I highly doubted that we were going to get to the village that had the tech we needed within a full week, let alone in three to five days, but I didn’t voice it.
“I’d say that’s optimistic. We’re moving much slower than I had anticipated, given that we keep hiding from the patrols.” He made a noise as a branch slapped him in the face and pushed it away. “They’re being more persistent than I was hoping, considering that we’re just a few weak, useless prisoners.”
I wanted to say that we weren’t useless. That we’d put ourselves to work and helped them, but none of it mattered now, did it?
We were nearly out of the canyon and were heading in the direction we believed was west, but I worried we would get lost. Maybe it was a good thing we weren’t making that much progress. If we went back and waited in one of the caves for several days, they would think we were dead or gone and let down their guard. Then we could sneak back in and get what weneeded. It was a long shot and not one I wanted to try, but trying to get to the village might get us killed.
I didn’t voice my somber thoughts. They needed all the motivation they could get, and I didn’t need to drag them down with me.
We were by far the noisiest things in the jungle. And it remained that way until a deep gurgling sound rose from the foliage several yards away. I froze, and my heart kicked into gear. I shared a wide-eyed look with the other two. The gurgling came again, this time closer.
No, no, no.Fronds parted and a hideous face pushed through. With multiple eyes and even more teeth poking out of a rounded snout, it was clear that this was a predator.
“Don’t run.” Jaron breathed.
I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. He wasn’t alone.
Baring rows of needle-like teeth, they attacked.
“Run!” I don’t know who shouted it, it could have been me, but we all bolted.
I crashed through the foliage. Branches lashed at me and roots hooked my boots. I stumbled multiple times, but my terror kept me going.
A yell had me wrenching my head to the side to look over my shoulder. All I could see was the flash of fur and teeth mere feet behind me.
I stumbled out onto a bare area, allowing me to tear forward faster. The hot, wet splatter of saliva hit me andburned. I barely registered the acid burning the left side of my back and my left arm. Ahead of me was another stone cliff, more porous than sheer. My lungs were burning and cramps were threatening to seize my thighs. I knew without a doubt if I fell, I wouldn’t have the chance to get back up.
I leapt at the wall, scrambling up, digging my fingers and the toes of my shoes into the small holes in the wall. Scrapingsounded below me as I clung to the rock. I glanced down and squeezed my eyes shut, pressing my face against the rough rock. I was up higher than I thought, my fear having taken over.
Below me, the animal was on its hind legs, stretching up the cliff, trying to reach me. A whimper escaped as I stared down into its completely yellow eyes. It didn’t even have pupils.
I couldn’t hear anything over the pounding of my heart, but I cast my gaze around, hoping to see my companions. My heart sank with every moment that passed that I couldn’t see them.
The predator paced below.
I focused on calming my breathing and not thinking about my trembling arms and legs as I clung to the face of the cliff.
A loud wail echoed down the canyon, and I jerked. My fingers gave way.
Scrambling, I dug my nails into the rock, kicking for footholds even as I skidded lower. Pain lit my fingers and hands on fire.
Something sharp snagged my shoe and tore me from the wall. I screamed until my back slammed into the dirt and knocked the wind out of me. Instinctively, I brought my arms over my head and curled my legs up to protect my soft stomach.
A heavy weight landed on my legs and I jerked violently as pain exploded in the arm guarding my face.
This was it. Were Jaron and Tatiana safe? I wouldn’t know. Cold tears tracked down my hot face.
A bone chilling growl shook me and the weight pinning me was torn away. Several loud gurgles sounded and then there was silence.
I couldn’t look. I didn’t want to move and draw attention to myself.
“Jacqueline.” The deep rumble and gentle hands gripping my wrists pulled me from the terror I was drowning in.
Arrazyl’s face swam into view as he brushed my tears away with his thumbs, careful of his claws. I should push away, towant to get as far from him as I could, but I found myself pressing into his chest, fisting his shirt as I cried.
He murmured in vorikaan, soft and comforting, and pulled me into his lap.
I buried my face in his chest and breathed in his scent, spicy and warm. He stroked my back and hip as I calmed within the safety of his arms, the feeling of needing to run and not stop slowly fading.
