“We will be able to go to our younger males and convince them to rise up against the rebels. Half of the males here are part of my village. They will be willing to fight for their freedom.”
He felt Tera’s eyes on him, waiting for his decision. “I came by boat; it will take an hour or two to get back to my team. Then I will have to call for warships to come, which could take another hour.”
“We will leave the cabin but hide and bide our time, secretly getting word to our males. LazarUS will not want to lose half his army, so it will take time and effort for them to be able to subdue us. Hopefully it will be enough time for you and your people to come back for us.”
CristOF nodded his agreement. “You will need to dismantle any shuttles or warships that the rebels have, any forms or transportation they have to get off the island, like boats. Keep them here and keep them busy until I can get help. Will you be able to do that?”
The older man smiled. “Yes, we can do that.”
CristOF looked at the other males, who also agreed. He quickly went to each one and cut the ropes holding them. He even cut the rope of the one who had died, but didn’t move his body. He said a quick silent prayer that the Goddess KatieRI would greet the male’s soul with welcome.
Standing up, he walked back over to Tera who kept looking at the still body on the ground. Her tear-filled eyes gazed up at him.
“Is he…?”
He nodded, but blocked her view of the body. “We must leave, Tera. Wrap your arms around my neck and hold on tight.”
Tera did as he said, and he began to pull both of them up the rope. “Don’t let go of me. The rooftop is not strong enough to hold both of us. When I get us high enough up, grab the tree limb above us and pull yourself up.”
He pulled them up all the way to the limb, as close as he could get. Tera struggled but managed to pull her body onto the limb. He followed after her sitting up with his legs straddled. He helped her get into the same position. They scooted over to the tree trunk, and then they stood up looking down the tree.
“Maybe this isn’t the best time to mention...I’m afraid of heights,” Tera said with a shaky breath.
“You’re very brave. You have nothing to fear. Can you climb down the tree using the branches?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do not worry. Climb onto my back and close your eyes. I will not let you fall.”
Tera did as he asked. He could feel her trembling, and he hated that she was so scared. “You’re doing great, beautiful. Just squeeze tight and we’ll be on the ground in no time.”
All he wanted to do was take her somewhere safe and guard over her. He also longed to make love to her over and over, giving her something more pleasant to think about. But first things first—her safety was the top priority.
He climbed from branch to branch, making sure to give her encouraging words. Once they reached the ground, he bent to help her put her own feet down. “There are two males patrolling the area. You must follow my directions exactly.”
“Okay.” Her eyes looked so large in her small face.
He couldn’t stop himself from bending down and quickly giving her a kiss. “I won’t let anything happen to you. That’s my brave girl.”
“You’re saving me again. I was supposed to save you next time.”
How could he tell her that she had saved him? She’d brought laughter and joy into his life when it was sorely missing. In the short time they had shared together he’d started to fall in love with her. He prayed that once he got them off that damnable island he would have plenty of time to show her just what she meant to him.
“You can save me the next time, then. I’ll even put myself in peril for you to have the chance.”
She snorted and shoved at his chest. “Don’t joke about that, CristOF.”
He felt ease at her getting her emotions under control. Lifting his hand to her face, he asked, “Are you ready?”
She nodded. “Yes, let’s get the hell out of here.”
