Chapter 38 #2
Three seconds.
That’s all it takes him.
Three measly seconds and he’s at the top of the rock, straddling it, with a grin on his face.
“No way,” Jordyn pushes out, sounding shocked for the first time all day.
“That was amazing.” Becca laughs.
Scar stands perfectly balanced on the rock, and then he jumps, hitting the water with the tiniest of splashes and surfaces a moment later, still grinning.
“I’m going to be sick,” Dani announces, her face several shades paler than it was a minute ago.
The thought of jumping from that height makes me feel a little queasy, too.
“Watch me again,” Scar says, swimming back to the rock. “Pay attention this time.”
We do.
I force myself to focus on the details. The way his fingers find specific grooves in the rock.
The placement of his feet – there are tiny ridges, barely wide enough for fingertips and toes.
The route he takes isn’t random; there’s a pattern to it, specific handholds and footholds that allow him to scale the rock quickly.
But they’re so small. The ridges are barely there, just the slightest variations in the otherwise smooth surface. So tiny, I didn’t even notice them when we first arrived. I’m not sure how anyone could grip them, let alone use them to climb.
“There are places on the dragon that you can use to find purchase when mounting,” Scar explains once he’s back at the top. “We talked about this in class this morning.”
“Like the top of the kneecap!” Becca shouts, clearly pleased with herself for remembering.
“That’s right,” Scar confirms. “The kneecap, other bony edges, then there are the ridges on bigger scales found along the shoulders, and even the chest. I will show you up close when I have an actual dragon as an example.”
“Surely dragons have better spots for us to find purchase than this rock has,” I say.
“You’re absolutely right, Harlow.” Scar nods at me.
“Remember that we’re training for worst-case scenarios.
What if you have an injured arm but still need to mount your beast?
What if it’s the middle of a hailstorm and your dragon is covered in blood, making everything slick?
You get the picture. Our thinking is that if you can climb this rock easily, then mounting your dragon will be no problem under any circumstance. ”
It makes a strange kind of sense, even if I don’t particularly like it.
“Who’s going to try first?” Scar asks.
Becca and Jordyn’s hands shoot up immediately.
“How about someone new for a change?” Scar says, looking over at the three of us who haven’t volunteered…ever.
Before I can talk myself out of it, my hand goes up. “I’ll try.” I know that Dani and Georgia are not going to offer, so I’ll take the pressure off them. I’m not sure about dangling off the side of a rock, but I’m comfortable in the water.
Scar smiles, and he actually looks pleased for a change.
“Up you come. If you find that you are falling, don’t try to grab onto the rock. It can be a natural response. You’ll just end up scraping yourself on the surface if you do. When you fall, just let go and be sure to fall away from the rock, if you can help it.”
I swim over to the narrow ledge he’d used, the one just below the water’s surface. Getting onto it is harder than it looked when Scar did it. The rock is slippery in places, and I almost lose my grip twice before I manage to haul myself up and balance on the tiny lip.
From up here, staring at the rock face I need to climb, everything feels worse somehow. The ridges that had looked small from the water are practically nonexistent up close. There’s very little to hold on to. It’s going to be just my fingertips.
Impossible. That word keeps circling in my head. I remind myself that others have done it. I just watched Scar, so it is possible.
Drake gave me some good advice yesterday. I’m going to focus on what I want to achieve.
I reach up, my fingers finding the tiniest ridge in the rock. It’s barely there, just the slightest variation in the otherwise smooth surface. I look for somewhere to put my toes and find a small foothold about three or four feet above my left foot.
I lift that leg, placing my toes on the ridge. My bathing suit immediately starts making its way into my ass again.
Of course it does.
Craaaap!
I can’t think about that right now.
Using my other hand, I search for a higher handhold and have to stretch to reach it. My nails scrape against the rock as I grip the narrow ridge. I can barely hold on. I’m essentially clinging on with just the barest tips of my fingers.
Don’t look down. Just keep going.
I need to move up before my arms start getting tired. I scan the rock face above me, spotting another ridge further up. I reach for it, my muscles straining.
Got it.
Now for my feet. I lift my left foot, scrabbling against the slick surface to find somewhere to rest my toes.
I make the mistake of looking down. My finger slips off the tiny ridge.
Then I’m falling.
I arch my back and throw my arms above my head, turning the fall into a backward dive.
The water rushes up to meet me, and I hit it cleanly, plunging beneath the surface. I let myself go down and then turn and start back up. Before I can break the surface, strong arms grab me, pulling me the rest of the way up.
I blink water out of my eyes and find myself staring into Hammer’s face.
“Hammer?” The word comes out confused. Why is he helping me? I didn’t even need help. I’m a good swimmer.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his hands still on my arms. There is a look of concern in his eyes.
He’s just being nice, I guess. Maybe he’s stepping in because Drake is very evidently keeping his distance.
“I’m fine. Um…you can let me go.” I give him what I hope is a grateful smile.
“You heard her!” Drake snarls. “Let my rider go.”
Hammer immediately releases me, swimming back toward Dani.
“If Harlow needs help, I’ll be the one to give it to her,” Drake says, his voice even this time.
“Just trying to be helpful,” Hammer murmurs.
“Well, don’t,” Drake says, his narrowed eyes on Hammer.
I shoot Drake a dirty look because he’s completely overreacting. I swear, he and Grim have swapped personalities. Grim has been relaxed and happy lately, while Drake is like a walking storm cloud.
“That was good work, Harlow,” Scar calls out, giving me a double thumbs-up. I’m pretty sure he’s trying to divert everyone’s attention because I didn’t even make it halfway up the rock.
I frown. “Um…thanks…I guess.”
“Learn to take a compliment. You did good,” Scar insists.
I nod, not quite believing him. I think he might be blowing smoke up my ass to boost my confidence, but I appreciate the effort anyway.
“Jordyn, you’re up next,” he says.
Jordyn makes it to about the same place I did before falling. So does Becca. Which means I really did do quite well, considering how sporty those two are. Maybe Scar wasn’t just being nice.
Georgia goes next. She falls off the small lip immediately, sliding around to the lower part of the rock formation before finally managing to pull herself up onto the ledge.
This happens several times before she gets it right and actually starts climbing.
Then she falls as soon as she tries to lift her foot to the first real foothold.
She screams, landing hard on her back in the water, and comes up spluttering.
It’s much the same with Dani, though she does marginally better than Georgia, making it a few feet up before losing her grip.
We all make several attempts over the next hour or so. By the time Scar finally calls it a day, my arms are shaking with fatigue, and my fingertips feel sore.
I come so close to reaching the next ridge on my final attempt, which would have gotten me higher than before. But I fall just short each time, my fingers slipping off the wet rock and sending me tumbling back into the ocean.
At least I’m getting good at the backward dive.
When Scar announces that we’re done, I’ve never been more grateful. We start the swim back to shore, and despite my exhaustion, I find my rhythm quickly. Drake and I make it to the beach first, our strokes synchronized, even if everything else between us is completely out.
Drake walks ahead of me as soon as his feet hit the sand. Of course he doesn’t wait. He’s still being such a dick.
“Hey, Harlow!”
I turn to find Hammer wading out of the water behind me, a smile on his face.
“You’re a good swimmer,” he says, catching up to me. “I have my money on you making it up Mermaid’s Tail first.”
“Jeez, Hammer.” I laugh. “No pressure or anything. We’ll have to see.” I shrug.
“No, really. You’re a natural,” he insists, falling into step beside me as we make our way up the beach. “I have a feeling you’re going to be a natural when it comes to riding dragons, too.”
His gaze drops to my chest for a moment before returning to my eyes.
Oh shit. Was he just checking me out? I think he was.
I start backpedaling, literally taking a step or two away from him.
“Thanks, Hammer. We’d better get back.” I gesture with my thumb toward the others, who are now assembling on the beach, gathering their gear.
“No, really. I mean it.” He takes a step closer. “I wouldn’t just say that.”
His eyes dip again, unmistakably this time.
Crap. I need to get out of here.
“You look good in that suit,” he tells me, his voice dropping lower.
Double crap. He’s definitely flirting with me.
“Thanks, but I really need—”
Drake is there in the next instant. He punches Hammer straight in the face. There’s a loud crack, and Hammer staggers back with a hand to his mouth. When he pulls his hand away, there’s blood on it and more on his lips.