Read Online Savage Splendor (Savage Lagonda 2) by Constance O'Banyon - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Constance O'Banyon
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Native Americans, 19th century, Marriage, King, true love, queen, wife, Beloved, Indian, husband, American West, Lagonda Tribe, White People, Reuniting, disappeared, Continuation, Night & Day
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told a startled Matio, who quickly mounted his horse. It would never occur to him to disobey his queen. .
Palomas did not see Mara's intention until it was too late. By the time he mounted his horse, Mara and Matio were already in deep water. Palomas urged his mount into the water, fearing he would not be able to reach Mara in time.
Mara turned her head and gave him an impish smile. But the look he gave her in return clearly showed his displeasure. Matio kept a wary eye on her, ready to help her if she needed him. There were warriors on both sides of the river, watching them make the crossing. Palomas's anger was boundless as he urged his mount onward. Looking upriver, he was the first to see the wall of water that rushed toward them.
Mara and Matio were midway across the river when she heard the sound of rushing water. Looking up, she saw the swollen river water as it rushed downstream toward them at unbelievable speed. The churning torrent carried with it debris and uprooted trees. Mara chided herself for acting with such foolhardiness. It might be possible for her and Matio to reach the safety of the other shore, but what about Palomas? Would there be time for him to escape the destructive wall of water that was sweeping everything along in its path?
Mara pulled her horse up and turned back to look at Palomas. Matio, seeing it was her intention to go back to Palomas, grabbed her reins and pulled her forward. Time seemed suspended as Mara glanced at the opposite shore, which was still a great distance from them. She saw the warriors plunge into the water and swim toward her with powerful strokes.
The roar of the water was deafening, and Mara realized none of them would reach shore before the floodwaters were upon them. Her old fear of water returned. In a flash she remembered the time she would have drowned had not Tajarez saved her. After they had married he had insisted that she learn to swim. She was not a strong swimmer and she knew she would never be able to swim in the raging floodwaters. She was aware of the effort Palomas was making to reach her but she knew he would never reach her in time.
Mara saw Matio plunge into the water. He swam around to her side and held his arms up to her. "I will save you, my queen," he shouted. "Come to me.
She had a firm grip on her horse's mane and did not intend to let go. "I cannot, Matio, save yourself," she yelled to make herself heard above the noise of the raging waters.
Matio grabbed her horse's bridle, which was trailing in the water, and pulled himself up. He then pried her hands loose from the horse's mane, pulling her into his arms, and Mara felt the water close over her head before she was lifted up by Matio.
Mara felt great fear, which she knew she must overcome if Matio was to save them both. She had no time to think as the full impact of the floodwaters hit her and Matio and tossed them end over end. Mara could feel herself being dragged under, and she felt her lungs would burst from want of air. Even in her fear she thought of the many who might die because of her stubbornness and willfulness. She thought of Tajarez, and knew she must fight to live. It would destroy Tajarez if she were to die. In so many ways he needed her, and this gave her the courage she needed to fight to live.
She felt Matio's arms about her waist as he swam toward the surface with her. She kicked her feet to help him all she could. When they cut through the surface Mara gulped in a deep breath of air. The current was so swift that they had been carried a long way from the point of impact.
Matio strained his muscles to the limit to keep Mara's head above water. The strain on him was great and he could feel his strength ebbing. He knew if he did not find something for them to hang on to he might not be able to keep her afloat for much longer. He saw an uprooted tree not five feet behind them. With his last ounce of strength he pulled Mara out of the way just as the tree swept past.
Palomas did not see Mara's intention until it was too late. By the time he mounted his horse, Mara and Matio were already in deep water. Palomas urged his mount into the water, fearing he would not be able to reach Mara in time.
Mara turned her head and gave him an impish smile. But the look he gave her in return clearly showed his displeasure. Matio kept a wary eye on her, ready to help her if she needed him. There were warriors on both sides of the river, watching them make the crossing. Palomas's anger was boundless as he urged his mount onward. Looking upriver, he was the first to see the wall of water that rushed toward them.
Mara and Matio were midway across the river when she heard the sound of rushing water. Looking up, she saw the swollen river water as it rushed downstream toward them at unbelievable speed. The churning torrent carried with it debris and uprooted trees. Mara chided herself for acting with such foolhardiness. It might be possible for her and Matio to reach the safety of the other shore, but what about Palomas? Would there be time for him to escape the destructive wall of water that was sweeping everything along in its path?
Mara pulled her horse up and turned back to look at Palomas. Matio, seeing it was her intention to go back to Palomas, grabbed her reins and pulled her forward. Time seemed suspended as Mara glanced at the opposite shore, which was still a great distance from them. She saw the warriors plunge into the water and swim toward her with powerful strokes.
The roar of the water was deafening, and Mara realized none of them would reach shore before the floodwaters were upon them. Her old fear of water returned. In a flash she remembered the time she would have drowned had not Tajarez saved her. After they had married he had insisted that she learn to swim. She was not a strong swimmer and she knew she would never be able to swim in the raging floodwaters. She was aware of the effort Palomas was making to reach her but she knew he would never reach her in time.
Mara saw Matio plunge into the water. He swam around to her side and held his arms up to her. "I will save you, my queen," he shouted. "Come to me.
She had a firm grip on her horse's mane and did not intend to let go. "I cannot, Matio, save yourself," she yelled to make herself heard above the noise of the raging waters.
Matio grabbed her horse's bridle, which was trailing in the water, and pulled himself up. He then pried her hands loose from the horse's mane, pulling her into his arms, and Mara felt the water close over her head before she was lifted up by Matio.
Mara felt great fear, which she knew she must overcome if Matio was to save them both. She had no time to think as the full impact of the floodwaters hit her and Matio and tossed them end over end. Mara could feel herself being dragged under, and she felt her lungs would burst from want of air. Even in her fear she thought of the many who might die because of her stubbornness and willfulness. She thought of Tajarez, and knew she must fight to live. It would destroy Tajarez if she were to die. In so many ways he needed her, and this gave her the courage she needed to fight to live.
She felt Matio's arms about her waist as he swam toward the surface with her. She kicked her feet to help him all she could. When they cut through the surface Mara gulped in a deep breath of air. The current was so swift that they had been carried a long way from the point of impact.
Matio strained his muscles to the limit to keep Mara's head above water. The strain on him was great and he could feel his strength ebbing. He knew if he did not find something for them to hang on to he might not be able to keep her afloat for much longer. He saw an uprooted tree not five feet behind them. With his last ounce of strength he pulled Mara out of the way just as the tree swept past.
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