Beside him, Aden also reached out, guiding Robin back into a seated position. “She can’t walk.”
“We can take her along the shore in the boat. It would be faster than carrying her over the slippery rocks,” Ian said.
Aden nodded, making to hop back into the boat, but Ulli stepped forward.
“Allow me,” he said.
Aden stepped aside, not arguing with Ulli’s quiet command.
Ian wanted to jump in the boat himself, but he knew that Ulli would have more strength and experience.
“It is time to run,” Lane called.
Ian and Aden grabbed the sides of Robin’s boat, pushing it out toward the open sea, staying with it until they had pushed it over the first breaking waves.
As Ulli rowed north along the shore, Ian and Aden dashed back through the water, tripping over the stony sand beneath them.
Although it only took a handful of minutes to navigate down the shore until the cliffside gave way to a softer bluff, Ian felt like they had been running across the rocks for hours. Perhaps he would have tripped less if his eyes had spent more time on the ground in front of him than out on the water, watching the small boat Ulli guided through the waves.
The boat made similar timing, and Ulli rode the next wave in to meet them at the shore. Ian and five others were already in the water to pull the boat up the sand.
Ian was the first to arrive at the boat, but while his hands were busy guiding it back to the shore, Lane and Aden were the first to reach up and help Robin.
“I’m fine,” Robin said as they gently supported her out of the boat. But her voice was weak, barely carrying over the crashing waves.
Lane swung his arm under her knees, lifting her fully out of the water as he carried her to shore.
Ian contented himself with walking as close to Lane as possible in case the man slipped.
As they left the water, Lane carried Robin up a short trail through the bluff to where Jette waited with the horses.
Ian rushed to Rowena and tugged her reins toward Lane, who was preparing to lift Robin onto his own horse with the help of Ulli and Brother Fletcher.
“Rowena is stronger and better suited to carrying two!” Ian called out, his voice aggressive and a touch too loud.
Lane turned to him, Robin cradled against his chest with her eyes only half open.
Ian confidently stepped forward, Rowena at his heel.
Lane looked from Ian to Rowena, then back at Ian for a long moment. Then he nodded, stepping forward to bring Robin to the massive white horse.
Ulli and Brother Fletcher moved with him.
Ian put his left foot in the stirrup and swung on top of his horse before reaching down to help lift Robin.
Rowena stood at perfect attention while the four men lifted Robin into place.
Robin’s head fell back against Ian’s chest, and he wrapped his arms snugly around her waist. He gripped the reins in his right hand while his left kept a firm grasp around her ribs, holding her in place.
He trusted his horse to lead without guidance from the reins.
In a matter of seconds, the rest of the team was mounted. Lane directed them to split into three groups so as to confuse any followers. “Ulli, ride with Ian and take the direct route home,” he said.
The bandits took off, following his orders without question.
Ian let Ulli lead the way, allowing Rowena the freedom to follow the horse in front of her so he could focus on keeping Robin as comfortable as possible.
Her breathing was shallow, and she held each short breath for several moments before releasing it, as though the act of exhaling was painful.
