Page 28

TWENTY-EIGH T

Pain shot up Merritt’s arm as her fingers clenched around the sharp edge of what had to be a rock jutting out from the cliff. If she hadn’t grabbed on, she would’ve plummeted to the bottom of the ravine.

“Merritt!” Tiikaan scrambled to the cliff edge, his hand reaching out to hers.

She looked down. Bad idea.

The wind whipped at her clothes, the force threatening to rip her off the ledge she clung to. Trees at the bottom of the valley floor looked like miniature replicas of limbed spikes. The rush of the river echoed up like the roar of an angry beast.

The piece of ground she clung to, only the width of a deck of cards, was all that separated her from joining her parents. Except she wouldn’t hit the ground, would she?

She’d be impaled on a tree like a bug in a collection—her limbs spread wide for everyone to examine. The image made her stomach roil, though whether it was from the fall or the morbid thought, she couldn’t say .

“Merritt, reach up.”

She shot her gaze to Tiikaan’s outstretched hand. He shifted, stretching farther to reach her, and dirt rained on her face. She shook it loose and focused on how the ground under the ledge had all but disappeared, leaving only a thin shelf that he lay on.

“Get back.” She sucked in a deep breath, her chest heaving with fear and the effort it took to maintain her grip.

“Reach up, and I’ll grab you.” The desperation in his voice sliced through her terror.

“Back up.” Her words came out as a half yell, half sob. “There’s just a thin layer of ground on that edge.”

He opened his mouth, clearly about to argue, then slammed his mouth shut as he backed up. Relief, so potent it made her lightheaded, warred with the fear, turning her blood to ice water in her veins.

She squeezed her eyes shut, tears escaping only to be whipped away by the wind. Her fingers ached with the effort of holding on, her muscles screaming in protest. But she couldn’t hold on much longer. She’d plummet to her death, and he’d be there to watch it happen.

The thought propelled her to action. She had to find a way to help him help her. Opening her eyes, she scanned the cliff face, searching for any foothold, any crevice, any sign of hope in this vertical wasteland of rock and moss.

“Merritt, I’m here.” Tiikaan’s voice, closer now, but not from above, sent her gaze darting to her side.

Her heart leaped into her throat. He’d climbed down to a wide ledge a few yards to her right. He was perched precariously on hands and knees, carefully paying out a length of rope with a loop tied on the end.

“What are you doing? That’s suicide!” She wanted to scream at him, to beat on the rock until he understood the futility of his actions, but the only sound she could manage was a strangled cry. “Tiikaan?—”

“I’m going to drop the loop over you, then I need you to thread your arm through so the rope’s over your chest.” He kept feeding out rope.

“And then what? I’ll pull us both down!” Her voice cracked with the beginnings of hysteria.

He paused, his gaze meeting hers with such unwavering intensity it stole her breath. “I anchored the rope to a tree, Merr. Have a little faith.”

The loop on the end of the rope swung close. With careful aim, he tried again. She jerked back as the rope brushed her cheek.

“Easy, Skeeter. Almost there.” His voice was calm, steady, as if this was an everyday occurrence.

Then it landed right over her head. Knowing what she had to do next sent a tremor through her. The only thing keeping her on the cliff was pure terror.

“Okay, thread your hand through.” He began pulling in the slack in the rope as he spoke, his gaze never leaving hers.

She shook her head, a tear breaking free. “I can’t hold on with just one hand.”

“I know you can.” How could his voice stay steady when one wrong move meant her death?

“Tii— ”

“Do it, Merr. Now.” The urgency in his voice moved her.

She took a shuddering breath, preparing herself for the next step. With a silent prayer, she loosened her grip on the rock and reached for the rope. Time seemed to stretch as she fumbled with the loop, her fingers trembling so violently she thought they might snap off.

The ground above her shifted again, a cascade of pebbles and dirt tumbling into the abyss. The shriek that tore from her throat surprised even herself.

“You’ve got this, Skeeter.” Tiikaan’s voice was a lifeline, anchoring her to reality. “Just get the loop over your arm.”

She felt it brush against her shoulder, then her arm, and with a burst of adrenaline, she managed to thread her hand through.

The instant relief at having the rope around her body was quickly replaced by the terrifying realization that the ground she clung to had all but disappeared. She pressed her cheek and chest against the cold, damp rock, spreading her weight to keep the ledge from crumbling entirely.

“Good job, Merr.” Tiikaan smiled as she stared at him. “Now hold on tight. I’m going to pull you up. Just trust me.”

Before she could respond, he scrambled up the ledge and out of sight. She slammed her eyes shut, hating the sensation of being alone. When the rope tightened around her chest, her eyes flew open.

For a second, the pressure offered much- needed security. Then the ledge she clung to gave way completely.

She dropped, a scream ripping from her throat as the world tilted upside down. Sharp pain jabbed into her back as the rope jerked her to a halt, leaving her dangling above the abyss.

Above her, she heard Tiikaan’s grunts as he pulled on the rope. Panic clawed at her throat, choking off any attempt at words. All she could do was hold on, praying that the rope, the tree, Tiikaan would hold.

The world tilted again as she was pulled onto solid ground. She collapsed onto her side, gasping for breath, tears streaming down her face. Tiikaan was beside her in an instant, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her close while he scooted away from the ledge.

When he had them a good ten feet from the ledge, he collapsed to the dirt. She clung to him, her fingers digging into his shirt, her entire body trembling. The scent of fresh air and the reassuring warmth of his body grounding her in the chaos of their near-death experience.

They lay there for a long moment, hearts hammering in unison as they recovered from their brush with death. He rolled to his side, but his arm stayed over her, his hand pushing against her back like she was something precious about to disappear.

“You okay?” His voice was rough, laced with concern.

Merritt nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. Her voice had taken a hike to the bottom of the ravine, along with a good chunk of her sanity. She never wanted to see the edge of a cliff again in her life.

Tiikaan’s fingers traced patterns on her back. She closed her eyes, savoring the feel of his touch, the solid presence of his body beside hers. And she realized, with startling clarity, that he’d not only saved her life but held a good portion of her soul now, too.

Her fingers trembled as she ran them over his beard. How was it that he hadn’t been a part of her life long, yet he’d become the safest place she’d ever known? Stranded in the mountains wrapped in Tiikaan’s arms, she found the place she never wanted to leave.

“I love you.” The truth of the words hit her hard, and her breath shuddered with the force of it.

He fisted the back of her shirt and leaned his forehead on hers. “I love you, too.”

She crashed her lips to his, her soul free-falling as he whispered her name like he was awestruck. His hand not tangled in her shirt speared into her hair, gripping as if to hold her there.

Not that she planned on leaving this spot… ever.

She wrapped her hand around his side, and he flinched away.

“Sorry.” She moved her hand to his waist, wanting more than anything to continue kissing the man who owned her heart.

Yet his pain was a harsh reminder of their situation.

“We need to keep moving,” he said against her lips, as if he’d read her mind. “We’re not out of the woods yet, literally or figuratively.”

He trailed kisses from her lips along her jaw, then down her neck until he buried his face into the crook of her neck. The trail he followed tingled and sparked through her veins like she’d been shocked back to life with his touch while his words tightened across her chest, making it hard to breathe.

He inhaled slow and long, like he wanted to savor the moment. She closed her eyes, wishing they could. His exhale was so full of regret that she had to blink away tears.

He pushed off her to his knees. When he cupped her cheek and ran his thumb along her bottom lip, she tilted her head to press a kiss into his palm. He jerked away, standing quickly as his hand opened and closed at his side.

Probably smart to put some distance between them. She sat up, her gaze meeting his.

“Okay.” She took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice. “Where to now, boss?”

Tiikaan pointed farther along the ridgeline before grabbing the rope and winding it into a loose loop. “That way. We need to find a place to shelter for the night. Somewhere safe.”

She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the fear that gnawed at the edges of her composure.

Safe?

Was there anywhere truly safe in this wilderness?

Standing, legs wobbly beneath her, she grabbed her pack and followed Tiikaan as he led them farther along the ridgeline. The wind was biting cold now, the midnight sun offering little warmth as it circled the horizon .

Shadows stretched long and thin as the sun dipped low in the sky, casting an eerie glow across the alpine tundra. The wind, a constant presence since their near-death experience, whipped at their clothes, carrying with it the scent of pine and damp earth.

Merritt’s legs ached, her muscles screaming in protest with every step. Her shoulder, where the rope had dug in, throbbed with a dull, persistent pain. The adrenaline that had fueled her earlier had long since faded, leaving behind a bone-deep exhaustion.

“We need to stop,” Tiikaan said, his voice barely audible above the wind.

He’d been quiet for the last hour, his gaze fixed on the horizon. The worry lines etched on his usually carefree face mirrored her own growing unease. They had been walking for what felt like an eternity, searching for something, anything, that might offer shelter in this difficult landscape.

Merritt nodded, grateful for the respite. Her legs trembled as she lowered herself onto a moss-covered boulder. She watched as Tiikaan scanned their surroundings, his movements fluid and alert despite his obvious exhaustion.

“There.” He pointed to a rocky outcrop a short distance away, nestled against the base of the ridge. “It’s not much, but it’ll offer some protection from the wind.”

He moved to her side, his hand reaching out to help her to her feet.

“Thanks,” she murmured, leaning into his touch, allowing herself a moment of vulnerability .

Together, they made their way toward the shelter. As they drew closer, a glint of metal caught Merritt’s eye.

“Tiikaan…” She pointed toward the outcrop, her voice hushed with hope.

He followed her gaze, his eyes widening as he took in the sight before them. Wedged amongst the rocks, its fuselage crumpled and twisted, lay the mangled back end of an old bush plane.

“Great catch.” Tiikaan’s tone was grim, but his eyes glittered.

He led the way, carefully navigating the uneven terrain. Merritt followed close behind, her heart pounding. The plane was bigger than Tiikaan’s and looked like it had been there for years, its once vibrant paint job now faded and peeling.

She couldn’t help but wonder about the story behind its demise. How long ago had it crashed?

“Wait.” He put his hand on her shoulder to stop her just before the entrance to a mangled opening, then held up a finger to her as he ducked inside.

She waited, her heart thumping in her chest. The seconds stretched into an eternity as the wind whipped around her. Why would he need her to wait? Was there an animal already inside?

She flinched as a loud bang echoed from the debris. Then Tiikaan’s head popped out of the opening.

“Clear.” He grinned and held out his hand for her.

She scrambled to his side, her fingers intertwining with his. He held tight as he led her through the wreckage, guiding her over twisted metal and broken glass.

The interior of the plane was a mess, filled with debris and coated in a thick layer of dust. The few seats left were torn and ripped. Cargo boxes littered the floor.

They made their way through the small plane to reach the back of the fuselage. The floor was intact, offering a flat, if narrow, space to stretch out.

“Okay, it’s not the Taj Mahal, but it’ll do for tonight.” Tiikaan kicked debris off to the side and set his bag down.

She scanned the narrow space, relief washing over her. The roof was still relatively intact, offering protection from the elements.

“Yeah, I’m thinking it’ll be five-star accommodations compared to sleeping in the open on that ridge,” she replied, a small laugh escaping her lips.

“Okay, let’s get a fire going and heat up some food.” Tiikaan grabbed her pack’s strap and helped her out of it. “We might even be able to find food in the crates.”

“What about a radio?” Hope of rescue battled for dominance against the hope of more food.

“If we can find the cockpit tomorrow, yes.” Tiikaan cringed. “Maybe.”

“Maybe?” She looked up from a crate she was reading.

“ If we can find the cockpit and if the radio still works.” He shook his head and bent to open his pack. “It’s a lot of ifs to place our hopes on.”