She didn’t. The lass climbed steadily until her head reached the level of the gully. Deryn reached down, grabbed the woman beneath the arms, and hauled her over the edge.
They both collapsed onto the bank, panting with exertion.
The woman untied the rope with shaking hands. She looked pale and frightened as she held it out to him. “Thanks. I thought I was going to drown there for a minute.”
Deryn climbed to his feet and took the rope from her. She was soaked through and dressed in a pair of tight breeches and a coat that reached to her knees.
“How did ye end up down there, lass,” he asked.
“I...um... I’m not sure. There was no water when I stepped through.” She rubbed her forehead. “I’m looking for my son. Have you seen him? He’s about this high, with dark hair and is wearing a bright yellow jacket. You couldn’t miss him.”
There was real fear in her voice. She’d lost her boy? Then no wonder she looked terrified.
“I havenae seen him,” Deryn said. “But I’ll help ye look. When did he go missing?”
“He’s notmissing,” she replied. “He’s with his father. They came this way, under the arch, so I followed. But...but...” She trailed off, her eyes widening. “Where the hell am I?”
Deryn blinked, trying to make sense of this. Her husband had the boy? Then why did she look so terrified? And why did she not seem to know where she was?
Perhaps she’d been swept away by the floodwater and ended up many miles from where she should be. That would explain her disorientation and why she was out here in the wilds on her own.
“How long were ye in the water, lass?”
“What? I wasn’t in the water. I just went through the arch and then...the water was there. And there was the high bank, and I couldn’t see anything else. And...and...where’s the park gone? And the school?” She turned, looking around desperately. “What the hell is happening?”
That was a damned good question. Deryn had no idea. The lass made no sense. Perhaps she was delirious. Exposure could do that to a person.
“Lass, let’s get ye somewhere warm where ye can dry off. Then—”
“I have to find Rory! I have to find my son!”
“But ye just said he’s with his father—”
“Exactly! Don’t you get it? He warned me! Oh God, why didn’t I call the police?”
She wrung her hands, her face a mask of fear and worry. He’d rarely encountered a lass so distraught.
“All right. Let’s think this through. Where would yer husband have taken him?”
“I don’t know! I don’t recognize any of this!”
“What’s yer husband’s name? Perhaps we can ask around, see if anyone has seen him.”
“Rodric,” she answered. “Rodric MacKay.”
Deryn started with surprise. “Rodric MacKay?”
“Yes!” she cried, looking suddenly hopeful. “Do you know him?”
“Aye, of course I do,” he answered, puzzled by her reaction. “Everyone round here knows him.”
She grabbed the front of his tunic. “Then you have to take me to him! Please! Do you know where to find him?”
Today was not turning out how Deryn had expected. When he’d woken up this morning, he’d envisioned another day living his simple life seeing to the chores on his farm. Then the storm had rolled in, he’d discovered Surly had escaped again, and everything had gone downhill from there. He’d got stuck in the storm and then bumped into one of the Fae. Now he’d stumbled across Rodric MacKay’s wife out in the wilds. Could his day get any worse?
He sighed. “Aye. Torryn Keep, of course. Where else would the lord of these lands be found?”
IF SHE TRIED HARD ENOUGH, if she really concentrated, Maddy was sure she could stop herself from freaking out as they walked. Rory. Stay focused on Rory. Nothing else mattered. Not the fact that she had no idea where she was, that somehow, she was no longer in the park, the town, or anywhere she recognized. No matter the fact that the man she’d encountered seemed to think that Rodric was some lord, no matter the fact that he was dressed in clothing the like of which she’d never seen outside of a fancy dress party in wool breeches, a linen shirt and a baggy tartan wrap around most of his body, no matter the fact that he had a sheepdog and a sheep on a lead.
