Page 46 of Explorer’s Revenge

FORTY-ONE

AIYARET

“ N o,” I snap, crossing my arms and glaring at them.

“I’m the fastest,” Way responds softly, reaching out to placate me, but I jerk away.

“Okay, I’ll go,” Logan offers.

“No!” I snap again, and they share a look.

“Aiy, one of us has to do it,” Wilder says. “You agreed to the plan too.”

I did, but now that I’m faced with it, the idea of losing one of them—I can’t stand it.

Terror makes it hard to swallow. “I can’t lose you.” It slips out, and they soften as they move closer.

“You won’t,” Rick promises, taking my hand. “We’re fast and crazy. Nothing will get us. Just call us Maeve fucking Carter 2.0.”

I smile despite myself.

“We have to do this. We are running low on supplies. If we stay here much longer, we’ll die, so we either die here or we make a break for it and possibly die out there.

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t spend my life exploring and taking risks to sit back and let death come for me,” Wilder argues, never one to sugarcoat the facts.

“We have to do this together or not at all.”

“You’re the only family I have,” I murmur. “I couldn’t live if something happened to any of you.” Blowing out a breath, I stand taller. “I’ll do it.”

“No!” Way yells.

“Yes. I’m fast and smart. Way is too bulky, Logan is too cocky, and Wilder and Rick are needed for the other part of the plan. I’m not. I know you want to protect me—” I lift my hand to stop their protests. “You always have, but I can do this.”

“He’s right,” Wilder admits, and I can tell he hates it, especially when Way gives him a glare that would frighten a lesser person.

Way guides me away until we are in the corner. “Aiy,” he begins.

“I’m doing this. You would ask me to sit back and watch you, so why can’t I do the same?”

“It’s different,” he argues.

“How?” I ask.

“Because if anything happened to you, I’d die as well,” he retorts before softening. “If it’s me, it’s okay, you can live on, but I can’t lose you.”

“Have you considered that I feel the same way?” I reply softly as I cup his cheek.

“You need to trust me. I know you always want to shield me from the world, but you can’t this time.

It’s my choice, and I’m doing it. I’m the logical option, and you know it.

If it had been anyone else, you would have already agreed. ”

“But you aren’t anyone else,” he says, the words tight. “You’re my Aiy.”

“Then make sure this works, okay?” I kiss him tenderly just in case it’s the last time I’ll ever get to do it. When I step away, he clings to me, but I face the others. “Let’s do this. There’s no time like the present.”

Wilder nods, but I can tell he’s worried, and Way is silent as he joins us.

“Do you remember the plan?” Logan asks.

“Of course. Distract the monster croc.” I smirk. “What could possibly go wrong?”

“If we make it through this, I’ll tell Maeve as well, that way both your boyfriend and girlfriend will reward your bravery,” Rick teases before grunting as Wilder and Logan smack the back of his head.

I grin, though, just like he wanted, and remove the bag Way handed me and give it to them. I need to move fast, which means carrying as few belongings as possible. It outweighs the fact that I might need those supplies if we get separated.

Heading to the entrance, I leap onto the rock to the right of it and glance over, waiting for Wilder to take his spot on the opposite side of the cave entrance to give me a chance to get away. It’s all about diversion.

Way takes Wilder’s place, however, his dark eyes locked on me. “Don’t you dare fucking die.”

“Back at you,” I call as he starts to smack the water, the ripples drawing its attention.

Way nods at me, and I turn toward the entrance, trusting in him to warn me as I grip the edge of the rock, ready to dive.

I know it could be lurking right there, waiting with its mouth open, and adrenaline makes my heart pump faster until it’s all I can hear.

When Way yells, I don’t look at him, blindly trusting him, before I dive into the water.

As soon as I hit it, I swim as fast as I can toward the trees.

I feel something big turn behind me as my team shouts to keep its attention, but I don’t look back as I push myself harder.

I need to do this for them.

I have been a victim, a survivor, my entire life, enduring but never saving myself. Today, I will. I will save them and me.

Once I reach the trees, slogging from the remaining water, I start to run.

I hear it splashing behind me and spare a glance back to see it sliding out of the water to give chase.

That menacing maw is parted in a hiss, revealing huge, wicked teeth.

I don’t have long, but it’s the break they need, and by now, they will be in the water too.

We plan to meet up ahead, splitting its focus. It’s the only chance we have.

There’s a slight incline ahead, so I push myself faster, jumping toward it and digging my fingers into the mud as I drag myself up the hill.

There’s a roar behind me and a crack, and I glance down to see it lurking below, snapping at my legs.

If I slip, I’m dead. Turning forward, I dig my fingers in until I feel my nails break and pull myself up and over, rolling across the rim, and then I’m on my feet again, running as fast as I can.

I run so far, I don’t even know how much time has passed until I slow and turn.

It’s not there.

I must have lost it, or it went after the others.

I send up a prayer, hoping they are okay, but like they trusted me, I have to trust them.

Bending over, I suck in some slow breaths, trying to tame my hammering heart.

My legs shake now that it’s over, as do my arms, and I inspect my fingers to see blood and dirt covering them, but if it’s the only injury I have, then I’m fine with that.

Standing straight, I let out the whistle we use when we’re exploring and wait for the return signal.

When it doesn’t come, I start to worry. Maybe they are delayed.

I pace for a minute, watching the jungle in case the monster is there, but there’s only the usual din of other wildlife. No whistle. No croc.

That only makes my concern grow.

I whistle once more, and when there’s no response this time, I decide I’m not waiting around to find out.

As I dive into the trees, I make a whole lot of noise, knowing the risk it poses, but I need to get to them.

I need to make sure they are okay. I have a general idea of which direction they went, so I travel that way, praying they are safe.

I’ve never felt anything like this terror before.

Not when my mom beat me or when her and her friends used to rape me.

I meant what I said—I can’t live without them. Not just Way, but all of them. They are my family. If anything happens to them . . .

I sprint through the jungle, their names leaving my lips in desperate puffs of air that turn into screams until I smack into something hard.

Arms wrap around me, and then lips are on mine. I pull back to see Way. He’s wet and sweaty but alive. I run my hands over him as he pulls me closer and kisses me again. When we break apart this time, I turn and find the others, panting and wet but okay.

“Please don’t greet me like that,” Rick teases. “I’m not secure enough to withstand that kind of kiss.”

“You’re okay.” Tears fill my eyes. “I was so worried when I didn’t hear your response.”

“Sorry, we got caught up,” Wilder whispers. “Fucker came out of nowhere. We had to sidetrack. We only just outran it.”

“Uh, no, we haven’t,” Logan says helpfully, and we turn as the trees start to shake, the ground below us quivering. “We should get moving, like now. I don’t want to be croc chow today. I refuse to die until I’ve tasted Maeve Carter.”

“Fuck,” Wilder grumbles, but he shoves Way and me past him, and then we run as the sounds catch up to us, and we know we are being hunted.

“What is it, the fucking Terminator?” Rick whispers. “It’s always there, never giving up. Honestly, is it that hungry or just fucking pissed at us?”

“Probably both,” Wilder replies. “We invaded its territory, but it’s unnaturally vicious.”

“It’s also unnaturally large,” Logan adds.

“Like my dick,” Rick quips, but we ignore him.

“We are its prey, so let’s not stick around until it catches us,” Wilder orders.

The crashing sounds we make are loud as we race through the jungle, but not as noisy as that thing hunting us.

Honestly, it’s more relentless than Rick flirting with Maeve, and that’s saying something.

We either need to find high ground or get the fuck out of its way—something we are all acutely aware of—but having been washed away in the tsunami, we don’t have a clue where we are on the island, so we just pick a direction and hope for the best. It’s unrelenting, however, and only seems to pick up speed.

I know we’ll run out of energy and need to rest before long, and then we’ll be screwed.

All it has to do is wait us out, and it seems to know that.

“We need to find somewhere safe to rest and regroup,” Wilder says. We are all exhausted, so as we run, we search for an opportunity, but the land is flat. Trees are down from the storm, bent or misshapen, and the ground is still soaked and covered with debris, slowing us down.

The croc lets out a roar so close, it hurts and shakes the earth, and I glance back to see it heading right for us.

“Move!” Wilder yells, and he drags Rick with him as we break through some dense brush at a sprint, only to come to an abrupt stop at the person standing there, waiting casually.

It can’t be . . .

It’s impossible.

My eyes widen as I meet the familiar, beautiful orbs of Maeve Carter, who’s standing in front of me like the best figment of my imagination. I never thought I’d see her again, and for a moment, I drink in her beauty, wondering if she’s real.

She wears a cocky, knowing smirk and raises a gun.

“Duck,” she orders. I drop to the ground, and shots fire over my head. Turning, I see her hit the croc, and with a snap of its teeth, it starts to charge before she walks toward us, getting a few more shots off before the beast decides to spin and race away. It will be back, but for now, it’s gone.

She saved our lives.

I climb to my knees and stare at her, silent, confused, and relieved. We got her off the island.

We assured her safety, so how is she here?

Why?

“Hey, boys, miss me?” she calls as she reloads and slings her gun across her chest.