Page 27

TWENTY-SEVEN

Merritt’s gaze pressed into Tiikaan’s back as he slung his pack over his shoulders. He ignored it, along with the gnawing ache in his knee and the fresh grizzly print that had overwritten his from the night before.

No sense in worrying her with things beyond their control, especially with her fear of bears.

He’d already decided they wouldn’t be following the river for long, not with the dense, almost junglelike growth lining the banks. Reaching higher ground was paramount. Not only for visibility but for their sanity.

“Ready?” he asked, not turning.

“As I’ll ever be.” The tremor had him smiling at her and offering her his hand.

As soon as she was steady, he squeezed her fingers.

“We’re gonna be okay, Skeeter.”

“I know.” She smiled, but the worry in her eyes remained.

He kissed her forehead, lingering for a moment, drawing strength from her nearness. “Let’s go. ”

Turning, he led them along the base of the mountain, searching for a break in the towering cliffs. The going was tough, the forest floor a tangled mess of deadfall and thick moss that swallowed their boots with every step.

His knee throbbed with each movement, a dull ache that intensified to a sharp stab whenever his foot landed on uneven ground. He ignored it, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other, keeping a watchful eye out for any sign of danger.

The forest was eerily silent, save for the crunch of their boots on dry leaves and the rush of the river. A shiver ran down his spine, raising goosebumps on his arms despite the exertion of their climb.

Something wasn’t right.

He scanned the undergrowth on either side of the faint game trail he found. The hair on the back of his neck prickled at the lack of birdsong, the absence of any small creatures scurrying through the underbrush. Even the squirrels seemed to have deserted this part of the forest.

His eyes narrowed, searching for any sign of movement, any clue as to why this place felt so… off.

“Everything okay?” Merritt’s quiet question startled him.

“Yeah, just—” He looked back at her, his breath catching in his throat. Her eyes were wide with concern, her gaze fixed on something behind him.

He whirled around, his hand instinctively going for the hunting knife sheathed at his hip. “What is it?”

“Nothing. Just… this place. It feels weird, doesn’t it? Li ke something’s watching us.” Her words echoed his own unease, sending a chill racing down his spine.

He scanned the trees again but couldn’t shake the feeling they weren’t alone. It was one thing to be hypervigilant, attuned to every sound and movement of the forest. This was something else entirely… a primal instinct screaming at him to get Merritt out of there.

Now.

“Let’s keep moving.”

His voice sounded strained even to his ears. He tightened his grip on her hand, urging her onto the game trail leading up the mountain, picking up the pace.

The trail became steeper, the trees thinning slightly as they ascended. Blown over trees littered the path. Stifling his groans every time he climbed over a trunk was getting darn near impossible.

Loose rocks skittered down the incline with each step, the sound echoing as the rocks bounced down the slope. Tiikaan’s heart hammered against his ribs, a drumbeat of anxiety that matched the increasing ache in his knee.

“Careful.” He warned as a rock broke loose beneath his foot.

A high-pitched shriek pierced the air, followed by the sickening crunch of what had to be snapping bone and the heart-stopping thud of a body hitting the ground.

He didn’t have time to react. One moment, Merritt was behind him, her hand clasped in his. The next, she was gone, swallowed by the thick tangle of branches and fallen trees that littered the game trail.

“Merritt! No! ”

He scrambled toward the sound, climbing over a trunk in the way, fear lending him a burst of adrenaline that momentarily banished the pain in his knee. He didn’t see her, but he heard her muffled cry, the sound coming from somewhere beneath a jumble of branches and a fallen tree trunk as thick as his torso.

“Merritt, talk to me!”

“I’m here,” she gasped, her voice tight with pain. “I’m stuck.”

He reached her, relieved to find her mostly intact, though a nasty scrape marred her cheek. Her legs were wedged underneath the fallen tree with the branches caging her.

“What’s broken?” He eased toward her.

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Just banged up.”

Tiikaan thanked God the crack he’d heard was a tree limb and not her.

“Don’t move.” He dropped to his knees beside her.

“I’m trying not to.” Her voice trembled.

He gently broke branches, trying to get enough cleared away from her body so he could pull her out.

As soon as she was clear, he’d hoist her up, find level ground, build a fire, and they’d laugh about this later.

“Okay, Merr.” He shifted closer, ignoring the groan of protest from his knee. “Tell me what’s going on. Can you crawl out?”

“Tree’s moving.” Her voice was barely a whisper as she pointed beyond him with wide eyes.

His head snapped up, his gaze darting to the trunk he’d vaulted getting to her. It rolled slowly from its anchor in the loose dirt. The thick, moss-covered wood creaked ominously above them, a deep, guttural sound that sent a surge of adrenaline coursing through him.

No time.

Think later.

“Merritt, I need you to move, now!”

She tried, straining against the branches, her face contorted with pain.

“I can’t.”

“Come on, babe.” He grabbed her hand and yanked, pulling with everything he had.

She came free in a rush, falling against his chest as the tree trunk groaned above them and shifted a final time.

“Move!” She shoved him as she scrambled to the protection of a boulder off to the side, her terror tangible.

He didn’t need to be told twice, but his knee screamed, making his world spin.

Pain exploded across his back and side as the tree splintered around him, pushing him into the rock Merritt hid behind. The boulder dug into his ribs with bone-jarring force, stealing his breath.

The world tilted, the tree a roaring monster as it crashed down the mountainside. Merritt’s terrified gasp was a whisper against the roar. He clung to the boulder, to consciousness itself as the earth shuddered beneath them.

Then, silence.

His ears rang with it, the absence of sound deafening after the roar of the falling tree. His chest ached with each shallow breath, the pain in his side a white-hot searing that threatened to buckle his knees .

“Tiikaan!” Merritt’s frantic voice cut through the fog of pain. “Are you okay?”

He forced his eyes open, blinking against the dust motes dancing in the weak sunlight filtering through the trees.

Merritt’s face swam into view, her skin pale with terror.

“I… yeah.” His voice sounded raspy, unfamiliar.

He tried to push himself upright, but a wave of dizziness slammed into him, forcing him back against the boulder. Black spots danced in his vision, and he sucked in a sharp breath, stifling a groan as pain lanced through his ribs.

“Don’t move.” Merritt’s hands fluttered over him, her touch surprisingly strong as she pressed him back against the rock. “You’re hurt.”

He tried to tell her he was fine, more worried about the fear tightening her voice and the tremor in her hands. But the words wouldn’t come.

“Just stay still,” she ordered, her voice firm despite the shake in it. “I’ve got you.”

His body screamed in protest as he pushed himself upright, Merritt’s hand a steadying presence on his arm. Each breath sent a searing pain through his ribs, and he hoped they were just bruised and not broken.

“We need to get up to the ridge,” he gasped out between breaths, his voice raspy.

Merritt’s eyes, wide and dark, searched his.

“I… Okay.” She straightened, squaring her shoulders with a determined set to her jaw that twisted something hot and tight in his chest .

He loved that she didn’t back down, didn’t question him, even though he knew she must be terrified.

“Stay behind me,” he ordered, ignoring the way his voice cracked with pain. “One step at a time.”

His knee throbbed, his side burned, his ribs felt like they were grinding together with every movement, but he forced himself onward. Upward. Toward the sliver of blue sky that beckoned between the trees.

Each step was agony, each breath a struggle. He lost track of time. The forest became a blur of green and brown, the air thick and heavy with the scent of pine and damp earth.

Just as he thought he could go no farther, the trees thinned. He broke free of the forest, sucking in a lungful of cool, clean air that made him dizzy.

He stood on the edge of the world.

Below him, the river wound its way through the valley floor, a silver ribbon reflecting the endless expanse of sky. To the north, a sea of peaks stretched toward the horizon, their snow-capped summits gleaming in the afternoon sun. And above it all, an impossibly blue sky, limitless and indifferent to their plight.

His gut climbed into his chest. The enormity of their situation slammed into him like a physical blow. They were nothing but specks in this unrelenting landscape.

“We made it.” Merritt’s soft words floated with the wind that whipped across the ridgeline.

“Yeah,” he said, surprised he could force out the word.

His voice sounded hoarse, strained. His jaw was tightly clenched and he forced himself to relax .

They were miles from civilization, days, maybe weeks from rescue, if it came at all.

And he was responsible for her being out there.

If he had listened to his gut about not flying and waiting the storm out, they wouldn’t be stuck. Sure, they wouldn’t know about her uncle’s plot, but Tiikaan had vowed to keep her safe.

And he’d failed.

A wave of exhaustion, heavy and relentless, washed over him, making him sway on his feet.

A soft gasp escaped Merritt as she stumbled back from the cliff edge, her eyes wide with alarm. “Whoa! That’s a long way down.”

Her light tone did nothing to ease the knot of fear tightening in Tiikaan’s chest. He’d been so focused on the impossible task of traversing it with a bum knee and battered ribs that he hadn’t been paying attention.

“Be careful.” The words came out sharper than he’d intended, fueled by the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.

He took a step toward her, wincing as pain shot through his side.

“I’m sorry. I just… I didn’t realize how close I was.” Merritt’s gaze darted from the precipice to his face, her brow furrowed with concern. “You okay? You went white as a ghost there for a second.”

He tried to shrug it off, to make light of the pain. The last thing he needed was her worrying about him.

“Just… you made me nervous.” He forced a grin.

Her answering smile was shaky, unconvinced. She reached out, her fingers brushing lightly against his arm. The warmth of her touch sent an unexpected jolt through him, and he sucked in a sharp breath, trying to ignore the way his body reacted to her nearness.

“Let me see,” she said softly, her gaze fixed on his side.

“See what?” He tried to back away, but her grip tightened, surprisingly strong.

“Don’t be an idiot, Tiikaan.” Her voice was firm, brooking no argument. “That fall messed you up worse than you’re letting on. Just let me take a look, okay?”

He stared down at her, a strange mix of emotions swirling inside him. He was used to being the protector, the one in control.

Appearing weak, vulnerable in front of her, well, it went against every instinct he possessed. But there was something in Merritt’s gaze—a combination of unwavering determination and genuine concern—that disarmed him.

With a resigned sigh, he finally relented. “Fine. But it’s probably nothing.”

“Yeah, right,” she muttered under her breath, her fingers grabbing the bottom of his shirts.

He sucked in a breath, his muscles tensing involuntarily as her cool fingers brushed against his heated skin. As she peeled up the layers, her brow furrowed in concentration. Her touch was surprisingly gentle, almost hesitant, yet he couldn’t ignore the way goosebumps spread across his skin with her proximity.

His gaze snagged on the bandage she’d applied earlier, now stained a gruesome red.

“It just broke open again.” He tried to sound nonchalant, praying she didn’t press against his side and disturb the ribs. “It’ll be fine.”

Merritt’s head snapped up, her eyes blazing with anger and worry, stealing his breath. “That’s not ‘fine,’ Tiikaan.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but the words died in his throat as she gently probed the wound, her touch sending a fresh wave of pain through him.

“Deep breaths,” she murmured, her voice low and soothing. “We need to get this cleaned up.”

Peeling off her pack, she dug out the first aid kit and opened an alcohol wipe. He hissed as the cold, stinging fabric hit his wound.

“Sorry.” She cringed and blew on the skin, taking the sting away.

She moved with a quiet efficiency that belied her initial hesitation, her touch becoming more assured as she worked. He tried to ignore the way his body thrummed with pain and focused on her ministrations.

“You’re good at this.” His voice was raspy.

“I got lots of practice in the refugee camps.” Merritt shrugged. “Though this is about the extent of my first aid skills, so don’t go testing my abilities by getting hurt worse.”

He admired her spirit, the way she found humor in even the most dire situation. It was a strength he’d rarely encountered outside of his family before.

“So,” she asked, securing the bandage with a final pat, “what now, oh fearless leader?”

He straightened, drawing in a deep breath and ignoring the way his ribs protested. “We keep moving. ”

Merritt nodded, her eyes scanning the horizon. “How far do you think we need to go?”

Tiikaan followed her gaze, trying to gauge distances in the expansive landscape before them. “As far as we can before we get too tired to continue. We want to put as much distance between us and...”

He trailed off, not wanting to vocalize the danger of the bear territory they’d left behind.

“My uncle,” Merritt finished softly, her voice tight.

He reached out, squeezing her hand gently but not correcting her. “We’ll figure this out, Merritt. I promise.”

She gave him a small smile, but he could see the worry lingering in her eyes. “I know. I trust you.”

Her words sent a warmth through him that had nothing to do with the afternoon sun. He tugged her hand, leading her away from the cliff’s edge.

“Come on, let’s get moving while we still have daylight.”

She rolled her eyes. “Funny, since the sun never goes down this time of year.”

They began their trek along the ridge, the wind whipping around them as they picked their way over loose rocks and scraggly vegetation. Tiikaan kept a watchful eye on their surroundings, alert for any sign of danger or any landmark that might help orient them.

The going was easier than in the dense forest below, but each step still sent jolts of pain through his side. He gritted his teeth, determined not to let Merritt see how much he was struggling. She had enough to worry about without adding his injuries to the list.

As they rounded a bend in the ridge, a sudden gust of wind caught Merritt off guard. She stumbled, her foot slipping on a loose patch of gravel.

“Whoa!” she cried out, arms swinging out as she stepped back and tried to regain her balance.

Tiikaan lunged for her, his heart in his throat. His fingers grasped empty air as the ground beneath her feet gave way.

Time seemed to slow, stretching into an eternity as he watched her eyes widen with terror.

“Merritt!” he screamed, diving forward as she disappeared over the edge.