Page 67 of The Defiance of a Scottish Heart
If she did, she’d probably choose someone just like Taskill.
A bolt of lightning lit up the sky, the flash startling her so much that she let out a squeak, glancing over her head.
“Shite,” Taskill said. “I’d hoped to make it to land before this started.”
The thunder took a while before they heard it, confirmation that they weren’t in the worst of the storm yet, but the drenching rain told them it was nearby and coming soon. Sheona’s hands gripped the oars so hard that her knuckles had turned white. Another flash, another boom, and another jump warned her of how quickly the weather was changing.
“Don’t drop your oars. We need them, Sheona.”
“That last one was loud. I won’t let them go. I promise.” Even if her fear of capsizing increased with every passing moment. Every approaching wave. Every spout of water thatlanded inside the boat. Every shot of lightning that came closer and closer.
The boat rocked and tipped amid the rain. Sheona again yanked the hood of her mantle up over her head, attempting to protect herself. But it did no good.
“Pull the oars in, Sheona, and hang on to the sides. We’re going to have to let the waves take us. I can’t fight them any longer. Once the sea calms, we’ll find our way.” He reached for her once the oars were in, cocooning her against his body to protect her the best he could.
Another flash of lightning lit up the sky, two more bolts following it with ear-piercing thunder.
Another forked flash hit a tree on shore, the leaves on the tree falling to the ground as the bark on one side of it disappeared. Sheona screamed at the instantaneous thunderclap that was so loud, it shook the boat, the wood trembling.
“We’re going to die, aren’t we?” she shouted.
“Nay, we are not. I won’t let you die. If the boat goes over, we swim to the nearest shore. That way.” He moved to sit next to her. “Over there. That’s where the tree was. It’s not that far from us. I can see land and it’s closer than you think.”
A monstrous wave hit them and sent a deluge of water into the boat, sending Sheona into another scream as the small vessel tipped but then righted itself—this time. “We’re going to sink, Taskill!”
“If the boat goes down, we’ll swim. Promise me that you’ll fight, Sheona. You have much to live for. I know it.”
She shivered in the pelting rain, thinking of all that Lia had said. Things would be wonderful, eventually. Not yet. Worse first.
Would she survive?
She thought of Brynja and Hildi and suddenly made the decision to fight. “Help me get this off, Taskill.”
“What?”
“My mantle will take me under. I have to get it off if I’m to swim. I need to remove it.” She had a small, more valuable sack inside the larger one, so she took that one out and tied it around her waist. It had a necklace her mother had given her and two daggers. She couldn’t lose the necklace. Everything else didn’t matter.
They managed to remove her mantle and toss it behind her in the small boat. Another lightning bolt, another swell, another loud boom.
“You’re right. I’m taking my boots off in case we go over. You should take yours off too.” They both fussed, one at a time, but finally set their boots at the far end of the vessel.
A gigantic wave hit the boat and sent it careening onto its side.
“Hang on, Sheona! It will right itself! Hang on!” But unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
The boat tipped and exploded into pieces.
The two catapulted into the cold sea.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Dyna
The storm came on them in a flash, lightning bolts renting the air while thunderclaps blasted quicker and louder. The rain was mild at first but soon came in pounding sheets that rattled everything.
“Diamond!” Derric shouted over the balcony railing into the hall. “I need to put the chest in front of the window to hold the fur against it. The rain is coming straight in. Help me.”
“Da, watch the bairns.” She raced upstairs, taking two at a time. How she hated a wet floor on the stone of their chamber. “I’m coming, Derric.” She opened the door and her eyes widened, listening to the howl of the wind as it came across the sound. “I knew this view would prove to be bad.” She’d begged for the chamber facing the sea because she loved the sound of lapping waves. “Bloody hell, this is a mess!”
