Rachel ignored him, pointing the thing at the guard while pressing something on the box. She turned it to face the guard and he cried out, falling to his knees. “Please,” he begged, shuffling toward her. “Let my soul free.”
“You will let us out of here at once.”
“Anything, please.”
“Cam, tie him up.”
Cam did as she said, taking the guards cloak from him and using it to bind his limbs, tying tight knots as he continued to stare at the box in Rachel’s hands.
Only when he was bound, with a length of cloth as a gag, did she press the box again. The light faded from it.
“Your soul is safe from harm,” she said to the guard who nodded frantic thanks.
“What is that thing?” Cam asked, looking at the box as she slid it away again.
“It’s called a cellphone.”
“And what did you do? Did you trap his soul?”
She crossed to the door and pulled it open. “I took his photo.”
“Photo? What’s a photo?”
“I’d show you but the battery’s nearly dead. I wonder what I would have done if I’d had some signal.”
“You’re making no sense.”
“I’ll explain when we’re somewhere a bit safer. Now how do we get out to the island?”
He peered out of the door. “We get down to the boathouse and row across. Move quickly and we should be all right. They’re all over there in a big group. Looks like the barefoot man is here. We better be swift.”
“No doubt they’re getting ready to welcome the barefoot man.”
“No doubt. Come, let’s go.”
Cam led the way, taking Rachel’s hand in his as he walked swiftly across the road and down to the boathouse. Inside were four rowing boats. As Rachel climbed into the end one, Cam thrust his sword through the wood of the remaining three, leaving rapidly filling holes before he joined her.
Taking the oars, he pushed off and began to row. As he did so the door to the boathouse burst open and the barefoot man appeared, sprinting down to try and grab them.
He didn’t make it.
With his hand outstretched too far, he fell into the water as Cam rowed ever faster, the boat cutting through the water toward Kirrin Island.
“Enjoy your exile,” the barefoot man shouted after them, the villagers pulling him from the water back to safety. “I will come see you soon enough.”
Chapter Fourteen
Rachel couldn’t explain to Cam why she chose to stay. She couldn’t really explain it to herself. She had the necklace in her pocket. At any moment she could put all this behind her.
She looked back at the village of Tallis, shrinking away behind them as Cam rowed steadily toward Kirrin Island. The villagers lined the shore, looking out at them. Behind them the great bulk of Glen Currie, the tower invisible in the cloud that swirled around the mountaintop.
The weather had turned, the sun disappearing as if in control of the barefooted man. Rain began to spit down and she wrapped her coat closer around her, thinking how soon she could be at home. She could have a bath, get some clean clothes on, brush her hair for the first time in days. It must look awful.
A cold wind blew, attempting to push them sideways. Cam fought against it, his muscles bulging as he worked the oars.
Did he not feel cold? There he was bare-chested except for his tartan baldric. She sat facing him as he rowed, looking from him to the island behind. He stared at her unblinking, rhythmically working the oars again and again.
She thought, not for the first time, how handsome he looked. Was that why she hadn’t gone yet?
