Down the Rabbit Hole

She scrambled from rock to rock, low branch to low branch, and found herself struggling for every breath. She’d never dreamed the climb to the top of these Highland peaks would be so daunting.

At the keening of the wind, the sky turned so dark, she looked up and saw the moon covered by a wall of thick, dark clouds. Perhaps she should be grateful for the wind and the clouds. Without them, she would have been as visible as if she were carrying a lantern.

As she came up over a rise, a sudden flash of lightning gave her a clear view of the scene before her.

A great stag stood on a shelf of rock, head high, standing as still as a statue.

Seeing a slight movement to one side, Beth caught sight of a man wearing a hooded cloak. In the blink of an eye he lifted his hands. Another flash of lightning showed an archer’s bow in one hand, an arrow in the other.

As he took aim, she shouted, “Behind you!”

The night went dark, and she feared her words had been snatched away by the wicked wind. Straining, she thought she heard the flight of the arrow as it sang through the air. In the same instant the stag leapt down from the rock.

Instead of hitting the stag’s throat, as intended, the arrow landed in the moving animal’s side.

With a cry the great beast staggered and fought, rearing up on its hind legs before dropping to the ground, writhing in pain.

With a muttered oath at his bad timing, the man stepped out of his place of concealment. Following behind him was a woman dressed in an elegant fur-lined cloak.

The two headed toward the animal, prepared to finish the deed. In the man’s hand was a sword. In the woman’s hand, the razor-sharp blade of a knife glinted in the moonlight.

“No!” With a look of absolute horror, Beth raced across the distance that separated them and knelt beside the wounded creature.

With a look of surprise, the man halted for a moment.

Edwina took the lead and started forward. “Move away, woman, before you join the beast in death.”

“You think to kill us both so no one will know the evil thing you did here?” Beth got to her feet and faced the man and woman.

“No, you fool,” Ian shouted. “The Beast will take care of that for us. Before he dies, his antlers will rip you to shreds. If that isn’t enough, those great hooves will crush you.”

“Then you’ll have your wish, won’t you? The only witness to your cruel deed will be eliminated.” Beth fixed them both with a look of fury. “What happened to the hunter you paid to do this evil thing?”

Ian looked stunned. “How did you know?”

“I overheard your evil scheme.”

“Why, you . . .” As Ian rushed toward her, Beth pulled the knife from her waistband.

“Come any closer, Ian, and you’ll be the one to suffer.”

When he hesitated, Edwina tossed back the hood of her cloak and advanced. “Do you think you can kill both of us?”

“I’ll die trying.”

Hearing the sound of pain and fury emanating from the stag’s throat, and seeing the feral gleam of its eyes, Edwina turned away with a sly smile. “This woman is a bigger fool than your friend Hamish.” She shot a glance at Beth. “You asked about him. He refused to carry out the deed, saying the laird didn’t deserve such a fate. Even now he lies in a pool of his own blood.”

Beth looked in horror at Ian. “And you called him a friend?”

Edwina answered for her brother. “What we do is necessary to carry out the will of our mother. As for you, fool woman, you shall suffer an even harsher death, as you’ll certainly be crushed beneath the hooves of the beast as he fights to the death. You both deserve what you will get.”

As thunder crashed across the heavens, Edwina turned away. Her boot caught the edge of a rock and she lost her balance, falling into the rushing waters of a swollen Highland stream.

With a cry, Ian dropped his weapon and made a desperate attempt to save her, until he, too, was swept away.

Their cries filled the air.

Within minutes their voices were stilled.