“Rumfle mollop a callum,” Horatius slurred, barely above a whisper. And the full weight of him fell against Jean, his hands dropping and his breathing heavy.
“Horatius?” she whispered. She repeated his name a little louder.
He didn’t stir. Lightning flashed. Thunder boomed.
She couldn’t budge him. His relaxed body pinned her against the workbench. The sound of heavy rain hammered against the roof.
She struggled for a few minutes, trying to get out from beneath him, but he was too heavy. She was held fast. If she moved too much, the edge of the counter dug into her back like a knife. Finally, she lost patience. She needed Panahasi to come and rescue her. “Panahasi?”
He didn’t come and she could barely tolerate the weight of Horatius. It felt like she might break in half backwards. She tried one more time to get loose.
“Get off me, would you?” she yelled, frustrated and tired of the whole thing. Her fear had transformed into annoyance. She hit at his shoulders with ineffective punches.
The door flew open and a rush of feet came at them. Finally, she thought.
A ferocious roar broke through the noise of the storm. Someone slammed something against Horatius and Jean felt the impact through his body. Stretching to see around the enormous shoulders holding her down, Jean looked past and her eyes landed on Angus in the dim light. His enraged face was frightening in the long shadows from the small candle. His thick yellow hair hung down in dripping locks, drenched with rain. He flicked back his hair with a violent snap of his head. Cursing terribly, he pulled at Horatius’ giant, listless form, which barely moved though his arms flopped limply with each of Angus’ tugs. Finally Horatius came away and dropped onto the floor in a crumpled pile. A knife stuck out from his spine, the hilt shining in the flashes of lightning.
Jean was afraid to speak. Angus glared at her with eyes so terrible, she shrank back. He flicked his wet, heavy hair out of his face and drilled into Jean with his eyes. Several of Angus’ mates charged through the door, the rain coming in with them. Panahasi was standing calmly at the door behind them, completely unperturbed by the storm. He gave her a knowing, satisfied nod.
“I’ll deal with you later!” Angus snarled at her and jabbed a stiff, hard finger into her breast bone, making her wince at the pain of it. “Wait here.” Then to his mates, he yelled, “Tom, Graham, take the mongrel’s legs. Seamus, help me with his arms. Let’s take him to the arch. We’ll draw him up then cut off his head!”
Jean’s hand flew to her mouth, but she kept silent, afraid of what Angus intended for her.
They dragged Horatius out the door, pulling his unconscious body through the mud and deep puddles of rain. Once they were away from the door, Panahasi stepped inside.
“Come with me. Quickly.”
Jean didn’t know what he had planned but she was too petrified to question.
He led her out to the dark yard, past the stables, and around to the back of the buildings along the edge of the cliff. Lightning pulsed and lit up a huge man—another giant like Panahasi and Horatius. Shivers shook her body but not because the rain was turning to sleet.
“This is Akhekh,” Panahasi shouted through the thunder. “He’s going to take you home. Now I must go to MacKay before he takes off Horatius’ head without me.”
“You won’t let Angus kill him?”
“Don’t you worry. You performed beautifully. Now just you think about going home.” He spun around and hastened away, splashing through the puddles, with vigor she’d not seen in him before.
Left alone with the other giant, Jean slowly pivoted toward him, the escalating fear colliding with her many other emotions.
“So,” she said trying to remain steady, but her voice cracked, “you’re taking me back to Balvenie Castle?” She drew the wide hood of her cloak up over her head as the rain pounded her.
“Yes. But there is the price.”
“Panahasi didn’t explain that. I don’t understand.”
“I’m not doing this for nothing.”
She’d barely escaped molestation by Horatius, and Angus may yet assault her. What more could she face? The roar and force of the storm receded to almost nothing in her awareness. “What did Panahasi promise you?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“You must commit your soul to me.”
“My soul?”
Akhekh looked completely vexed. “If you’re not in agreement, I will just go. I have better things to do.”
“Nay. Wait!” Jean had already lost her faith. Her belief in God was gone. What did it matter if she made a promise about her soul? It’d be an empty, useless oath. To pretend this oversized man had any impact on the state of her eternal condition was ridiculous. She probably didn’t even have an eternal soul. If it won her passage from the contentious Angus MacKay and took her closer to her home, she would give her word. “Aye, whatever you say.”
Akhekh nodded. “Good. Are you ready?”
“Where are the horses?” Jean asked, hoping there were two so she wouldn’t have to sit near the frightening stranger.
“No need for horses, not where we’re going.”
“But we are going to Balvenie?” she asked, speaking up to be heard and clearly understood. “That was our agreement.”
“Did Panahasi not explain anything about this to you?”
“Not in any detail.”
Akhekh stepped closer. “Step over to me. I tire of this weather. Come here. I won’t eat you.” His voice sent chills up her spine. His long, thick arms snatched her up and she tensed, worried she might have just jumped into a worse fire. He lifted her off her feet, none too gently. “Keep your thoughts empty. We must not draw attention to ourselves.”
Suddenly, Akhekh exploded into a brilliant being of light and the darkness dissolved around them at the same second. The rain was gone and the thunder and lightning ceased. Instead, bright lights flashed past them and Jean’s stomach flopped over inside. She could barely catch her breath.
“What’s happening?” she screeched. “What’s happening?” She must have ingested the poison and it was giving her wild visions. This can’t be real!
CHRONOS BAND