The Serpent in the Stone - By Nicki Greenwood Page 0,32
brought a sweatshirt and jeans. He found it easier to breathe once she’d put them on over her bathing suit.
But not by much.
****
During the walk back to Ian’s camp, he explained the basics of rock climbing. Sara tried to listen, but couldn’t concentrate. She told herself she only lagged behind because she was thinking about his climbing instructions, but then she looked up.
He’d tucked his shirt and jacket under his arm, and she had an uninterrupted view of his naked back. She followed the line of his broad shoulders, down through a mesmerizing vee to his narrow hips. As he walked, she stared at the play of muscle. He had such a beautiful back. She hated to linger on the scars.
Seeming to notice she’d fallen behind, he paused. “Something wrong?”
She shook her head and hurried to catch up.
They said nothing more until they arrived at his tent. He showed her how to buckle his spare belt and ropes and adjust them to fit her body, then donned his own gear. “Ready?” he asked.
“You know you’re crazy to do this kind of thing voluntarily?”
He grinned and led the way to the cliff.
When they reached it, Sara craned over the precipice with apprehension. “So you want me to jump off a cliff?”
He laughed. “It’s easier than it seems,” he told her. “The ropes do a lot of the work. I’ll show you. Grab the other helmet.”
“Are we rock climbing or doing high-rise construction?”
He buckled his own helmet. “The falcon likes to dive-bomb if he thinks you’re too close to his roost. Ever been around a pissed-off bird with sharp talons?”
Shrugging, she picked up the other helmet and buckled it on. “Aren’t we going to scare him off?” she asked.
“We’ve worked out a mutual safe distance. The helmets are just insurance against him redrawing his lines.” He gave his anchor points an experimental tug, then started over the edge of the cliff. Feeding out the rope, he lowered himself down, placing his feet in the sturdiest crevices. When he was a short way below, he looked back up. “Come on.”
“I think I’d rather fly,” she said, hanging back.
He cocked his head. “You could do that, couldn’t you?”
Was he teasing her? No, not about her powers. He couldn’t be. “Yes, if I shapeshifted. I can’t levitate myself, or I’d be floating down there instead of attempting suicide with this contraption.” Setting her jaw, she knelt and climbed down. The ends of her hair, still damp, billowed in the updraft.
Placing her feet where he instructed her, she made it to his level before her foot slipped on a ledge. She yelped and started to slide. Gravel spilled away under her.
He grabbed her by the harness and steadied her as the ropes caught. “I’ve got you. You’re doing fine.”
“You’re loving this, aren’t you?”
“A little,” he admitted, flashing a dimple at her. “It’s nice to be back on the other end of the professional know-how.”
“So this time, I get to be the rookie.”
He chuckled and continued down the cliff. “Keep it coming, rookie.”
He showed her how to rappel downward until they got within sight of the roost. He swung near enough to put a hand on her arm and stop her descent, then pointed.
The roost huddled in a crag out of the wind, no more than a shallow ledge of granite. Crouched on its edge, watching them with suspicion, was the falcon.
Excitement surged through Sara. She bent close to Ian’s ear and spoke in an exuberant whisper. “He’s beautiful. This is amazing!”
Ian lifted the camera hanging around his neck and leaned back in his harness to photograph the bird. “And you thought this wasn’t going to be any fun. Check out the view. This is prime real estate.”
At his gesture, she turned around in her harness. The lowering sun glittered on the waves. Birds keened below, and the ocean pounded in her ears. Unst lay just visible on the horizon. “Wow. It feels like we’re the only two people on earth out here.” And that, she thought privately, had far too much appeal right now.
“This is why I’d hate being tied to a desk all the time,” he told her.
The falcon took flight and soared away over the water. She watched it go, captivated by its grace. When she looked back, she saw Ian smiling at her. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
“For the cliffside with a view,” she said, then smiled. “What do you need my help with?”
He sobered at once. “I was hoping you’d try an experiment with