Relax. Just think about it as being like climbing the rope in gym class.
I hated climbing the rope in gym class!she snapped back at herself.I always said I was sick so I could get out of it! And I could never fall very far, because I never climbed very far to begin with! This is so incredibly different.
She dared a glance down over her shoulder – and it should’ve been frightening, but all she saw was Ethan and his outstretched arms.
“Okay, gorge,” she muttered. “I don’t like you, and you don’t like me. But if we work together, then I’ll be out of your hair in no time.”
Taking a breath, she stepped out into the void, holding the rope the way that Ethan had shown her.
Okay. Okay. One down. About a million to go.
She took another step.
And then another.
Really, it wasn’t so bad. It was thrilling, in the most literal sense – her fingers were trembling, her heart was about to burst out of her mouth, and she had to remind herself to breathe, but she also feltalivein a way that she rarely did otherwise, except for when she’d just saved the life of an animal who had been touch and go.
She was almost –almost– disappointed when her feet found the ledge.
“You handled that like a pro,” Ethan said, pride evident in his voice. “How are your legs?”
“A little wobbly, but improving,” she said, getting her breathing back under control. “You can unclip the harness now. I’ll be safe.”
Probably she could’ve unclipped it herself, but she had an excuse for him to put his hands there again, and she wasn’t going to let it pass her by.
And it seemed like he knew it, if the heated look in his eyes and the way his fingers lingered a second too long were anything to go by.
Soon,she told herself.Keep it in your pants until falling to your untimely death isn’t an option.
They walked a little way along the ledge, Chloe still sticking close to the wall. She wasn’tsointo the gorge life that she could just wander around without a care!
“There it is,” Ethan said, and he bent down for a moment, before straightening again.
In his hands was the necklace – and Chloe could see that it was, indeed, a locket.
She carefully took it from him and examined it, marveling at its beauty. Despite its age and dirty state, she could see that it was exquisite – simple, but elegant and magnificently crafted.
“Maybe Curtis was in the wrong line of work,” she murmured. “It’s lovely. He could have made jewelry full-time.”
Ethan hummed in agreement. “Is there anything inside?”
“Let’s see,” Chloe said, anticipation making her fingers tremble. She tried to pry open the locket, but it seemed to be jammed, and she didn’t want to break it.
“We might have to wait until we get back,” she said, turning it over to look at the back.
She blinked.
“Wait,” she said, holding it up to the meager light. “There’s something here.”
Dusting off the dirt, she read the engraved text.
“For Alice. With love always, Curtis.”
She turned to Ethan, excitement and relief washing through her – of course, the chances of there beingtwolockets that looked so similar down here weren’t high, but this erased any possible doubt.
We did it! We actually found it!
“This is it. This is Eula’s locket.” Chloe held it up to show Ethan the engraving, her excited adrenaline rush making her almost shove it in his face. “See!”
