“Shit,” Odessa said, looking out across the area.
“We can do this. We’ve come this far.”
“Right,” she said her voice shook as she looked down into the black cavernous space below. Her toe skirting the edge in trepidation.
“We’ll have to take it at a run,” I said, eyeing the largest gap that sat between us and the other side as I backed up.
She shook her head from side to side, swallowing hard.
“Odessa, look at me.” Her eyes were fixed downwards. “Odessa,” I said again, with more force. “We make it across this, and we could get out of here. Back to your family.”
That got her attention. She looked at me then, with a resigned determination in her eyes, and hard set to her jaw. The parts of her face that weren’t obscured by her golden mask, were covered in smudges of grime. She still had a faint mark on her cheek from the vines that had sliced into her skin. It would most likely leave a scar.
“Together?” She asked, coming over to where I stood.
I took her hand in mine. She might not trust me. She might have stomped all over my heart when she left like she did, but I’d still do what I could to get us to the end.
“Together,” I agreed.
We took off at a sprint. There was just enough room for her and I to fit without falling off the edges. Our boots slapped against the rock, making the ground shake beneath us.
Please hold,I begged the bridge, hoping we would make it across in one piece.
The edge was in sight. My lungs burned as we raced towards it.
“Don’t stop, and don’t let go of my hand!” I called out, tightening my grip around Odessa’s hand as we leapt into the air, hoping we’d make it.
Chapter 35
Odessa
My stomach dropped all the way down to my toes as I felt suspended in the air for far too long. My feet narrowly grazed the edge, before I found myself dropping. Dex’s grip was all that held me aloft. My free arm clawed at the rock, trying to find purchase with the tips of my fingers. He’d cleared the jump, but I hadn’t
“I’ve got you! I won’t let you go!” Dex cried, straining to pull me up.
My legs were uselessly dangling, kicking in vain to get my feet closer to the jagged wall.
“I’m slipping!” I cried out, terror gripping so tight around my chest that it was hard to breathe. “Don’t drop me! Please, don’t drop me!” There was nothing but an inky black void
“Odessa, I need you to stop flailing so I can pull you up. I need you to trust me. Okay?” Dex said in a firm tone. “Odessa, look at me, stop looking down. Look at me.”
Black spots danced in my vision and blood whooshed in my ears as I struggled to hear what he was telling me. All I saw was my own impending death staring me right in the face.
“Odessa! Gods fucking dammit. Stop and look up at me! I’ve got you. You have to let me help you. Now look at me!”
Heart racing and hand slipping from Dex’s grip, I looked up into his icy blue eyes feeling myself drop ever so slightly.
“I need your other hand,” Dex said.
He was on his stomach reaching both hands out. One that held onto my forearm, and the other that was clawing at the rock trying to reach my free hand. With all my strength, I reached up. Our fingertips brushed together briefly before they slipped apart. I felt tears leaking from my eyes and a whimper escaped my throat.
“One more time, please, Odessa. I’m not going to let go, but I need you to try again.”
I reached up and felt my hand clasp tightly into his.
“Good! Now I’m going to pull you up. Don’t take your eyes off me,” he said.
His jaw flexed and his muscles contracted as he pulled me back from certain death. As I went up over the edge, my hands were able to find purchase on the ground. He grabbed me by my thighs bringing the rest of me onto the narrow bridge. My heart was racing a million miles a minute, and my breathing was coming in sharp, short pants.
