Chapter Thirty-Six
I immediately pulled my xiphos out and slammed it into the dirt next to me.
I just kept falling, my sword feeling as if it were cutting through air.
There was no way for me to gain purchase.
My heart tried to escape out of my throat while icy terror took hold of my chest, making it so I couldn’t breathe.
Then my xiphos struck the top of a giant rock and I came to such a hard stop that I worried my arm might come out of its socket.
I let out a grunt of pain as I hit the stone.
Dirt continued to fall all around me, like rain during a terrible storm.
I could barely see as it showered down on top of me.
Was this how I would die? Wasn’t this what the goddess had done to Ajax? Opened the earth beneath him and swallowed him whole?
The hysterical thought occurred to me that I hadn’t broken my vow but was going to be buried alive anyway.
I heard everyone yelling my name, but the falling dirt was louder. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, what they were doing. I put my hand over my eyes, shading them so that I could see better.
It was then I realized the dirt was closing in on me. The hole was filling up and I would be caught in the middle of it and crushed.
I would drown in dirt.
Someone had thrown down a rope, and I reached for it but missed. I tried very hard not to panic as the dirt compressed against my ankles. I felt the level rise, up to my calves. The soil was heavy against me, pulling down on my legs. My shoulder screamed out in pain, as I tried to hold on.
I forced myself to focus and ignore my spiking adrenaline when they swung the rope to me again. This time I was able to grab it. Someone had made a loop at the end and I put it underneath my left arm as I was still holding on to my sword with my right.
The loop closed around my neck and under my left armpit, and I sent a prayer to the goddess to help me survive this. It was excruciating being pulled up, the rope burning and biting my skin.
But it certainly beat the alternative.
I kept my grip on my xiphos and yanked it out of the wall. I wouldn’t leave it behind.
They pulled me up quickly and I landed on the ground when I reached the top. I had just cleared the hole when the entire thing collapsed in on itself.
Xander pulled me into his arms and held on to me so tightly that I worried he would break my ribs.
“I can’t breathe,” I told him.
He only slightly lessened his grip and then spoke his words against my cheek. “Is this how you plan on killing me? Scaring me to death?”
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” I said. His heart beat so rapidly against my chest—thumping as hard and fast as my own.
“Are you hurt?” he demanded.
“Some aches and bruises but I’m fine.”
I felt my sisters’ hands on me, as if wanting to be reassured that I was still alive and whole.
Xander wouldn’t release me for a long time, and I finally had to push against him because I could feel everyone watching us.
When he let go, Io was there with a potion. “Drink this. You need to be restored. You have to be at full strength when we enter the cave.”
I saw the expression on my husband’s face. He was going to propose that we turn around and leave. I shook my head at him and he pressed his mouth into a thin line, but he nodded.
We had to go on.
I drank all of Io’s potion and then Suri tapped on my arm. Her eyes were wide and panicked.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
She held her palms out in front of her and then looked down at them and back at me, shaking her head. Then she put her hands flat against the earth, again shaking her head.
“You tried to use your magic to help Lia and it didn’t work?” Io asked.
Yes.
“Why wouldn’t it work?” Ahyana asked.
My first thought was that Suri might have done something to break her vow, but I immediately dismissed it. As far as I knew, she didn’t have feelings for anyone.
“Because it was the trial of earth,” Io said miserably, and her words made my blood flash cold. “That’s why Suri couldn’t interfere with her magic.”
“It’s a coincidence,” Xander insisted.
I was afraid Io was right. First the trial of fire, and now this. The second trial.
Which meant I had three more until I died.
My husband insisted on holding my hand the rest of the way. It felt like it was partly to reassure himself that I was safe, physically next to him, and because if something else happened to me, he would be right there to share in my fate.
And while I was glad to have him close, I didn’t want something to happen to him.
Luna still hadn’t reappeared and it worried me. Where had she gone?
We came to a large chasm with a rickety wooden bridge spanning the distance. Suri pointed, and on the other side we saw a cave entrance.
This was it. We had made it.
Now we just had to cross the Bridge of Death to reach our goal.
Stephanos stepped forward and held on to the rope railing and used one foot to put some of his weight on the bridge. When it held, he put on his other foot and stood. “I think it can support us,” he said.
Xander took the rope he’d used to save me and tied it to the end of an arrow. He handed it to Dolion. “Hit that tree right there next to the cave entrance, as deep as it can go.”
Dolion did as asked and embedded the arrow into the tree.
“Rokh, I need you to go over and tie the rope off. We’ll tie this end around everyone as they cross as a safety measure.”
I saw the panic on Rokh’s face and the confusion on my sisters’.
Especially Ahyana’s.
Did Xander not know that Ahyana had no idea what Rokh was?
“I’m so sorry,” Rokh said to Ahyana. “I promise to explain everything.” Then he cried out in pain and turned himself into Kunguru and flew across the expanse.
I heard Ahyana’s gasp and saw the shock on all my adelphia’s faces.
And unfortunately, Ahyana witnessed the lack of surprise on mine. “Did you know?” she asked me.
My stomach turned over. This was not going to be an enjoyable conversation. “Yes, but let me explain.”
Rokh tied off the rope, tugging it tight around the tree trunk. “It’s done,” he said.
And it was as if he were standing right next to us and speaking.
“The curved rocks around us reflect the sound,” Xander said. “We can talk to one another across this chasm without having to yell.”
I’d never witnessed anything like it before. And he was right, it was almost like we were standing in an open-air dome. How had I not noticed how the rocks were formed?
Probably because that horrible bridge had snatched up most of my attention.
Stephanos and Dolion had taken another rope and tied it to a thick tree on our side so that there was a rope in place for our trip back across.
“I’m going first,” Xander said, which didn’t surprise me. I couldn’t imagine that it was going to be very easy for him. I had gone over to the lip of the ledge and couldn’t see the bottom of the chasm. It was an extremely steep drop.
He took the rope attached to the far side and tied it around his waist. I saw the way his hands trembled slightly, but I was certain I was the only one who would notice.
Then he stepped out onto the bridge and I stopped breathing.
It held.
He walked across slowly and the bridge swayed a bit back and forth. Not too bad, but it didn’t seem pleasant.
When he reached the other side, I saw the way his shoulders dropped, as if he were relieved.
His safety allowed my heart to resume a normal rhythm. He undid his rope and handed it to Rokh, who turned into a raven again to fly the end of the rope back over for the next person.
Stephanos took the rope and tied it around his waist and stepped out onto the bridge next.
Rokh transformed back into himself and made the mistake of trying to talk to Ahyana.
“How could you not tell me about this?” she demanded. “You’ve been lying to me this whole time!”
“Not lying,” he said. “Just not telling you everything.”
Even I knew that was the worst possible thing he could have said.
“I planned to give up everything for you, Rokh! I was willing to run away with you, leave my sisters behind, and this is how you repay my trust? My commitment? Why wouldn’t you tell me about this?”
“Ahyana, I wanted to tell you. I did. But I was scared that it would change how you felt about me.”
“Why would it do that?” she asked. “Do you really have so little faith in me?”
I kept my face turned away from them, but given our current acoustics, everyone could hear everything. I was sure Rokh would have preferred to have this conversation someplace private, but that wasn’t an option.
Rokh explained about the curse, about what would happen if he and Ahyana had sons. That they would be forced to transform and suffer each time they did it.
Xander tied the end of the rope to a rock and threw it in Dolion’s direction. It landed right next to his feet and he grabbed the rope, taking it off the rock. He then tied the rope around his waist so that he could cross next.
As he went onto the bridge, Rokh said miserably to Ahyana, “I didn’t think you would want to marry me when you found out.”
And while I didn’t want to intrude, I couldn’t help but turn and look at them. His pain was palpable, and my heart went out to him.
Then Ahyana drew back her hand and punched him in the face.
“Ow, Ahyana!” he exclaimed, his hand going to his jaw where she had hit him.
I was as shocked as Rokh. That was not the kind of thing that I would have expected Ahyana to do.
Maybe I was being a bad influence on her.
“Go to the other side,” she told him. “I don’t want to talk to you right now.”
He hesitated a moment, as if he needed to say more, but he cried out in pain and turned back into a raven.
And he stayed in that form.
After Dolion had crossed, Rokh brought the rope back and gave it to Io. I was concerned about her going on the bridge, but she had that determined look on her face that meant she would do this no matter what.
Suri walked with her to the bridge’s entrance and then watched as Io stepped out.
“All this time he was Kunguru,” Ahyana said, shaking her head. Zalira stood next to her sister, offering her silent support. “How long did you know, Lia?”
“Not very long. And it’s only because I caught him shifting. I told him that he had to tell you, that you would take it better coming from him than me. I honestly thought he would confess immediately. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything.”
“It wasn’t your place,” she said. “You were right, it should have come from him. He should have trusted me the way that I trusted him. I told him everything. I didn’t hold anything back.
I told him about the magic before you told Xander because I didn’t want to keep things from Rokh.
And he kept this monumental secret from me. ”
Rokh brought the rope to Suri, and I knew he could hear every word.
“What if we only have daughters? Did he ever think about that? And even if we had sons, who knows what might happen? He obviously loves being a raven, considering how often he is one. Maybe our sons would feel the same! Or maybe we won’t be able to have children.
Neither one of us knows what the future might hold! ”
Sensing that she needed to unload her feelings, I stayed quiet and nodded.
“This is why he’s been holding back in our relationship,” she said. “Because he wasn’t being honest with me.”
I nodded again, as that was the conclusion I’d also come to.
“And this is why Kunguru didn’t check on you when you first went to the palace,” Ahyana said.
“To be fair, he was nice and helpful to me as Rokh,” I said but immediately fell silent when I saw the look of annoyance on her face.
Suri had made it across and Rokh returned the rope, bringing it to me. I handed it to Zalira.
As Zalira made her way across the bridge, Ahyana suddenly put her hands on her cheeks. “I can’t believe I hit him. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“I’ve tried to stab my husband multiple times, so you’ll get no judgment from me,” I told her.
At that Xander turned to smile at me, and I grinned back at him.
I wasn’t surprised that Ahyana was already feeling regretful. She had a temper that would flare up and burn brightly, but then it would dissipate just as quickly. I’d always admired her ability to let go of things so fast.
Rokh again brought the rope to me and I gave it to Ahyana. I wanted to make sure all my adelphia were safely on the other side before I went. She tied the rope to her waist and made her way across. She was so graceful that the bridge barely moved and she crossed quickly.
For the final time, Rokh flew the rope over. He turned back into his human form.
“Do you think she’ll ever forgive me?” He sounded so wounded. It was his own foolish fault for not telling her, but I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.
“For Ahyana, anger is like a cloud passing in front of the sun. She will get over it, probably after you’ve groveled extensively. And after you’ve bought her some pretty things to help with your apology,” I said, and he smiled sadly.
“I would give her the world if she would let me.” He shifted back and flew across the chasm.
I tied the rope around my waist, pulling on it to make certain it was secure. I walked over to the bridge and hesitated before stepping out. The drop was so far down.
“Are you going to cross sometime today?” Xander asked.
“Be quiet,” I told him. He of all people should understand why this was hard. I held on tightly to the rope railing and stepped out onto the first plank. The bridge swayed and it made my stomach lurch. I had to close my eyes for a moment against the sensation.
“I didn’t know you were afraid of heights,” he commented.
“I’m not afraid of heights. I’m afraid of dying.” Was he trying to distract me? It wasn’t working.
There was a high-pitched shriek that for a moment I worried was coming from me, but it was wind rushing through the chasm.
The bridge started to sway harder.
“You need to go faster,” Xander said, sounding worried.
“I swear to the goddess if you tell me to hurry because you’re hungry, I will stab you when I get over there.” I took another step forward, trying to fight off the queasiness I felt.
“You can do whatever you’d like to me so long as you make it over here safely.”
His words were what made me realize how precarious my situation had become.
The wind suddenly surrounded me, pushing from every direction until I felt like I might suffocate. I dropped down to my knees, still holding on tightly to the sides as the bridge started swinging back and forth, hard.
“Lia, you have to keep moving!”
Nodding, I tried to do what Xander said.
But then the safety rope slipped off my waist and fell down into the chasm.