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She rolled and then jumped to her feet. “Now you.”

He tried to move his leg, but it wouldn’t budge. And every time he moved, he sank a bit more.

“I’ll find something you can grab hold of,” she said. “Wait right there.”

He snorted an unhappy laugh. “As if I’m going anywhere else.”

Georgia returned with a large branch a few seconds later and held it out to him. He grabbed the end, and she tugged, but he didn’t budge.

“You need to get out of here,” Ash said. “The Siblet are almost upon us.”

“I’m not leaving you behind.”

“Georgia, if they find you, they’ll kill you.”

“And they’ll kill you, too. Again! Grab the branch.”

“You’re not strong enough to get me out. Whatever the hell this stuff is, it’s not letting go of me.”

“Don’t give up!” The desperation in her voice made his heart thunder.

Ash grabbed the branch, pride firing through him as Georgia leaned her weight back on her heels and tried to get him free, grunting and straining with the effort.

The branch snapped. Ash lost his balance and slammed into the mud. It instantly sucked him down.

“No! You must get out. I won’t let the Siblet have you. You’re mine.” Georgia tossed the broken branch down, her cheeks pink and her breath heaving out of her.

He flashed her a smile. “I am. All yours. And I know you won’t let them get me for long. But if they capture you, there’ll be nothing either of us can do. You must hide.”

Georgia shook her head. “I won’t leave you.”

“Yes, you will. It makes sense. You can stay free and then come get me. These losers won’t be able to keep me down for long.”

“Ash, you saw how many of them there were.” Georgia’s expression morphed from anger to fear. “You can’t handle them on your own.”

“And you’re forgetting I know how to fight my way out of every situation. Trust me.”

“I do. Always.”

Despite their dire situation, those were amazing words to hear. “Then get out of here. You have to remain free. Save yourself.”