Chapter 14
CAM
T he forest opened onto boggy land. There was a body of water to our right, bordered with reeds and buzzing with dragonflies, but my attention flew to the rockface ahead.
The ground sucked at our boots as we made our way across to the last leg of our trek, but my heart sank as we got closer because the rock face was smooth—no notches or footholds for us to climb.
“There’s an iron hook!” Bax pointed.
The rusty-looking hook winked at us in the sun, high up and perfect to loop a rope onto.
But we’d used our rope to build a raft, cutting it into smaller sections in the process to tie together the trunks.
If we’d saved it, then I could have tied the penknife to it and slung it up there.
The piece we had left wasn’t long enough to use for this.
Bax cursed softly too, realizing our predicament. But all wasn’t lost.
“We can still do this. If you lift me up, I might be able to grab the lip and pull myself over.”
“So you can run off and leave me?”
“If I wanted to leave you behind, I’d have done it at the river.”
He looked sheepish. “Point.”
“I’ll use what rope we have left to haul you up once I’m there. It should be long enough for you to get a grip on the end.” I pointed to an outcrop of rock above. “I can brace myself on that.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
The ledge was so high up that I had to stand on Bax’s shoulders to get a grip on it, but thanks to my upper body workouts, I was able to pull myself up and over.
I pulled the rope from the pack and wrapped one end around my arm. Hopefully there was enough to reach Bax. I threw the other end down to him, then used the outcrop of stone to brace myself. “I’m ready.”
The tug on the rope was tentative. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
His full weight had me straining, rope cutting into my arm, but to give him credit, he made it over fast, swinging his huge body over the ledge to join me.
I unwound the rope, rubbing my arm to get the circulation going again.
“There’s another ledge,” Bax said.
I hadn’t bothered to check, but yep, there was. This one had no hook, but it wasn’t as high as the first one either. Still, it was too high for me to climb. Bax, on the other hand, would just about be able to make it.
I passed him the rope. “Your turn.”
He tucked the rope in his pocket, then leapt up to grab the ledge. His fingers slipped, and his boots hit the ground.
“Let me help.” I moved behind him. “Try again.”
I stepped forward to brace his ass with my shoulder as he dragged himself up and over the edge. “Whoop! We’ve got this. Now throw me the rope.” Several beats of silence followed. “Bax?”
His face appeared over the ledge. “I’m sorry, Cam. I like you, I really do. But I’ve got to do this.”
Ice filled my veins. “What are you talking about?”
“Dayn said to make sure you got left behind.”
He wanted to leave me stranded? What the… “The elite need me. They won’t leave me here.”
“Not if I tell them you’re dead.”
Ice gripped my nape. “What?”
“I’m sorry, Cameron.”
“Dammit, Bax, I’m the only Basque able to complete the team and take down the graynite alpha. You need me.”
“Dayn says the alpha isn’t a threat. Hasn’t been seen in years, and I…I have to do what he wants.”
“Why?”
“My sister…He…knows things. I have to protect her. I’m sorry. So sorry. Please forgive me.”
“No, Bax, wait!”
But he was gone. “I helped you! You bastard!”
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
I clawed at the ledge with blunt fingernails, panic taking over because every second spent stuck on this ledge was another second lost getting to extraction. I couldn’t get left behind. I wouldn’t.
My fingers burned and morphed into granite-colored talons.
What the fuck?
They melted away a moment later.
Wait…what had just happened?
I stared at my hands, willing the talons to appear, but nothing happened. Was this some kind of partial shift? Was that even a thing?
There was no time to dwell on it right now. I needed to get up this rockface and over this mountain.
If Bax told them I was dead, would they believe him? No. Serath would come looking for me regardless. He’d find me, right?
But then what? I’d be the goyle that needed rescuing. Fuck that.
No way.
Think, Cam. I had the pack which contained the compass, map, and pen knife, none of which would help me over the ledge.
But…maybe the ledge wasn’t the only way up.
The platform I was on extended beyond the outcrop of rocks to the right.
I squeezed past, my back to the wall, to peer along the mountainside.
The ledge I was on led to a small cave. I had no idea where that cave went, but it was better than leaping off this ledge and breaking a leg.
I shuffled toward it, and in a matter of moments, the ledge shrank to a space so narrow one slip would have me in free fall.
Breathe. You can do this.
The tips of my boots hung off the ledge that was suspended over the body of water. Muddy water that was almost viscous in places, bubbling here and there as if breathing. There were creatures below the surface, no doubt, hiding in the reeds. If I fell, I was fucked.
Nope. Not happening.
Keep moving.
The cave got closer. Only a few feet away now. What if something was inside it? A creature of some kind. The thing from the forest?
No. Stop it.
I bridged the final distance, feeling for the cave edge with desperate fingers. The rock face was jagged here, making it easier to grip.
I took another step, leaving my shoulder exposed to whatever was inside the dark aperture.
If something was lurking, now would be the time for it to make itself known, but there was no prickle of fear, no warning alarms in my body.
I took a deep breath and swung myself into the darkness.
But wait…it wasn’t pitch black. There was gray light in here and air flow.
I dragged the map from my pack. “Okay, mountain here. Ledges are a direct route, but…” There was a silver dotted line that cut across the mountains, tracing the path I’d just taken. This was another way to the extraction point, not over the mountain but through it.
Five minutes later and it was clear I was coming to an exit because the gray light had turned orange.
I picked up the pace and exited onto a wide ledge.
Rough stone steps to my right lead to a rope bridge that stretched across a chasm.
The bridge would get me to extraction, and if my calculations were correct, I had less than fifteen minutes to make it across the bridge to the port which would be on the other side.
The stone steps were steep, leaving me with a sting in my glutes, but with victory so close, I barely felt the pain. The bridge rocked as I stepped onto it. The thing was old, the rope frayed in places, and some of the planks of wood looked rotten.
I took it slowly, careful to step over the rotted planks. Halfway across, I could see the glow of the port built into a lone tree directly opposite.
Three quarters of the way across and the energy from the port kissed my skin.
Almost there.
The bridge rocked violently. I cried out, grabbing hold of the rope and crouching for balance.
Shit. Bax was on the bridge behind me, moving fast, no doubt to stop me. I swung my body forward, focus sharpened by the threat as I picked up my pace, faster and faster.
The whole thing swayed violently.
“Stop!” Bax cried.
He shook the bridge on purpose, trying to throw me off. Like hell. “Fuck you, Bax!” I held fast, moving forward steadily.
The bridge jerked to the left, and I dropped into a crouch to keep my balance.
I glanced back to find Bax advancing slowly.
I needed to move faster. I picked up the pace, heart in my mouth and an iron grip on the bridge.
The other side inched closer, but there was a gap ahead where the wooden planks had fallen away. I’d have to jump.
Shit.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Cam,” Bax called out. “Just stop and come back.”
The gap grew closer.
Bax shook the bridge again. I cried out, bracing myself, rope burning my palms. The gap was a couple of feet away. I could leap it, but to do that, I’d have to create momentum. I’d have to run, and to be able to run, I’d have to let go of the ropes on either side of me.
My heart pulsed erratically in my chest as panic threatened to take over and the urge to look down gripped my neck.
I fought it, keeping my focus on the bridge ahead. On the spot beyond the gap. The rush of blood in my head muted Bax’s urgent bellows.
You can do this, Cam.
I released the ropes and pushed off into a run.
The gap rushed to meet me, and I was airborne, sailing over it and landing on the other side of the gap.
Yes!
The bridge shook, throwing me forward a step. I grabbed the ropes just as the plank beneath me gave way with a crack. My stomach shot up into my chest and my heart into my mouth as I dropped.
My grip on the rope bridge was the only thing keeping me from death. Hands burning, arms screaming, I hung there like a prize pig.
Don’t look down.
Don’t look down.
I looked down into the mist, spotting a hint of gray jagged rocks.
My bowels turned liquid, and dark panic clouded my mind. Like hell was I giving in to the dread. I hauled my body up, arms straining with the effort.
“No!” Bax shook the bridge again. “I didn’t want to hurt you. I just…I’m sorry.”
It took every ounce of power I had to keep hold of the rope as my bones rattled, hips slamming against the planks around me.
I didn’t have the energy to yell back. Everything was focused on staying attached to the bridge.
“I can’t let you go back.” Bax’s voice was louder.
He was getting closer.
I wouldn’t go out like this. Not here. Not today. “Argh!” I pulled myself up and out of the gap, enough to swing my body forward. If the next plank was rotten, I was fucked.
Please, please, please.
My boots connected with solid wood, and relief threatened to weaken my knees.
“Cam, no!”
I let out a curse and pushed forward, moving faster but staying light on my feet so as not to put too much weight on any single plank.
I hit the other side a moment later and turned to look back.
“No!” Bax broke into a sprint, uncaring of the planks.
The idiot was going to get himself killed. “Stop! Bax, don’t—”
A sharp crack cut through the air, and Bax’s eyes went round with horror, then he fell through the bridge, his bellow of horror echoing in my ears while my own scream remained trapped in my throat.
He was gone.
He was fucking gone.
My chest ached with the horror of it, my throat pinching with the threat of tears. But that part of me determined to live dragged itself to the surface and forced me backward toward the port. Toward the tree.
I hit the light, and needles of fire erupted across my skin, raking over my senses as I pushed through the pain and past the strange resistance.
What was this? Why couldn’t I get through? Did we have to be in teams, holding the map and—
The resistance vanished, and the light swallowed me.