Teira loved this little stretch of shoreline just outside Copenhagen, Denmark. The pale blue sky seemed to merge with the dark blue waters of the Baltic Sea. A light breeze made the tall grasses sway, and sea birds dotted the sky or swooped down to land on the abandoned beach. With no one around to see, she removed her nylons, hiked up her business skirt, and made her way to the water's edge. There she let the incoming tide shift the sand around her feet and through her toes. She reveled in the solitude and freedom. It was a weekday at a non-touristy destination, so she was alone. Or so she thought.Teira stepped out into the tide until the water came up to just below her knees. It was rougher than she'd expected and she knew it would be unsafe to venture out any farther. Pushing away the thoughts of work and family that plagued her, she inhaled the smell of seawater and watched the water swirl in and out in an eternal round. The majesty and serenity of the scene calmed Teira's restless, troubled mind ~ if only for a few minutes. Though the sun sparkled bright on the water's surface, it was so cold that her feet began to go numb. Because she was still lost in her thoughts, the next wave almost toppled Teira over. Roused, she turned to hurry toward the blanket she had left on the beach.She never heard or saw the man who came up behind her. It wasn't until he had grabbed her and dragged her back into the water that she realized how strong he was and knew she couldn't pull away from his tight grasp.The cold water was now up to her shoulders. Shock raced through her as she tried to suck in a breath before losing her footing and being thrust head-first into the freezing surf.Instinctively she gasped for air, filling her mouth and nose with salty water. Desperately trying to expel it, she swallowed even more. The frigid water burned her face and stung her eyes. Teira fought with all her might, kicking out to escape toward the surface. She finally succeeded to sob in a lungful of air, but then the man grabbed her once again and pushed her deeper and farther out.Panicked, Teira fought for her life. The cold temperature made her lose her oxygen supply even quicker. She couldn't hold on much longer. Adrenaline made her fight, but inside she suspected it was a losing battle . . . Read an excerpt from
Shadow of the Crown
Shadow of the Crown features scenes from all the stunning, romantic sites pictured on this page! It's coming in August to LDS bookstores everywhere! (Or order online from www.seagullbook.com.)
