Part 14 (1/2)

She stared at him. ”What about it?”

”It flows out of here.”

She thought for a moment. ”I never tried to figure out where it exits. I don't even know how long it goes underground. It could be miles.”

”Or not. I'm a landscape architect. Part of my job is studying the contours of the land. I think the river goes through the rocks. How big is the outcropping?”

”Not wide,” she said in a low voice.

”Can you swim?”

”Yes. But I wouldn't say I'm good at it.” Glancing toward the rock that blocked the doorway, she saw the stone beginning to thin, and she knew someone on the outside was melting his way through the barrier.

When she and Haig used the psychic key, the opening appeared almost instantly. The men out there hadn't found exactly the right combination yet, but they would get through eventually.

If she didn't want to get caught, she'd have to take her chances in the water. Even if she drowned, that was better than falling into Falcone's clutches again.

She and Logan rushed to the side of the cave where the river flowed through the bathroom area.

”I'll stay with you. Take off your clothes,” he ordered.

She gulped, then turned her back and began tearing at her clothing.

”When we get to the other end, you'll have to lead the way to someplace safe.”

Behind her, she heard loud voices. The warriors! They'd made it through the barrier.

She took a gasp of air, then dove in, the icy water shocking her body.

Above the roaring in her ears, she thought she heard the voices of the men shouting to each other, but she couldn't be sure.

She sensed Logan enter the water beside her. But the current pulled him away, and in the blackness she couldn't see him.

Struggling not to panic, she let the river carry her downstream. She felt something long and hard b.u.mp against her side and might have screamed if she'd had her head above water. A spear. One of 'the soldiers had thrown it at her retreating form.

The water flowed out of the cave and into a narrow pa.s.sage, increasing the speed of the current and rus.h.i.+ng her along. She cursed herself for not counting the seconds. In the black, watery environment, she had no idea where she was, how long she had been in the tunnel, or even if Logan was with her.

As the river carried her along, her shoulder b.u.mped against an outcropping, and she sc.r.a.ped along the rock, feeling her skin abrade.

Repositioning herself, she struggled to stay in the center of the stream, but twice more the water banged her into a rock.

She knew she was collecting sc.r.a.pes and bruises, but they were the least of her worries. Her lungs were going to burst if she didn't get some air. Swimming toward the surface, she was relieved to find that there was just enough room for her mouth and nose to poke above the water. She might have stayed above the surface, but she was afraid that she would hit her head in the dark and get knocked unconscious.

So she plunged under again, then kicked toward the surface when she needed air again, only this time there was no room for her head. She was stuck under the water.

Fighting panic and the pressure inside her chest, she looked ahead of her and saw a spot of light.

Thank the Great Mother! The river must be coming out of the underground pa.s.sage-if she could only last long enough to reach it.

Focusing on the brightness, she struggled to increase her speed, kicking with her legs and stroking with her arms, trying to get out of the tunnel as fast as she could.