I pulled one foot up, and put it out in front of me, set it down—

And my foot continued to sink down, down, without stopping. I cried out and struggled to pull it back, but I fell off balance and floundered, suddenly finding myself up to my waist in a soft, sandy mixture. The more violently I struggled, the more it sucked me into it.

“Rhea!” ClanFintan yelled, and with a ferocious strength he grabbed my arm and yanked me backward, almost causing my shoulder to be wrenched out of its socket.

ClanFintan went down, and I fell back into his arms, where we stayed for a moment—happy that what was beneath us was just mud. My husband’s hands were traveling over my body, like he was checking to make sure everything was still there.

“Did something grab you? Are you hurt?” His voice was shaking.

“No, I’m okay.” I laid my head against him, breathing deeply. “It didn’t have a bottom. It felt like it was sucking me down. Ugh—it must be quicksand.”

“Yes.” He sounded calmer now that he knew I was in one piece. “I have heard of the sinking sand.” He attempted a smile. “It is one reason centaurs stay out of swampy land.”

“Well, it’s a damn good reason.”

He surged to his feet, lifting me with him.

“We must go around it.” He started working his way to the south, stepping carefully. “And now you cannot ride me.”

He didn’t need to say what we both knew. He could pull me out of quicksand, but there would be no way I could do the same for him. We kept moving, and I sent a silent prayer to my Goddess, begging for help.

19

Eventually, we traveled far enough south so that we skirted the quicksand, and were able, once again, to turn to the east. The cutting grass felt as if it was ripping the flesh from my arms, and my footsteps became slower and slower.

“Rhea, let me walk ahead.” He had stopped. “Rub some salve on your arms and walk behind me, give them a chance to rest,” he coaxed. “After a time we can change positions again.”

“But what if you step into some quicksand?”

“I will be careful.”

“Okay.” I gave in with something that sounded very much like a sob, and stumbled back to him. He took the pouch from my shoulder, and I wished we had some wine left, but the four of us had finished that off before midday. I held out my arms, flinching as his gentle fingers applied the sticky ointment. Almost immediately the burning stopped, and I breathed a long sigh of relief.

“That feels good.” I noticed the scratches on his arms and chest. “Here, I’ll put some on you, too.”

“They are just small scrapes—my skin is not soft, like yours.” He touched my cheek.

“I’ll just put a little on you. I know how badly they sting.”

He smiled indulgently at me while I doctored the scratches. Then I put the jar away and moved reluctantly behind him.

“Be careful!” I called.

“I will.” He started out, and we began our timeless struggle forward again.

Just as I thought the field of grass would never end, ClanFintan called over his shoulder excitedly, “I can see the tree line ahead!” He surged forward with renewed vigor.

And right into a bed of quicksand.

His equine body floundered, struggling against the sucking sand. His arms flailed out, trying to grab something, anything, that he could use to pull himself to safety.

“Stay back!” he yelled as I tried to go to him. “I am too far in—you cannot reach me.”

“What can I do?” I yelled, feeling panic rise in my throat.

He looked frantically around. “If you can make it to the trees, find a long branch and bring it back here.”

I nodded, and started searching for a way around the quicksand, but I knew I would never make it in time. I couldn’t even see the stand of trees, and I couldn’t run in the marsh’s sucking mud.

I knew he was going to die—and all I could do was watch him.

He must call The Change. The thought burst loud and clear through my panicked mind. I rushed to the edge of the quicksand. He had sunk to midway up his human torso.

“Stay back…” His breathing was ragged.

“Listen!” I dropped to my knees and crawled around the side of the pit. “You must shape-shift.” I stretched out my arms to him. “See, if you reach out, I can grab you. Try!”

He did, and our fingers touched.

“Now, shape-shift. I can pull out a man—but not a centaur.”

I saw understanding flash through his eyes. Then he closed them and bowed his head. His body became very still as he began the chant, raising his arms and head synchronistically. The shimmer started. Before I had to close my eyes to the brilliance of the light, I watched his face twist in unimaginable agony.

Then the light extinguished. Immediately, I stretched forward.

“Help me! Reach!” I yelled at him.

With weary determination he reached for me, and our fingers touched. Then our hands grasped one another’s. I dug my heels into the murky ground and pulled with everything within me. Inch by inch I won ground over the deadly sand, until ClanFintan’s torso lay on the wet ground and he was able to help me pull the rest of him free.

He rolled over on his side, and for a long time we lay there against each other. Our only movement was to breathe.

“Thank you, Epona,” I said aloud.

“Your Goddess is good to you.” I was reassured by the normal sound of his deep voice.