you will.’

I glanced at the source of the growl. Byron. Why was I not surprised? ‘We need you for the final section,’ he said, his face dark. ‘The rest of us can afford to slip and fall. You can’t. Someone will have to go first to make sure it’s safe.’

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Malcolm Kincaid looking disgusted.

‘I’m lighter than the rest of you.’

‘No.’

Looking at his son curiously, Aifric spoke up. ‘I’m sure it’s safe. I’ll go first. But make sure no more than one person is on the bridge at any one time. Dorienne, will you do the honours?’

The older of the two Darroch women bit her lip and nodded. By now I was finding the whole true name thing rather dull. I dutifully stepped away and covered my ears. She did her thing, leaving everyone puzzled when no flash of light followed.

‘Is that a good sign or a bad sign?’ she asked, her eyes wide.

Nobody answered. I would have patted her on the back reassuringly but I was tired of everyone flinching away from me so I simply shrugged and smiled.

Aifric’s first few steps were slow and shaky. He gripped the ropes as he shuffled along. It wasn’t until he was about halfway along that the group’s breathing returned to normal. So much for the Foinse being the only difficult part of this journey.

Encouraged by Byron, I went next. I wasn’t a complete fool. I tested my weight first, gingerly taking the first section. When I was sure the rope was secure, however, it was very satisfying to skip across in a fraction of the time that it had taken Aifric.

When I reached the other side, he smiled. ‘You really do have a head for heights.’

I grinned back. False modesty wasn’t my thing. ‘Yeah,’ I agreed, ‘I do.’

The others followed one by one. Despite his muscle, Byron was pretty fast. From his quickened breathing when he came off, though, he’d found it harder than he was letting on.

‘Are you alright?’ I inquired solicitously.

‘Oh, I’m perfect,’ he replied, straightening up. His eyes glinted as if he dared me to disagree.

‘Of course you are,’ I said quietly.

The Darrochs were both slow but steady. Malcolm Kincaid crossed with so much sweat streaming off his forehead and into his eyes that I was amazed he could see anything; his father struggled even more. His skin turned white as he inched his way, the ropes swinging dramatically on several occasions as he struggled to keep his balance. When he finally arrived, he threw me a nasty look even though my expression was bland.

‘You want to say something, Adair?’

‘It’s Taylor,’ I reminded him. ‘My name is Integrity Taylor.’

He flexed his fingers. Considering how tightly he’d grabbed the rope, they had to be stiff and sore. ‘Yes,’ he sneered. ‘I’d be ashamed of my Clan if it were yours.’

I didn’t deign to reply and turned my back. ‘I guess I’m up next,’ I said lightly. ‘Let’s go.’

After the rope bridge, the ground was fairly even. There was enough space to walk comfortably and even the scree underfoot was less of an issue. All the same, my stomach was twisting in nerves. Whether it was because I was worried about the Foinse or because I was about to acknowledge the importance of my true name – and therefore my Sidhe heritage – by passing the final hurdle, I wasn’t entirely sure. At least the tunnel we were moving along was getting darker so the others couldn’t see my tension.