“Nolan Graham is a delusional ass.”
— Nia Quill, An Observation
“What the hell is happening?” Nolan hisses, closing the distance between us with a few hobbles.
I step back, keeping him at arm’s length as I tuck Maddox’s blade into my sash. I could see Maddox’s heart breaking when he told me to go with Nolan. Could feel his pain in my own chest.
Does he honestly think I would trade the best man I’ve ever known for the most disappointing?
I will just have to prove him wrong.
Assuming we make it back in time.
What if we’re late and they refuse to let Maddox go? What if we’re on time and they still refuse?
Bloody Unseelie women . . .
“We have three days to reach Rosehill, find men willing to take the place of the hostages, and then bring them back here.” With the way the light is fading, I know we’d better get going.
Nolan glances around with a scoff. “Are they mad? No one would be willing to live in this hovel.”
“Let’s hope that’s not the case.” We need to remain positive. We will find enough volunteers. We must.
What if Maddox decides he’d rather be down here?
No. Slipping into despair won’t serve anyone. Maddox gave me a gift in exchange for the fish. He chose me, and I chose him. A few days stuck in a village full of women isn’t going to change that.
Raven is appointed as our guide, and she escorts us to the tallest ladder in the entire village, reaching part way up the cliff to where a rocky ledge awaits.
She cannot be serious.
It’s too high. It will probably snap before we reach the top.
Why can’t we climb a bunch of smaller ones? Not as efficient, sure, but at least it would give me time to come to terms with the fact that we’re about to scale a bloody cliff.
Nolan climbs up first, groaning and cursing, no doubt in extreme pain due to his ribs. When he’s close to the top, the Unseelie gestures with her blade for me to start.
Icando this.
Think of Maddox. I climbed higher than this the day of the flood, didn’t I? And there wasn’t a ladder. I can do this. I can?—
Can’t.
Ten rungs in, my knees lock up, refusing to bend.
Raven growls something from below, but my eyes are screwed shut. She shoves my foot, but my muscles are too stiff. The fate of Maddox and those four other men rests solely on my shoulders, and I can’t even breathe.
Raven starts to shout, but her words are nothing more than a dull hum as I cling to the ladder.
I hear Nolan’s voice as well, but it’s faint. Like he’s already at the top of the ladder.
You can do this. Look at me.
Maddox’s voice. His dark eyes. His encouraging smile.
For Maddox . . .
The tension slowly leaves my muscles, enough for me to reach up and clasp the next rung. Carefully, I climb, one step at a time, higher and higher, until the ladder ends at the ledge. A dark cavern waits beyond, its mouth yawning like a wolf’s maw.
