You have this, you can do this, just like he said. Just breathe.
Pulling the string back, she took in a deep breath before releasing it. The arrow flew through the air and crashed directly into Aidan’s back. A loud cry caused the birds hiding in the tall grass to take flight, but Cleo paid no attention to them.
All she saw was Aidan crumbling next to Jude.
She could feel the hot tears in her eyes as she tried to find a way to get down to the riverbank.
“Jude!” she cried out. “My love. Where are you?”
“Cleo?”
The sound of her name coming in Jude’s voice sent her body into a frenzy. The pain that had plagued her seemed to disappear as she hobbled toward the river’s edge. There she found Jude kicking Aidan off of him and pushed the soldier’s body into the river. She crumbled next to Jude and showered him and kisses.
“How did ye?” Jude said as he cupped his hands to her face. She knew immediately something was wrong by the way his eyes glossed over.
“I found flowers in Aidan’s room,” Cleo explained, “nightshade. He’s been the behind the poisoning.”
“I ken, he confessed everythin’. He was not the only conspirator,” Jude said as his hand slipped from Cleo’s face.
“No,” she said shaking her head. “Jude, hold on, Hugh has gone for help.”
“The dagger,” Jude groaned. “Poisoned.”
“Oh god, no,” she gasped as she noticed the small blade in Aidan’s hand. “Jude, my love, you have to stay with me. You cannot leave me here. Please.”
Searching the field around her, she spied the white flowers of Kings Foil. It was a small little plant that she had read would help any traveler.
Scrambling to the weed, she plucked it and pushed it into her mouth. She chewed on the flowers, making it a paste before spitting it out and smashing it into Jude’s hand, urging him to lift it toward his mouth.
“Stay with me,” she said as her sight began to fade.
She knew she had lost too much blood. In the back of her mind, she was ready to die. Carefully, she lowered her head and rested it on Jude’s chest. She could hear his faint heart beating. It was a comfort for her as she let her eyes close and succumbed to the darkness that swallowed her whole.
“Cleo.”
Somewhere in the back of her mind she could hear her name being called. The voice was soothing and almost luring out of the darkness that encompassed her. Glancing around, she tried to see through the thick cloud of nothing that engulfed her, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t see anything but black.
“I’m here,” she cried out, praying that the voice would continue to call her. In the distance she spotted a single beam of light. The beam opened for her and drew her closer. Every ounce of her being ached and she began to wonder if answering the strange and exotic voice was worth it.
“Come back to me,” the voice said and Cleo realized who was calling her.
“Jude?” she cried out. “Is that you? Please, answer me.”
“You have to open yer eyes love,” he said with his thick Scottish accent that she had grown to love.
A smile pulled at the corners of her lips as she obeyed his command. Slowly, her eyes fluttered and the light filled her vision.
“She’s awake!”
Somewhere in the corner of the room she heard Hugh’s voice. It was like listening to bells ringing as she fought through the pounding in her head.
“What is going on?” Cleo asked trying to scan the room and make any sense of what she was seeing. Sitting beside her, she noticed Jude almost instantly. He shot his hand to her and flashed her the crooked smile she loved so much.
“Ye had me worried there for a wee bit,” he said as he leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead.
“What happened?” Cleo asked as her eyes shifted to the healer who seemed to be fascinated by her leg. She glanced about the familiar room and sighed with relief. Images flashed in her mind as she tried to put the pieces together of what had happened.
With a heavy heart, she closed her eyes and could hear Aidan’s cries as the river swallowed him. Although Aidan had been the culprit, she couldn’t bring herself to hate him. Only pity the poor soul as he faded out of her memory.
“Ye lost a lot of blood,” Jude said and she opened her eyes to find Jude by her side. “I nearly thought I had lost ye.”
“But,” Cleo tried to pull up the last memory she had but found it was muddled. “You were poisoned.”
“Aye,” Jude said glancing to the healer.
“Ye have yerself a smart lass there,” the healer said. “Yer quick thinkin’ saved the Laird and his son.”
“But…Aidan?” Panic caught Cleo by surprise and she found her chest tightening, making it difficult for her to breath.
“Easy there, love,” Jude said brushing his fingers over her face. “He willnae be botherin’ us anymore.”
“What happened?” Cleo asked searching Jude’s face for the answers.
“An arrow got him,” Jude said with a faint smile.
“You mean my arrow,” Cleo said leaning back down as her heart felt like bricks in her chest. “I killed him, didn’t I?”
Jude pressed his lips into a tight line as he shifted his attention to the healer.
“That doesnae matter now,” the healer said. “What matters is ye’re out of the woods now.”
“And Jude and Hugh are alive,” Cleo said as she stretched her hand out to grab Hugh’s hand. The boy quickly slipped his hand into hers and flashed her a grateful smile.
“Ye’ve done so much for us,” Jude said.
“I love you,” Cleo answered without hesitation. “That is what people do when they love each other, is it not?”
“Aye, love, it is,” Jude said as he leaned over the edge of the bed and crushed his lips to hers.
“All right
