“We’ve done this crossing a dozen times,” Duncan interrupted, annoyed that she was trying to tell him what to do. “A little rain willnae stop us.”
“Alotof rain can,” Ruby insisted. “What if it’s bucketing down upstream? What if a flood is on its way? At least check the depth first.”
“We’ll be long gone before any flood can reach us. We cross now.”
Ruby glared at the merchant and then at the river. The riverbed seemed to consist of tightly packed gravel which might very well offer decent purchase for wagon wheels —if the water level was low. But it wasn’t.
“Ruby,” Isla called from the wagon. “It’ll be fine. Da knows this land.”
Ruby snapped her mouth shut and didn’t reply. Seemed nobody was in the mood to listen to her caution.
Two of the mounted guards went first, riding their horses through the water without mishap. The river swirled around the horses’ knees but the footing was sure. When they reached the other side, they waved back and the wagons formed up, ready to cross one at a time.
From the corner of her eye, Ruby noticed that Evan had moved away from the main group and taken up position on a small rise that gave him a good view of the surrounding landscape. She approved of his caution. If those bandits wanted to launch another attack, this would be the perfect time to do it.
Everyone but the wagon-drivers dismounted and Isla clucked to her horse, gently guiding her wagon up to the edge of the water. There, the horse balked, throwing his head back and refusing to step into the cold flow. Immediately, Isla slipped from the wagon seat and took hold of the horse’s bridle. Whispering calming words, she coaxed the horse forward. Waterfoamed around her boots and the wheels of the wagon as it creaked into the rushing water.
Ruby’s pulse leapt. She began running through a risk-assessment in her head—the speed of the water, weight distribution of the wagon, slope of the riverbed, the behavioral unpredictability of animals—
It was an accident waiting to happen.
“Isla, wait—” Ruby began.
But too late. The horse suddenly shied violently as its hoof caught a submerged rock. The beast jerked sideways, pulling the wagon into a deeper hollow. The left wheels sank, wedging hard into the riverbed. The current slammed against the wagon wall, lifting the right wheels.
“Hold him steady!” shouted one of the guards.
“I’m trying!” Isla cried, digging her heels into the riverbed as the horse thrashed.
Then—snap! The traces tore.
The horse screamed, panicked, and spun sharply. His flank crashed into Isla, knocking her cleanly off her feet. She went under.
“Isla!” Duncan bellowed, stumbling down the bank to where his daughter had disappeared.
But Evan was already running. He hit the water in long, powerful strides, pausing only long enough to throw off his weapons belt before diving in. The river swallowed him in an instant.
Ruby splashed in after him but she was unable to see Evan or Isla. Then she spotted a flash of fabric, a pale arm. Evan surfaced, holding Isla around the waist. The current had swept both of them downstream, but Evan fought it, dragging them toward shore.
All thought of risk evaporated. Before she realized it, Ruby was wading into the river, ignoring the stinging cold thatenveloped her up to her hips. She threw herself towards Evan and Isla, grabbed Isla’s arms, and helped Evan to drag her up onto the muddy bank where she lay limp and unmoving. Her skin had taken on a gray pallor and her eyes were closed. She wasn’t breathing.
She heard Isla’s father yelling in anguish but she shut out the sound. “Move,” she snapped at the people crowding around and knelt beside Isla, brushing wet hair from her face.
“Dear God,” Duncan whispered, dropping to his knees. “My lass... my sweet lass!” His voice was filled with panic.
But Ruby felt strangely calm. She tilted Isla’s head back, checked her airway—nothing blocking it—then interlaced her hands and positioned them on Isla’s sternum.
“Evan,” she said without looking up. “When I tell you, you breathe for her. Pinch her nose, tilt her head back, and blow into her mouth.”
She didn’t wait for his agreement. She began compressions, pressing down with all her strength on Isla’s chest. Firm. Steady. Counting in her head.
One. Two. Three. Four.
She wasn’t a paramedic but shewasa first aider, although never in a million years would she have thought she’d use her training in these sorts of circumstances.
After thirty compressions, she nodded sharply at Evan. “Now!”
He lifted Isla’s chin, sealed his mouth over hers, and breathed. Ruby counted silently. Then she resumed compressions. Time blurred. Her knees dug painfully into the gravel. Her arms burned. Sweat dripped into her eyes despite the cold. Isla’s father sobbed beside her, but Ruby shut it out. She couldn’t afford emotion. Not now.
