Joanna's Highlander (Highland Protector #2)(43)
“Son of a bitch,” she said under her breath.
“Beg pardon?”
“I said, ‘son of a bitch’!” Her shout echoed out across the river.
Joanna shoved past him, scrambling over the steep mound of an uprooted tree stump wedged in the hillside with mud and rocks. She looked back.
Grant hadn’t moved. He was just standing there staring up at her.
“Well? Are you coming or not?” She was tempted to lob a rock at him. “I can’t lead the way since I have no idea where the hell we’re going.”
Grant set his jaw, tucked his chin, and forged past her.
Silent and brooding, they climbed up then down the rough, river-eaten landscape. Geez. Are we climbing to the next state? Joanna adjusted the backpack across her shoulders. It was getting heavier by the minute. It had been a long time since she’d hiked, and now she remembered why she’d switched to running. She hated climbing and carting all her crap on her back like a pack animal. She bit her tongue to keep from sounding like the kid in the backseat whining, Are we there yet?
She stared at Grant’s broad back. He was wound so tight a feather could touch him and he’d explode. His wide shoulders were tensed under the bleached linen of his shirt, stretching the material and straining the seams. He kept his hands clenched into white-knuckled fists as he stomped his way higher. At least while they were following the rough upward trail, she was still oblivious to whatever ominous news lay ahead. She blew out a heavy sigh and raked a forearm across her sweating forehead. Climbing and hiking sucked, but getting your heart broken sucked harder, and she had the sinking feeling that’s what was about to happen.
“There.” Grant pointed downward at a calm inlet, cut off from the river by a shoal stretching across the small bay formed by a curve in the river. The water in the bay shimmered smooth and still as a mirror, shielded from the wind by the sandy shoal and unaffected by the river’s currents. The beach, a swath of pebbles and sand, abutted a high rock embankment covered with a thick curtain of tangled kudzu. The invasive vines of broad green leaves draped down across the embankment, completely covering the wall of stone.
“There?” Joanna repeated, studying the secluded shoreline. She turned and looked across the river. There was completely hidden from unknowing eyes by the overgrowth of vines and the narrow shoal walling it off from the river. “And what exactly is it that I’m looking at?” she asked. “Other than a great place to hide a body.”
Chapter 14
If he turned back this verra minute…Temptation stung and burned like embers popping out of a fire. Nay. I canna turn back. Not now. There was no escaping the damned Heartstone and the goddesses with their heartless druthers. If Dwyn said the goddesses were already aware of Joanna—had even blessed her, in fact—he’d best face them. He’d learned that cruel lesson sixteen years ago when he’d been fool enough t’leave it to the elders.
He’d battle the powers head-on this time. Challenge them face t’face. And if he lost Joanna? Grant ripped the vines of kudzu to one side of the cave’s hidden opening. He shoved away the disturbing possibility just as he shoved the dense greenery out of the way. He wouldna lose her. Not the way he’d lost Leannan. If Joanna couldna believe what he shared and she sent him away, then he’d…
Grant drew a blank, a blank as dank and empty as the cave in front of him. He didna ken what he’d do if Joanna sent him away. He sucked in a deep breath. Aye. I ken what I’ll do. I’ll no’ go away. I’ll follow her to the ends of the earth until she sees m’love for her is true. He turned and held out his hand, newfound determination tensing every fiber within him. “This cave leads to what I wish t’show ye.”
Joanna looked at him, one brow arched, her thumbs looped through the backpack straps around her shoulders. She didn’t speak, but Grant heard her thoughts just as clearly as if she’d shouted. Leeriness shone in her eyes, chipping away at his resolve.
“Joanna…please.” He willed her to trust him, yet even more, he willed her to believe and accept what she was about to see.
Joanna stared at Grant’s outstretched hand a long moment. Eyes narrowed. Her look pensive. Finally, she slid her backpack off her shoulders, plopped it to the ground between her feet, and searched through it until she finally straightened with some sort of black strapping attached to a round object in one hand. She unwound the strap, placed the circle of black and clear plastic in the center of her forehead, then smoothed and tightened the dark elastic banding around her head and looped her ponytail through the end of it. She squeezed the sides of the circle and a blinding blue-white light burst forth like a shining beacon powered by her mind. She returned the backpack to her shoulders and nodded toward the rear of the cave. The light beam shining from her forehead bounced up and down the shadowy stone walls. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
Grant decided not to tell her that once they reached the entrance to the secret tunnels there would be no need for her wee light. ’Twould only befuddle her and make winning her complete trust even more difficult. He held out his hand. “Aye. This way then.”
Joanna took his hand, her fingers cold and clammy but her grip strong and true. He led her deeper into the cave, walking slowly to keep her from losing her footing. The uneven surface of the floor was slippery and treacherous with slimy river muck, rocks, and debris. He felt her shiver, whether from the damp chill of the cavern or the feeling of doom riding heavy in the air, he didna ken. All he knew for certain was that he felt the same.