“I already have,” Aidan said with a crooked grin.
Jude knew he was running out of time. As Hugh’s screams faded from his ears, Jude prayed for a miracle. Instantly, his mind shifted to Cleo.
I love ye. I will always love ye. Take care of me boy.
23
Cleo’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched the bow snap back into place and the arrow spring forth and whizzed through the air.
It seemed as if is the whole world stopped for a moment as she waited and hoped that her aim was true. To her dismay, the arrow did not strike Aidan in the back but plunged deep into his thigh causing him to scream out pain. It was all that she could do to give Jude a brief moment to get out from Aidan’s grasp.
“Cleo,” Jude shouted. “Get Hugh!” Cleo’s eyes shifted as Jude pointed down the river.
Cleo whipped her head to the side and noticed a small head bobbing up and down in the torrential waters. Without hesitation, Cleopatra raced to the river and stood at a cliff. There was no way for her to get down but to jump. Cleo dropped the bow and quiver of arrows and took a step back. She pulled in a deep breath and lunged off the cliff into the water.
The raging ice cold river stole her breath as she forced her head to remain above the roaring waters. Gasping for air she searched frantically. Water filled her eyes and mouth until finally the black-haired child popped up within feet of her.
“Hugh,” she screamed as she began swimming with all of her strength against the current. She made it to Hugh and curled her arm around the boy’s body, forcing his face up to the sky. Her leg seared with pain as it shot through her entire being, but she had no time to think about such things. She knew that if she didn’t get Hugh and herself out of the river, they were doomed.
“Hold on, hold on.” She kept saying as she paddled with one arm and dragged Hugh with her. Slowly she made it to the banks of the river and latched onto a branch using all her effort. She carefully pulled Hugh up to the river’s edge. The boy’s face was white as a sheet and as the moments ticked on, she knew the boy was slipping away.
“Come on, you need to breathe,” she said, slapping the boy hard on the face and pounding on his chest. Each moment that ticked by she found herself struggling to remain conscious. She knew she was losing blood, but she was Hugh’s only hope. Clenching her teeth, she forced herself to remain focused on Hugh. She wouldn’t let her mind drift to Jude or anyone else.
Slowly the boy started coughing as water poured out of his mouth. Relief washed over Cleo as she exhaled. “Oh, thank the heavens.”
Carefully, she cradled Hugh’s head and scooted closer to him so that he could rest in her lap. Little by little Hugh’s eyes began to flutter until they finally opened. Dazed and a bit confused, Hugh stared at her.
“Faither?” With his voice was scratchy and rough, he forced the word out of his lips.
Cleo’s eyes shifted to the moors. Her heart ached for Jude as she hoped he was still alive. She leaned down and pressed her lips to Hugh’s forehead. He was ice cold. Yet with him awake and conscious, she knew that he would be able to pull through.
“I don’t know,” she whispered. “Hugh, you have to hold on for me. I need you to be strong, can you do that?”
The boy nodded his head.
“Your father needs my help. Can you make it back to the castle alone?”
Once more Hugh bobbed his head. For a moment, Cleo was torn between staying with Hugh and helping Jude. She knew that she had to have faith the boy would make it back without passing out. In the distance, she could hear the racket of metal striking metal and knew Jude was still in the battle for his life.
“Hugh, can you stand up for me? I need you on your feet before I go help your father,” Cleo said, “you have to make it back to the castle and send more men. I cannot handle Aidan alone and I don’t know how well your father is fairing. Can you do that? Can you get help?”
The boy trembled and shook uncontrollably. She knew that he needed to get up and move if he was going to be able to make it. Hugh nodded as his teeth chattered from the cold.
“Go quickly, get help,” Cleo ordered as Hugh struggled to his feet. She watched a moment as the boy fumbled like a drunkard down the tracks. Slowly but steadily, Hugh found his footing and moved as fast as he could back to the castle.
As she tried to get to her feet, she winced in pain. Immediately her eyes shifted to her leg. It was covered in black splotches and red flowed out from the gash on her calf. Biting on her lip, she pulled a strip of cloth from her tattered skirt and wrapped it tightly around her leg to stop the bleeding. Pulling in a deep breath, she tried once more to get on her feet. The pain shot through her and she wanted to collapse, but wouldn’t let herself do it.
I must keep going. Jude needs me.
Slowly she made it to the top of the hill and found her bow and quiver of arrows right where she had dropped them. Her heart went out to Jude as she spied Aidan climbing on him with a dagger in hand trying to run Jude through.
No!
Quickly, she pulled an arrow from the quiver and
