Page 10 of A Court of Thralls and Thorns

“It has dragons protecting it. What more do they want?” I quipped, earning a small smirk from Lauren before he followed Eilvin.

Naia scurried down the rope next with a nimble grace that reminded me of a gazelle. She barely reached the bottom, before she was moving over the jagged terrain.

Tae called out, “Cordelle, you go next.” But Cordelle hesitated, shaking his head.

“I’m not sure I can do that,” he mumbled.

I grabbed the rope. “I’ll go first. Cordelle, follow me, and if you feel yourself slipping, put your foot on my shoulder,” I instructed, my voice firm yet encouraging.

Cordelle nodded timidly, and I looped the rope around my wrist before leaning back and carefully descending along the slick, rocky wall.

Below, the wind howled, and the crashing waves roared against the rocks, sending bursts of sea spray into our faces. I could see Naia darting over the wet stones with effortless agility, already past Eilvin and Lauren, her figure a dark blur against the luminous tide. I waited for Cordelle to reach the rocks before we began to scurry over them.

A massive wave surged without warning, crashing into Cordelle and tearing him away from the safety of the rocky wall.

“Cordelle!” I screamed, my voice swallowed by the deafening roar of the sea. I watched in horror as he was flung sideways, his arms flailing as the swirling water dragged him toward the edge. My hand slipped on the rocks, cutting into my skin as I abandoned my cautious crawl and leaped down to the water’s edge.

“Hold on!” I shouted, plunging my hands into the cold, churning water. My heart pounded as I fought against the relentless current. I reached out and grasped his trembling arm, feeling the slick wetness of his skin and the panic in his grip. The force of the wave nearly pulled us apart, but I clutched him tighter, summoning every bit of strength I had left.

I hauled him toward the edge. “I’ve got you!” I gasped as I pushed him upward along the jagged rocks, our bodies buffeted by the crashing surf. His eyes widened in shock as I forced him up, our fingers scrambling for purchase on its rough fibers. I could feel the spray of salty water, hear the relentless clamor of the tide, and yet all that mattered was getting Cordelle back to safety.

“Just a little further,” I urged, my voice hoarse with exertion. Every muscle burned as I inched us along the precarious path, the wet boulders beneath us slick and unforgiving. Finally, with a final heave, I managed to shunt him toward the upper rocks, and we made our way to the rope.

Riven caught up to us then, breathless. “We need to get up that rope now!”

“You go up first, Cordelle,” I said, needing a moment to catch my breath.

He did as I asked, and once he was halfway up, I followed behind. But his hand slipped, and he fell ten feet before regaining his hold, and his boot connected with my face. Pain shot through my cheek, stealing my breath for a moment, yet I gritted my teeth and clutched the rope tighter as I continued my ascent. I sat on the ground in the tunnel, catching my breath as Riven pulled herself up behind me.

Jax and Ferrula scrambled up next, their movements quick and desperate as they followed our example. Meanwhile, Tae remained clinging to the rope as the sound of approaching guards echoed off the stone. We rallied to help him up just before the guards could pull the rope back, effectively sealing off the beach access.

We raced down the tunnel and out of another door under the recruitment building before heading through the main gate.

There, standing with his arms folded and anger in his lavender eyes, was Zander Rayne. He scanned our tired, salt-sprayed faces.

“You are down one squadmate,” he said.

We all glanced around, catching our collective breath in the dim glow of the tunnel, when I noticed Eilvin had lowered his head. His silence was a stark contrast to the chaotic rush we’d just endured.

“Lauren slipped on the rocks. He hit his head and the tide took him out,” Eilvin murmured, his voice barely audible above the distant roar of the crashing sea.

The words hit me like a wave. I stood frozen for a moment, the chill of reality seeping into my bones as I recalled the fleeting image of Lauren scrambling desperately over the slick, treacherous rocks, only to be swallowed by the unforgiving tide. Around me, faces shifted from hope to horror. Riven’s eyes narrowed with disbelief, and even Tae’s steady gaze faltered as the weight of our loss settled over us.

My heart pounded in my ears as I tried to process the sudden tragedy. The salty tang of the sea mingled with a bitter taste of regret and sorrow. “No...” I whispered, my voice cracking with a mix of anguish and disbelief.

Zander’s eyes met mine. “Return to your room. You will need your rest.”

I made my way toward our room but paused beside Zander, my eyes blazing with pure hatred. “I won’t forget this,” I hissed, fixing him with a glare that cut through the noise of our escape. His lip twitched in a quiet smirk.

“I don’t expect you to,” he replied coolly, his tone laced with a challenge I wasn’t about to ignore.

We all trudged back to our new home. We took turns using the lone washroom, with Tae ever the gentleman insisting the women go first.

An hour later, the room was filled with the steady rumbling snore from Jax as I tossed and turned in my bed, my thoughts still tangled in the dark events of the day.

Why do you not rest, Buttercup?came a soft, almost purring voice in my head.

I smiled in the dark, the gentle glow of the lone crystal on the wall reflecting in my eyes.Hey, Red. I had a bad night,I replied, half-amused, half-weary.