Chapter 35
Ian stepped across the rocky beach, his heart racing much faster than his feet could move over the treacherous terrain. These sea caves clearly made for an excellent secret route because they were so difficult to access.
Ian wished that he could have followed the generals back inside the monastery, but three against thirty was not great odds. Not that Ulli would have let him regardless.
He hoped that Robin and the others had made it out safely. But every second he did not see them approaching from the opposite direction meant that they were still inside the monastery. Likely locked in combat and far outnumbered.
This had been a foolish idea. He had known it from the start. His chest tightened as he berated himself for encouraging Robin to pursue this plan.
It was selfish of him, he knew. He’d wanted to believe the promises she had made. That taking the monastery was the first step in taking back the castle. That it would give them an advantage in freeing the incoming Majis. That it would allow him to make a public stand against Gareth.
Ian’s foot slipped over a rock and splashed into the shallow salty water below. He righted himself and continued forward, ignoring the sloshing sensation of his now-wet boot.
His own desires had clearly blinded him to the foolishness of this plan. And now Robin—as well as nine other good men and women—were going to pay the price with their lives.
“It’s just up ahead,” Lane said, calling over his shoulder as he led the way.
Ian pushed himself to move faster. It had been too long since the explosion they had heard. Robin should have made it out by now.
Just as the rocky cliff face to his right gave way to a shadowy inlet, a small rowboat appeared.
Ian gasped for air as he slowed his run, relief washing over him.
Three people sat in the small boat, Brother Fletcher, Liam, and Sarah.
Ian looked past them, waiting for the second boat to appear from the mouth of the cave.
Liam and Fletcher used their oars to direct the small boat to the shore where Ian, Lane, and Jette stood.
The next boat appeared. Nele. Sol. Rigelt.
Ian stepped into the knee-deep water, grabbing on to the second boat as it crashed into the sand. Using the side of the boat to propel himself further into the water, Ian made for the passageway.
There.
The final boat turned around the corner. But . . . Ian could only make out two of the Lockwood men and Aden. Robin was not with them.
He turned frantically to the two boats behind him, looking at the bandits splashing out onto the shore, ensuring that he had not missed her.
No. Surely there was another boat. Surely Robin had not sacrificed her life for everyone else.
But that was precisely something she would do.
Ian turned back to face the third boat as the two Lockwood men rowed it toward him.
And then he saw her. Sitting in the back, hunched forward, blocked by Aden’s large body.
This was not good.
Ian splashed forward.
“She’s injured,” Aden called out.
Ian grabbed the side of the boat, swinging it toward the beach behind him.
Robin lifted her head. “I’m fine,” she said. Her voice was high and sounded forced. She slumped forward again.
Ian scanned her body for blood but did not see any major wounds. “Where?” he asked.
“Chaos magic,” Aden replied. He set the oars down and jumped out of the boat. “She was hit in the back as we rowed away.”
Robin sat up again, grabbing the side of the boat with a steely expression on her face.
“They are right behind us.” This time Robin’s voice was low, and she spat the words through gritted teeth.
“There were no more boats,” Aden said. “So we have a few minutes if they attempt to swim.”
Robin pushed herself up to stand. The boat wobbled beneath her.
Ian released his hold on the boat, grabbing on to Robin’s upper arm and waist as she swayed.
Beside him, Aden also reached out, guiding Robin back into a seated position. “She can’t walk.”
“We can take her along the shore in the boat. It would be faster than carrying her over the slippery rocks,” Ian said.
Aden nodded, making to hop back into the boat, but Ulli stepped forward.
“Allow me,” he said.
Aden stepped aside, not arguing with Ulli’s quiet command.
Ian wanted to jump in the boat himself, but he knew that Ulli would have more strength and experience.
“It is time to run,” Lane called.
Ian and Aden grabbed the sides of Robin’s boat, pushing it out toward the open sea, staying with it until they had pushed it over the first breaking waves.
As Ulli rowed north along the shore, Ian and Aden dashed back through the water, tripping over the stony sand beneath them.
Although it only took a handful of minutes to navigate down the shore until the cliffside gave way to a softer bluff, Ian felt like they had been running across the rocks for hours.
Perhaps he would have tripped less if his eyes had spent more time on the ground in front of him than out on the water, watching the small boat Ulli guided through the waves.
The boat made similar timing, and Ulli rode the next wave in to meet them at the shore. Ian and five others were already in the water to pull the boat up the sand.
Ian was the first to arrive at the boat, but while his hands were busy guiding it back to the shore, Lane and Aden were the first to reach up and help Robin.
“I’m fine,” Robin said as they gently supported her out of the boat. But her voice was weak, barely carrying over the crashing waves.
Lane swung his arm under her knees, lifting her fully out of the water as he carried her to shore.
Ian contented himself with walking as close to Lane as possible in case the man slipped.
As they left the water, Lane carried Robin up a short trail through the bluff to where Jette waited with the horses.
Ian rushed to Rowena and tugged her reins toward Lane, who was preparing to lift Robin onto his own horse with the help of Ulli and Brother Fletcher.
“Rowena is stronger and better suited to carrying two!” Ian called out, his voice aggressive and a touch too loud.
Lane turned to him, Robin cradled against his chest with her eyes only half open.
Ian confidently stepped forward, Rowena at his heel.
Lane looked from Ian to Rowena, then back at Ian for a long moment. Then he nodded, stepping forward to bring Robin to the massive white horse.
Ulli and Brother Fletcher moved with him.
Ian put his left foot in the stirrup and swung on top of his horse before reaching down to help lift Robin.
Rowena stood at perfect attention while the four men lifted Robin into place.
Robin’s head fell back against Ian’s chest, and he wrapped his arms snugly around her waist. He gripped the reins in his right hand while his left kept a firm grasp around her ribs, holding her in place.
He trusted his horse to lead without guidance from the reins.
In a matter of seconds, the rest of the team was mounted. Lane directed them to split into three groups so as to confuse any followers. “Ulli, ride with Ian and take the direct route home,” he said.
The bandits took off, following his orders without question.
Ian let Ulli lead the way, allowing Rowena the freedom to follow the horse in front of her so he could focus on keeping Robin as comfortable as possible.
Her breathing was shallow, and she held each short breath for several moments before releasing it, as though the act of exhaling was painful.
Ian tried to adjust his arm around her, unsure of where she was injured and whether his grip was hurting her further.
Robin muttered something, but her voice was too low to be heard. Ian only knew she had spoken because he felt the vibration in her ribcage.
He leaned his head closer to hers. “What did you say?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” Robin muttered, twisting her face toward his.
“I can see that,” Ian replied.
She straightened her back, pushing away from him to sit up on her own.
Ian tightened his grip. “Rest. I will get us home.”
She struggled for a moment longer, then relented, resting her weight back against his chest. Her breathing remained shallow and pained as they rode.
For nearly an hour, Ulli led them at a brisk pace.
Ian listened intently for any shouts or pursuing hoofbeats, but the road behind them remained quiet.
Robin appeared to have dozed off, but Ian could not tell whether she had fully fallen asleep until she startled awake with a painful gasp.
“What is wrong?” Ian asked. “Do you need me to stop?”
She shook her head. “Keep going. I’m fine.”
“Ulli, we need to stop!” Ian called ahead to the man in the lead.
Ulli immediately turned off the road and into the undergrowth. When they were out of sight of the road, Ulli jumped from his horse and helped Ian slide Robin gently to the ground.
Robin hunched over her knees, pulling down at the collar of her shirt to expose her shoulder.
Ian helped her loosen the fabric until he saw the wound. It was unlike anything he had ever seen.
A large, angry red burn spread from her shoulder blade down under her shirt.
“It burns,” Robin said. “In my lungs.” She twisted to show him her bare shoulder from the front, marked by the same angry red burn.
There was no blood, no torn skin. It was as though the magical orb had passed through her, doing equal damage all the way.
Ian could only imagine the pain it had left behind. No wonder her breathing had been shallow. The damage appeared to have traveled directly through her lungs.
Ulli dropped a satchel at Ian’s side and pulled out a flask. “Have her drink this for the pain,” he said. “I’m going to water the horses.”
Ian unstopped the flask and held the ale up to her lips so she could take a few gulps. He reached into the bag and found a small vial of salve.
“I’m going to apply this.” He showed her the vial. “Let me know if it is too painful to touch.”
She nodded her acknowledgment.
Ian dabbed a few drops of oil from the salve onto his fingers. It smelled of peppermint and other herbs. Then he gently spread it over the angry skin.
Robin hissed, a sharp intake of breath.
Ian lifted his fingers from her skin immediately, but she nodded, encouraging him to continue. “It feels cold. Good,” she said.
Ian continued applying it to the exposed skin on her back and chest before Ulli stepped back from the horses.
“I can continue,” Robin said, tilting her head slightly to see Ulli towering over them.
Ian held out the flask one more time, and she gladly accepted a few more sips.
“Good as new,” she said. Her words were accompanied by a small cough, which had her coiling forward in pain.
Ian reached his arm under her knees, scooping her up like Lane had back at the shore. “Good as new,” he said, keeping his voice cheerful as he carried her back to the waiting Rowena.