Page 58 of Edge of Yesterday

He racked his brain, remembering movies, stories, and articles concerning time travel. Science hadn’t advanced far enough to attempt some of the theories, much less prove that time travel was possible. Or had they? He mulled over the many disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle, the infamous Versailles Time Slip in France that saw two sensible, well-respected Englishwomen insisting their stroll through the palace gardens had whisked them back to the days of Marie Antoinette. Of course, there were also plenty of conspiracy theories that ranged from alien abduction to government plots.

Was it possible that the Triangle really was a portal to other worlds and times? Could the two turn-of-the-century English tourists truly have slipped into another era? Much of the evidence indicated they had done so. But, if such things were true, that would mean there could be more portals in other parts of the world…like in Heatheredge.

His chest tightened. This simply wasn’t possible. It was an elaborate recreation. They would arrive at Raghnall and Val would be there to laugh and say ‘gotcha.’

Cailean jarred when his horse’s foot faltered in a rut. The animal slowed, then sidestepped a large hole. Julianna and Lennox passed him, and Cailean allowed his horse to hang back until he rode with the rear guards. Lennox glanced over his shoulder, but Cailean ignored him. Tonight, he would slip away and return to Heatheredge, find the place where he’d woken. Was there a time portal at that spot? If a vortex or something similar existed, why didn’t people appear and disappear there all the time? Memory of Inspector Drummond’s description of mysterious disappearances sent a chill down his arms.

A rider streaked in front of them. Cailean snapped from his thoughts as five more riders appeared. Gregory and Lennox drew their swords and reined their horses in front of Julianna while the guards pulled up behind her. The riders charged. Cailean stared, his brain stuck on the idea that what he was seeing might actually be real. He knew the damned blades were.

One man swung his sword at Lennox while another attacked Gregory. The guards headed off two of the attackers. Steel rang in an ear-splitting clash of metal. The remaining two attackers skirted the fray and galloped toward Cailean. One of the men veered away and tried to break through the fighting to reach Julianna.

A memory struck. In April of thirteen ninety-five, Lennox and Lady Julianna were waylaid on the road from Heatheredge and she was kidnapped. She died the following day during a failed escape attempt.

“Today is the day she’s supposed to be abducted?” he muttered—which means, tomorrow is the day she dies?

Cailean yanked his sword free and kicked his horse’s belly. The animal bolted toward Cailean’s attacker and Cailean blocked a blow intended to sever his arm from his shoulder. The bastard parried well, but Cailean was faster. He drove his opponent back several paces, then ducked beneath a swing and hit his attacker on the back of the head with his sword hilt. The man dropped to the ground.

Lennox whirled when his assailant slumped in his saddle and then fell sideways. Lennox’s horse lunged toward the man who had broken through to Julianna. The nearest guard abruptly dropped forward on his horse’s neck and his attacker swung his sword at Lennox. Lennox dodged, barely missing the blade slicing his arm. He spun to block the man’s next blow.

Julianna’s attacker seized her arm. Cailean kicked his horse’s belly. He glimpsed a flash of steel and realized she’d lunged at the man with a dagger. The man drew his hand back for a blow to her face. Cailean reached them and slammed his fist into the man’s cheekbone before he could swing at her. The man’s head snapped aside. Cailean’s steed swung round, shying from the ruckus, and the horses bumped each other.

Cailean wheeled about as the man turned his horse to face him, sword raised. Cailean met the blow, then pushed upward in an arc and whirled his horse left. The rider veered right, clearly intending to slice his sword across Cailean’s midsection.

Cailean jabbed, cutting the man’s arm above his wrist. He howled, but didn’t falter, and parried left, then right, forcing Cailean back. Cailean’s horse shied from the other animal. Cailean tightened his grip on the reins. He’d had much less practice at swordplay on a horse than on foot. Swordplay? His attacker’s blade ripped a hole in Cailean’s shirt above his left pec.

This was no swordplay.

The bastard feinted a jab. Cailean swung, caught the man’s sword at the hilt, and sent the blade flying. The man lunged toward him. Cailean tried to turn his horse aside, but his attacker seized Cailean’s arm and they crashed to the ground, the man on top of him.

“Cailean!” Julianna shouted.

He registered the dagger in the man’s hand, and slammed his sword hilt down on the man’s head. He slumped onto Cailean. For an instant, he couldn’t move. His heart thundered and his vision blurred.

Cailean drew a deep breath, shoved the man off him, then pushed to his feet, still gripping his sword. His knees started to buckle. He willed them into submission and stumbled two paces to his horse. Cailean grasped the pommel and steadied himself. What had just happened?

Lennox’s attacker abruptly whirled his horse and took off at a gallop. Lennox started after him, then turned back seconds later. Gregory swung his sword and sliced his attacker’s chest open. Blood spurted. His attacker gurgled, then fell to the ground. Cailean glimpsed another body lying near Gregory. His stomach turned. It was one of Julianna’s guards. The other guard sat on his horse, five feet from Julianna, eyes blazing.

Julianna swung her leg over her horse’s pommel, slid to the ground, and hurried to Cailean. She laid a hand on his arm. “Are ye hurt?”

“Hurt?” he repeated.

“Cailean!” Lennox shouted.

Cailean jerked his head up as Lennox dug his heels into his horse’s flank.

“Behind you,” Lennox shouted, thundering forward.

Cailean whirled.

Sword raised, his attacker stood five feet away. The man lunged. Cailean yanked his sword up as he shoved Julianna behind him. The man swung so hard that Cailean’s teeth jarred when the blades collided. The man drove him backwards. Cailean’s shoulders struck a horse. The animal turned, bumping Cailean toward his attacker. He saw the blow coming and couldn’t back away. The man’s gaze flicked to Julianna.

“No!” Cailean shouted as his attacker’s blade sliced down toward him.

Cailean faltered. The man leapt right and seized Julianna’s arm. Cailean glimpsed the opening and thrust with the intent of cutting the man’s sword hand where he gripped the sword. The man twisted, yanking Julianna to his side. Cailean registered his only chance and thrust Triumph into the man’s belly, then dove for Julianna. Cailean ripped her from the man’s hold and rolled away as his assailant crashed to his knees.

Lennox reached them and leapt from his horse. He pulled Julianna to her feet. “Are you hurt?”

“Nae,” she replied.