Page 3 of Highlander’s False Identity

But there was no time for such thoughts now. Events were moving at such a speed that they were outpacing even the girl’s racing thoughts.

Without a second’s further consideration, she leaped towards the loosed horse. The animal was snarling and snorting like one of Satan’s beasts, but she paid it no heed. She had a way with horses and could tame it, the same trick she had with men.

The girl steadied the black horse and mounting the beast, was off, galloping across the soggy landscape, her hands tight against the horse’s back.

From down on the ground, in the ditch, the lad was stirring, but she was so far away that she could barely see him.

Raising his voice against the wind she heard the pierce of his cry, “Halt there! Stop, thief!”

But it was to no avail. As if he knew this, the lad yelled again, this time with something that stopped her heart in its tracks… her name.

“Ye’ll nae get away wi’ this…. Aye, lassie, I ken ye… Edme!”

Chapter Two

“Edme!” his voice rang through the trees in the small copse multiple times. “Edme! Edme! Edme!” the lad screamed his lungs right out of his chest, circling her heart with his cries.

For just one moment, Edme hovered astride the braying horse. Then, the lad issued a direct command to the animal.

“Prince!” he called plaintively. At the sound of its master’s voice, the horse immediately stalled, refusing to go further and threatening to throw the girl from its back.

“Stop it!” Edme screamed. The animal, which had behaved itself up until now, was rearing up into the air. At any turn, she could be cast asunder. “Help!”

She soon found herself flying through the air, like a stone from her slingshot. As she fell, time seemed to slow down, filling her with a strange calm. In the skies above, the birds beat their wings in flight, and a deadening quiet fell over the copse.

Even the stallion was temporarily silenced, mesmerized by the sheer grace of her fall. It was as if she was flying on gossamer wings; the only sound was the echo of her scream ringing out over the treetops and across the trees.

Internally, she raged. He had done this to her! If he had never removed her scarf, she would have been well on her way by now!

“Beathan!” she cursed, falling out of the sky and landing almost directly on top of him with a hearty smack.

But unlike his crash landing, it seemed that he was waiting for her, ready to break her fall with outstretched arms.

Thump!

With a crash, she landed straight into his waiting arms. It took Edme all her strength not to scream, but she just managed it.

All the same, she could not stop herself from shutting her eyes and scrunching herself into a ball to shield herself from pain.

But to her surprise, she did not feel any. As she checked herself carefully, there was barely a jolt to her frame.

“Aye, yer alright, I reckon!” she could hear his voice say. “An’ I doubt there’s anythin’ wrong wi’ yer eyes!”

Self-consciously, Edme opened her eyes. The sharp winter daylight pierced them painfully, as the world jarred into focus. Looking upwards, she had expected to see gray acres of sky. But instead, she found herself glaring straight into Beathan’s emerald eyes.

Beathan blinked. He was so close that she could feel his breath. He pored over her, checking for injuries, tending to her like a nurse.

Edme’s body tensed, and she removed herself from his grasp and stood beside him, albeit taking a few well-chosen paces back.

“Well, if it’s not the Maid of McKinley! So, is this what yer doin’ noo? Robbing folks?”

Edme could feel the lad’s cool gaze washing over her like winter rain. Instantly, she felt small and cheap.

“Well, come on noo! Ye were after my mother’s jewels weren’t ye! So come on an’ tell me just what it was that ye wanted them for!” he asked, not unreasonably.

Although a foot away, Edme could feel him bearing down on her, staring at her intently. But instead of returning his gaze, she turned away, clamming up.

“Tell me then, Maid McKinley, what is it that yer clan wants wi’ our clan's precious stones?”