“If ye wish it, I will take ye back,” the goddess said softly. “But ye are needed here, Rose MacFinnan. Sorely needed. I wouldnae have come to ye otherwise. We can never know where our destiny will take us and perhaps this is where yer destiny lies. Perhaps it is here that ye will find what ye are truly looking for. Have ye considered that? But if ye choose it, I will take ye home and ye will continue yer life as if ye had never met me. Is that what ye wish?”
Was it? Did she want to go back to her life? Back to her divorce and her empty house and her holiday for one?
No, she realized suddenly. It wasn’t.
Perhaps it is here that ye will find what ye are truly looking for.
Whatwasshe looking for? She had no idea. All she knew was that TV dinners, making winter cough syrups, and coming home to an empty house wasnotit.
And just like that, her decision was made.
“No,” she breathed. “That isn’t what I wish. I’ll stay. I’ll do what I can to help these people.”
Lir’s eyes lit up and she took Rose’s hands in both of hers. “Then ye have my thanks, Rose MacFinnan.Hewillnae accept my help. Perhaps he will accept yers.”
Then she released her hands and walked back towards the sea.
“What do you mean?” Rose called after her. “Whomight accept my help?”
Lir didn’t answer. She climbed up onto a long a spur of rock that stuck out into the sea and carried on walking. Waves crashed against the sides of the rock, sending spray across its surface.
“Wait!” Rose cried. “You haven’t told me what I’m here to do!”
She hurried after the goddess, reached out a hand to grab Lir’s shoulder, but suddenly caught her foot on a loose rock. Her ankle twisted and she went staggering sideways.
She had time for one terrified scream before she hit the water and went under.
Chapter Three
Cailean heard ascream in the distance and his head snapped in that direction. He spotted a figure in the distance out on the rock spur—a woman?—for an instant before it went tumbling into the sea.
Adrenaline shot through him and he was off and running before he had time to think. He ripped off his plaid and his shirt as he pelted down the sand and shingle to the water’s edge and finally kicked off his boots as he launched himself into the waves.
Cold and darkness hit him like a slap but he didn’t let that slow him. He knew these waters as well as anyone alive and if he didn’t reach that woman soon, the current here would dash her against the rocks like a piece of flotsam. He would be damned if he would lose anyone else.
He moved with sure, powerful strokes against the current, and as he neared the rock spur, he dived, eyes open and searching the dark, thrashing waves. Long strands of kelp waved about, obscuring his vision, and the sea seemed angry today, determined to push him back towards shore.
There!
He saw the flash of a pale arm in the darkness. He kicked downwards, powering towards it. A woman was hanging in the water, eyes closed, dark hair waving like the kelp forest around them.
He got one arm around her waist and kicked upwards witheverything he had. She was a dead weight pulling him down, but he clung on grimly, determined that the sea would not have her. Little dots began to dance in front of his eyes and his chest felt like it might burst as he powered up, up, up, until finally, he broke the surface in an explosion of water.
He heaved in a great breath, filling his lungs with sweet, sweet air, and then rolled onto his back, trying to keep the woman’s head above water.
Her eyes were still closed and she didn’t appear to be breathing. But a moment later, her eyes flew open, a great gout of water exploded from her mouth, and she sucked in huge ragged breaths. She began struggling, her arms flapping around and her legs kicking, threatening to send them both under again.
“Be still!” Cailean growled. “Dinna fight me or ye’ll drown us both!”
Her eyes swiveled towards him and widened. “W-what?” she managed to gasp.
“Try to relax,” he told her. “I’ve got ye. I’ll get us both to shore.”
She seemed to understand. She stopped struggling and he was able to get a better grip around her waist. Swimming on his back, he pulled her behind him, keeping her head on his chest to keep it out of the water, and they began to make progress against the choppy waves. The woman began kicking her legs to aid him and it was not long before Cailean felt the seabed under his feet and was able to drag them both up onto the beach.
He released the woman and collapsed onto his back, chest heaving and muscles screaming. The woman rolled onto her side and began retching, bringing up seawater and fighting to regain her breath.
“Are ye hurt?” he asked her.
