She grit her teeth, eyes flickering back to the root she clung too. No, she couldn’t reach his fingers from where she was, she would have to let go of the root and stretch for him, and with nothing holding her weight but her own two bare hands, she didn’t know if she could do it. Her arms, shoulders and wrists ached but she would not let go.
‘Gemma, take my hand now!’
‘No, I can’t reach you!’
‘You can Gemma, now take my hand.’
‘The rope can’t hold both of us!’
‘It can! Gemma, listen to me. Hey! Look at me.’
Gemma buried her face in her arms, holding on for dear life. She didn’t want to die. Not like this.
‘Look at me.’ She heard Mitch say, his voice calm but firm.
Gemma looked up, finding Mitch’s eyes.
‘I will not let you fall. Trust me, Gemma. Take my hand.’
And in that moment, Gemma believed him. She glanced to the root which was pulled tight and straining under her weight, then did what she had to. She let go with her right hand, simultaneously digging her feet into the side of the cliff and pushing her body upwards towards Mitch. She felt his fingers close around hers, and he reached down with his other hand, taking a firm hold of her left wrist and pulling her up to him.
‘Put your arms around my neck and hold on while I tie this rope around you.’ Mitch told her.
She did as he said, holding on for dear life as he secured a second rope around her waist.
‘Take her up first, I’ve got holds here.’ Mitch called up, and Gemma felt herself begin to lift higher.
She did what she could to scale the cliff but she knew she was pretty much useless. The moment Grace and Logan - Robin still holding onto Mitch - leaned over the edge and pulled Gemma to safety, was a moment she would never forget. She clung to her friends, relief flooding her entire body. Logan drew away to help Robin haul Mitch back up, and Grace immediately set to work on Gemma’s hands.
She finally saw them and was horrified at the state they were in, like she knew she would be. She’d been wearing woollen gloves which had torn apart completely and the skin was shredded and bleeding underneath. She couldn’t see any bone, but she didn’t look for long so she couldn’t be sure if her eyes had been correct.
Stella’s special healing salve stung, but Gemma felt it begin to dull the pain and heal the wounds instantaneously. Grace was just finishing up with applying the salve to all her fingers when Mitch appeared over the side of the cliff and crawled to safety. He slumped down against the icy wall, rested his head back in the snow and squeezed his eyes closed.
Gemma watched him as Grace bandaged her fingers, wondering what he was thinking, what he was feeling. Finally, Grace removed her own gloves and pulled them onto Gemma’s hands to ensure the bandages remained secure.
‘No, you need them!’ Gemma protested, but Grace insisted, telling her she would keep her hands in her pockets.
Grace rose, nodding her head towards Mitch. Gemma knew what she meant, and waited until Grace had joined Logan who was winding up the rope and repacking their bags. Gemma turned to Mitch and watched him for a moment.
‘I can feel you staring.’ Mitch said, then opened his eyes and raised his head.
Gemma didn’t shy away. She kept watching him, seeing the fear that lingered behind his eyes. Fear of what?
‘Thankyou. For doing that. I appreciate it.’ She said in earnest.
Mitch didn’t joke or taunt her. Instead, he gave her a genuine smile and inclined his head. ‘I was worried you wouldn’t trust me.’
Gemma did glance away at that. ‘I guess I’ve come to believe I can.’
She heard Mitch shift beside her and she peered back at him.
‘I hope you continue to believe so.’ He said, the rare smile still lingering on his lips.
~
Laura’s body thumped into the earth and the wind was knocked from her lungs as the world blacked out. She gasped frantically for air, pain shooting through her entire body. The blue sky came back into focus and the blackness receded. She couldn’t have hit the ground, could she? It was too short a fall, and she was clearly still alive… she thought so anyway. She couldn’t move yet, her arms, her back, her stomach, her chest, all throbbing with pain.
She laid there, her breath coming in hitched gasps as she slowly tried to regain control. Her sword was still clutched in her hand, and she felt the hilt; warm and sweaty against her palm. She was lucky she hadn’t landed on the blade and stabbed herself, she realised.
Finally, she sat up slowly, and noticed she hadn’t fallen far after all. In fact, the edge of the cliff was just above her head. It appeared she’d fallen onto a ledge of some sort. She moved in closer to the cliff face, finding a small indentation in the earth that fit her body, hiding her from view.
Panic began to rise in her throat, clutching at her chest. That was the second time she’d nearly fallen to her death. Stay strong, her Father whisper in her ear. She sucked in a ragged breath and calmed herself. In doing so, she became aware of the scrabbling taking place above. Then, the land drover roared to life, and Laura feared the worst for Drew.
‘What about the girl?’ One of the Wicked asked.
She heard the sound of feet as someone approached the side of the cliff and peered over the edge.
‘Can’t see any sign of her.’ A gruff voice answered.
‘Leave her. No one would survive that fall. We’ll send people for her body later.’
The doors of the car slammed shut and Laura waited until the sound of the engine had begun to disappear before she stood up. She flung an arm over the side of the cliff and dug her sword into the earth. It wasn’t strong enough, but combined with the makeshift footholds, she was able to heave herself over the edge of the cliff.
She stood up, pain shooting through her body, and watched as the swirl of dust and sand began to settle along the road. Drew had to be either unconscious or dead. There was no way he’d willingly go with them otherwise.
Her arm throbbed to the point of dizziness, but she couldn’t give up. Drew was in danger, and he needed her. She would find him, she owed him that much.
She tore a strip of material from the hem of her tank top and wrapped it tightly around her cut arm. Blood still welled from the wound, but it was slowing, and wasn’t nearly as bad as she’d originally thought. She secured it with a second knot, using her right hand and teeth to tighten it, then, straightened, replaced her sword in her bag and hoisted it onto her back. She retrieved Drew’s sword, which she found discarded in the sand, and limped to the motorbike. She fixed Drew’s pack to her front, swung her leg over the bike, and kicked it into gear, listening to the engine as it roared into life.
‘I’m coming Drew.’ She whispered.
Chapter Twenty
Discovery
Stella was pacing, something not entirely out of the ordinary.
‘Darling, come take a seat, you haven’t been eating properly lately.’ Leo urged, rising to take her hand.
She allowed him to lead her to the table, but still, she remained standing.
‘I feel so useless! I hate it!’ She said, frustrated. ‘We’re their mentors. Their protectors. This isn’t right.’
Leo’s face was grim. ‘It isn’t, but for now this is how it has to be. Now sit and eat.’
She forced a sigh and sat down. Picking up her knife and fork, she began stabbing at the meat on her plate. The doorbell chimed and Stella’s fork clattered to the table. She glanced at her husband to find he was frozen in place.
‘It’s okay. I’ll answer, you wait for the signal. We’ve prepared for this.’ Leo said, standing.
Stella hid in the hallway, and from her vantage point, could only see Leo as he opened the door.
‘Can I help you?’ Leo asked, his voice not exactly kind but certainly not impolite either.
‘Have you seen either of these men? They’ve been reported missing.’ Someone asked.
Leo fe
igned confusion. ‘In case you haven’t realised, we’ve been on house arrest for the past three weeks. When could we possibly have had the chance to see these two boys?’
‘They worked here for a short time.’
They must have been talking about Robin and Mitch, Stella assumed.
Leo shrugged, ‘so many of you pass through these days that you’re all starting to blend together.’
The man’s voice deepened. ‘Where are your students? We’d like to ask them some questions.’
Stella saw the Wizard move to step through the door but Leo blocked his path, ‘they’re busy at the moment. I’ll take the photo to them and call you later if we learn anything.’
The Force Members eye’s blazed and Stella knew they were on thin ice.
‘I’ll be returning tomorrow morning to talk to them face to face. Make sure they’re ready.’ He said, and turned to leave.
Leo shut the door.
‘What do we do?’ Stella whispered.
She could see the wheels turning in Leo’s mind. ‘I think I might have an idea.’
~
Mitch took the lead again. It was slower going, but he wasn’t about to risk any more lives. He wasn’t sure he could do what he’d done for Gemma a second time. He’d told the group he’d executed such rescues before, but the truth was, he’d only performed them in training circumstances. In addition, it had tested one of his worst fears. A fear only Robin knew about.
‘That was a pretty decent thing you did back there.’ Robin said, appearing by his side.
The trail had widened and the wall on their left had reappeared.
‘Yeah, well I wasn’t going to let her die.’ Mitch responded.
Robin gave him a knowing smile and Mitch raised an eyebrow. ‘What?’
‘Don’t play dumb. I’ve known you your whole life, remember?’
Robin hadn’t spoken to him properly in almost four days, so Mitch humoured him, welcoming the light-hearted conversation.
‘I’m not playing dumb.’
‘No, I suppose not. You’re just thick headed.’ Robin alleged with a laugh.
‘I was pretty thick headed the other day. Robin, what I said, I didn’t mean it like that.’ He shook his head. ‘No, I didn’t mean it at all. You’re a better person than I’ll ever be.’
Robin dropped his gaze and shoved his hands into his coat pockets.
‘No, seriously Robin. You became a member of the Force even though it wasn’t something you were interested in. You did it for me. You’ve followed me every step of the way, no matter what crazy ideas I’ve come up with. Like this for instance. You’ve been there no matter what. I appreciate it, I hope you know that.’
Mitch wasn’t usually very good at expressing his feelings, but Robin was his cousin; his best friend. He wasn’t going to lose him over his own stupidity.
‘Thanks, that… it means a lot.’ Robin said, clapping Mitch on the back.
There was a movement behind them and then Gemma sidled up beside Robin.
‘Mind if I talk to Mitch for a minute?’ She asked.
‘Sure, of course.’ Robin said with a smile.
‘Thanks. And thanks also for what you did back there. You helped save my life.’
‘I didn’t really do anything. It was Mitch who made the big sacrifice.’ Robin responded with a shrug.
‘What do you mean?’ Gemma inquired, and before Mitch could stop him, the words left Robin’s lips.
‘He’s afraid of heights.’
Mitch shot Robin a look as he darted back to Grace and Logan, easily joining in on their conversation.
‘You’re afraid of heights? But you’ve been fine this whole climb?’ Gemma asked.
Mitch sighed. ‘I’m pretty right on solid ground. It’s the going over the edge that gets me.’
‘Why didn’t you let Grace come down then?’
‘Because I-’ he cut himself off quickly.
God he was a mess, blubbering his feelings to everyone, revealing his private thoughts. What the hell was wrong with him? He was never typically so… forward.
‘What?’ Gemma urged.
He forced a sigh. Screw it.
‘Because I swore to Estella and Leo that I would help you, and in my eyes, letting someone die doesn’t exactly fulfil that promise.’
‘Oh.’ Gemma replied, and he glanced at her, sensing disappointment.
It disappeared instantly and she gave him an appreciative smile.
‘It seems I owe you a second thankyou then. That was big of you, facing a fear like that.’
Mitch found himself staring at her for a moment longer than he should have, but under the light of the sun her dark skin shone and her face appeared radiant. Beautiful. He quickly shook sense into himself, removing his gaze from her face.
‘Uh, what was it you wanted to talk to me about.’
‘Oh, right, yes. I wanted to know what the plan is once we get there. I think it’s something we should discuss since we’re close to the summit.’
‘Of course,’ he said awkwardly. ‘It’ll be hard to know what to do until we see what’s there, but if there’s no clues then it might be time to return to Alast and see if we can pick up a different lead.’
Gemma snapped to attention. ‘Go back? But we’ve come so far!’
‘I know, but if there’s nothing up here then we’ll find ourselves at a dead end yet again.’
Gemma didn’t answer immediately and he regarded her quietly, noticing she was deep in thought.
‘What’s your favourite book?’
Mitch almost choked on the words that left his lips. His stupid, stupid lips that thought speaking on their own accord was allowed.
Gemma turned to him, ‘what?’
He looked away. ‘Nothing.’
‘Did you ask me what my favourite book is?’
‘No.’
‘What’s that have to do with anything.’
‘Nothing. Go away.’
‘What?’
‘I don’t know.’
They fell into an awkward silence.
‘I don’t have a favourite.’ Gemma said after a moment.
‘Why not?’ He asked as heat flushed his cheeks.
Gods, what was his problem?
‘I don’t know, I just don’t. Why, what’s yours?’
Mitch laughed a little. ‘I don’t have one.’
‘Why not?’ Gemma mimicked and they both chuckled.
‘Hey, when you two have finished with your mothers club, you should get over here.’ Logan said from behind them and they turned to see that they’d strolled right past something.
Something rather important.
‘Another lab?’ Gemma asked, frowning.
They joined Logan, Grace and Robin by the shiny handle and helped to push away the snow, revealing a glass door.
‘Why do they have labs up here?’ Robin asked.
‘Secluded maybe?’ Gemma replied.
‘But why and how are bodies turning up all the way back in Lastrala?’ Grace prompted. ‘I mean, even with the other lab, those bodies of the Warlocks and Humans turned up everywhere.’
‘I’ve actually been thinking about that. Remember what the Flyer Caspian, Leo and Laura went to see told them?’ Logan said.
‘Portals.’ Gemma whispered.
‘Portals? But they’re created by Devils and Gods.’ Robin countered as Logan freed the door.
‘It seems Erebus and the Devils are close friends.’ Grace replied grimly.
‘Get a load of this.’ Logan said, stepping through the entrance.
Mitch peered inside to see the tunnel was lined with already burning torches.
‘I don’t like this.’ Grace whispered. ‘Remember what you said Logan? That you thought Erebus was hiding underground.’
‘This place looks dead though.’ Logan counted, shaking his head.
‘Someone must be here if these are lit.’ Gemma argued.
‘We have to see what’s down thes
e tunnels.’ Mitch reasoned. ‘At the first sign of someone, we leave. Sound good?’
They all nodded in agreement and set off down the dark, damp tunnel. It wasn’t long before they came to an intersection.
‘Mark the walls so we know which way we came.’ Mitch said.
They didn’t make it far before they heard the voices. A lot of them. They paused, about to turn and run, when Mitch pulled them up short.
‘I don’t think they’re going anywhere. It must be a group meeting or something.’
‘Let’s keep going.’ Gemma whispered.
They edged forward slowly, quietly, until an opening loomed up ahead. Mitch could see something he thought to be a rail, and a frown materialised involuntarily on his face. He bent down and crawled across the ground for the final few meters, ensuring the others followed suit, and reached what appeared to be a balcony overlooking something below. The voices were loud; shouting, screaming, crying, yelling. He couldn’t make out what was being said through the tangle of sounds.
Mitch raised himself enough to peer over the side of the balcony and what he saw terrified him to his very soul. Hundreds of Wicked formed a circle in the pit below, yelling, cheering, throwing food and coins around. But that wasn’t what had him shook. It was what was in the middle of the circle.
There were at least twenty people… no, Enchanted, being forced to fight the Wicked. Some had missing limbs and lay in crying, bleeding heaps while Wicked pummelled them with rocks. Others had tears streaming down their faces as they fought, begging for mercy.
Mitch soon realised what the incentive was, for one man who gave in, refusing to fight any longer, was strung up against the wall with swords through his hands while Wicked took turns torturing him however they saw fit.
Mitch backed quickly away from the balcony, eyes flickering to his friends.
‘Run.’
~
Laura trailed behind the land drover, keeping at a safe distance so not to be noticed and hiding amongst the sand dunes when she could. She wasn’t exactly positive they hadn’t spotted her, and she understood there was a very real chance she was riding into a trap, however there was no way she was going to let them have Drew. If Erebus really had plans for him, they couldn’t be anything good.
The Sacrifice (Wicked Book 2) Page 23