He spidered up the ice and stone wall faster than Julian could trace. While Julian had been nicknamed the goat, Karl was far more capable. His prowess was impressive, and a goat nickname was not near apt enough.
At the top, Karl fastened the rope and threw it down for them. Ophelia glanced at both him and Justine before taking the rope and threading it through the metal loop on her belt. Her ax dangled from her wrist, easy to use should she need the grip. But she didn’t. She deliberated upon each move of her hand and her foot, which meant that her climb took ten times longer than Karl’s had, but she reached the top without a single slip. Justine went next, and like Ophelia, she pondered each move. But with her short stature, she was unable to use the holds that both Ophelia and Karl had. Still, she scrambled her way to the top.
Julian was last, and while it was cold business to press his body against a sheet of icy rock, he had been through worse. He didn’t dare say so, but it was not the ordeal he’d worried it might be.
At the top, Ophelia stared off into the distance as they stowed their gear.
“Are you well?” he asked.
She turned to him, her eyes startlingly blue in the midmorning light. “We’ve already made it farther in a few hours than we did that entire day.”
He heard the sadness in her voice, tinged with astonishment. As if she hadn’t believed it could be such a smooth endeavor.
“Karl. It’s time for you to lead the way.” Ophelia sighed and tied in, now taking the second position. Justine came third, and Julian was in the back.
They hadn’t but stepped around a rock when they discovered the beginnings of a small hut.
“I didn’t expect that,” Justine muttered.
But then, there had been many deaths, and this chimney had been the crux of the route for many expeditions. It made sense that if a shelter were to exist anywhere on the mountain, it would be there.
“I’d heard about this,” Karl called from in front.
They peered in, only to find one small room with no furnishings. It was purely meant for shelter. This would save more than one climber’s life, that much was certain. Thankfully, they didn’t need use of it.
They skirted around the rock and began another ascent, full of boulders. They were tiring, yes, a staircase made for a giant. None of the distances were large enough for each climber to require assistance, but each step required a great deal of effort. Their pace slowed as they neared the next change in rock texture.
Scree fields. Julian hated scree fields. Some loved them—the scramble was part of the fun. But he’d a fear of them suddenly, for no real reason. It was the inability to make certain purchase. But one couldn’t effectively climb a mountain without entering scree fields on a regular basis.
They stopped on the top of the last boulder, breathing heavily, staring at each other, nodding in silent agreement that they were accomplishing their goal well. Crusty snow coated the far side of the scree field, giving them ample views of how the icy side closest to the mountain was pulling away, ready to come crashing down. It was reminder of how lucky they’d been with the weather so far, but the warmer part of the day was still ahead of them. Snow and rockslides remained pending disasters.
“Climbing?” Ophelia prompted.
They all nodded and Karl set off, leading them in a diagonal across the scree field. It was a longer route, but it kept them from a steep angle that would make it more likely for them to slip. It was drudgery, Julian’s feet sinking into the small mounds of pebbles. The rhythmic crush of them trudging up the hillside put them into a trance. He was grateful for the gaiters, as they kept out the smallest of them. He could feel the snow-tinged air coming off the other side of the mountain, and he knew they were close. This would be the push right here.
He heard it before he felt it. The too-low sound of a foot sinking deeper than it ought, then the yelp as Karl slipped. Ophelia must have looked up too quickly, because she too was sliding down the mountain on her belly.
Justine cried out in alarm, still standing. Julian rushed up to her, grabbed the ax from her pack loop, and slammed it as hard as he could into the rock. If there had been more time, he would have instructed Justine to grab his, as the only way to access the tool was to take the pack off entirely.
He hoped Karl and Ophelia would stop sliding of their own accord, but they were too far to the left of the mountain face, which cut off in a sheer drop. If they fell there, it would be fatal.
Julian threw himself to the ground, gripping the handle of the ax, hoping he had enough purchase to keep them all on the mountainside. “Get down!” he screamed at Justine.
Justine obeyed, and they both watched, terrified as the people they loved slid further away. She was murmuringNoover and over. His mind wouldn’t work. It was as if even his lungs wouldn’t work without Ophelia in the world.
His body ached in abject and impotent fury as he watched. Ophelia ducked her golden head. Her shoulders strained as she dug in, pebbles flying as she pushed her feet out wide. Karl did the same, but Julian couldn’t watch the man. His heart was shooting away from his chest, tucked safely inside Ophelia’s woolen layers.Please, he begged over and over again.Please. He couldn’t be left alone again. Not now.
The ropes grew taut as the span widened between Julian and Justine and Ophelia and Karl. But they were slowing! Julian caught his breath. They might make it. The sound stopped. Julian refocused out of his terror. All he could hear was his own ragged breath.
“Fee?” Justine called out. “Karl?”
Ophelia was dug in, her golden head down in the scree. But at least she wasn’t falling.
The guide lifted his hand and gave a curt wave. He clawed his way over to Ophelia, and Julian watched with desperation. But she lifted her head and waved. Julian heaved in relief, eyes welling up. What would he have done if he’d lost her?
The two heads were close together, then Karl shifted and Ophelia took out his ax from his loop, and then she turned and he retrieved hers.
“Don’t move,” Karl called.
