At least her parents were here this time.
Darius watchedSasha walk out onto the floor, roped in, the judge who would belay her following her, carrying her rope in a clear, plastic container.
“If she gets to the top, she wins?” Melissa, Sasha’s mother, asked.
Sean answered. “Yes, though she doesn’t have to make it to the top. She just has to make it higher than that last climber.”
Darius had had enough. “Please, everyone. Quiet.Not a wordfor the next six minutes.”
The following six minutes would determine whether Sasha reclaimed her title or went back to Scarlet in second place.
Sasha walked up to the wall, paused for a moment, then stepped onto the route. Darius knew she was sore and tired and that the skin on her fingers was broken and tender, but no one would be able to tell she was in pain by the way she moved, every motion smooth and graceful. He found himself holding his breath as she got into position for the first dyno—and launched herself upward.
She stuck the dyno, slipped the rope into the clip, and moved into the diagonal section with the crimpers. She’d told him that climbing with raw fingers was like trying to walk normally with broken blisters on your feet. Still, she kept going, pausing to chalk her fingers again, shaking out her hands.
The big screens gave the audience a different view, cameramen moving to capture closeups and views of the climbers’ bodies and faces. Sasha looked as calm and cool as ever, her attention entirely on the task at hand.
Next came the section of big sloping forms—red plastic shapes with tiny holds in different places, some of which were intentionally hard to see. They were far apart and would force Sasha to get creative, but that’s what she did better than anyone else.
Find the flow.
That’s what Megs and Nicole always said to her at the climbing gym, and the words came into Darius’ mind now. She caught her foot beneath one of the forms, used it to hold on while she reached… reached… reached for a hold she couldn’t see. When that didn’t work, she took a moment to shake out her hands. Then she used her knee to wedge herself into a higher position, using counterpressure to gain a few more inches.
Come on, angel. You can do it. I know you can.
Finally, her fingers closed over that hold, and Darius exhaled.
The next section led to the crux—a forty-degree overhang with brutal pinches and underclings. Only Daryna had made it to this section, but she’d fallen before she’d gotten through it.
Making clever use of her heels and toes, Sasha moved into the overhang, shifting from one pinch and undercling to the other, shaking out her hands whenever she could.
Higher. Higher. Higher.
In front of Darius, Max covered his eyes and got an elbow in the ribs from Gus, who pointed at Sasha.
Sasha shifted her hips, reached diagonally—and grasped that last pinch.
Darius exhaled as she chalked up, slipped the rope through the clip, and moved to her left for the last section. It took her a good thirty seconds to get into position, the clock ticking. She reached for the next hold, the tension in the sports hall growing.
Darius knew she must be exhausted by now, her muscles pumped, her fingers hurting, possibly even bleeding. But when a camera cut in for a close view of her face, all he could see was determination and concentration.
God, he loved her.
She was only six feet from the top now, and she took her time, carefully shifting from one hold to another, most so small Darius couldn’t see them. As she got ready for the final dyno, both Max and Gus covered their eyes.
You’ve got this, Sasha.
With an intense burst of energy, she threw herself upward, clinching the dyno.
The arena exploded, people leaping to their feet, even her competitors giving her an ovation. Max and Gus hugged each other, jumping up and down. Darius knew that people back home in Scarlet were doing the same.
Heart pounding with happiness for her, Darius applauded with everyone else, watching as the woman he loved was lowered, victorious once again, to the mat, her arms raised over her head, a bright smile on her face.
Gus turned to Darius. “I hope they have televisions in German prisons.”
“So do I.”
He left his seat, made his way down to the barrier, where he showed his tag to one of the security guards, who let him through. Sasha hurried over to him and threw herself into his arms. He held her tight, ignoring the cameras. “Congrats, angel. I love you.”
