Page 18 of Primal Call

The alpine slope loomed before them, jagged and treacherous. Each step was a calculated risk, with loose rocks shifting beneath their feet. The air was thin and biting cold, making every breath feel like inhaling shards of ice. Jasper’s muscles burned from the constant uphill battle, but he pushed on, following Kyral’s lead.

Kyral moved with a hunter’s grace, his senses on high alert. Every so often, he’d pause, ears pricked as he listened for any sign of pursuit from his old crew.

Jasper tried to mirror his caution, though he didn't know what to listen for. The terrain was alien in both senses of the world.

Suddenly, something went wrong. Kyral’s foot slipped on the loose scree.

"Damn!" Kyral slid down the slope, coming to a halt several body-lengths down the side of the ridge. The small loose rocks beneath him shifted ominously, threatening to send him further down if he made any sudden movements.

Jasper’s heart lurched at the sight. “Kyral!” he called out, panic lacing his voice.

Kyral gritted his teeth. He tried to find purchase to step back up the slope, but the loose rocks just slid away under his feet. “Stay where you are,” he growled. “If I try to climb up from here, I’ll just slip further."

He looked around him, thinking. "Get the rope from your pack,” Kyral instructed, his tone firm despite the precarious situation. “Tie one end around that tree up there, and throw me the other end.”

Jasper’s heart raced as he fumbled with their gear. The rope felt rough in his hands as he quickly tied a secure knot around the nearest sturdy tree.

But his thoughts weren't on the rope.

This was a chance to escape.

If he left Kyral here...

But then what? Jasper glanced back down the ridge at Kyral, who was holding onto the unstable ground with sheer determination, the gravel under his feet slowly slipping away stone by stone.

“Throw it!” Kyral’s voice snapped Jasper back to reality.

Jasper’s hands shook as he held the rope. He could run now, leave Kyral in peril and try to survive alone in this hostile wilderness.

Or he could do what Kyral commanded — help his captor, and continue this uncertain journey.

Run, or help…

But were they the only two options?

Jasper’s fingers tightened around the rope. He knew what he had to do, even if it made his heart pound with anxiety.

“Kyral,” Jasper called out, his voice steady despite the chaos inside him. “If I help you out of this, I want half the treasure.”

Kyral’s eyes widened. Raw surprise flickered across his face before being replaced by frustration. “What? You can’t be serious,” he growled, his position on the shifting ground growing more precarious by the second.

“Dead serious,” Jasper shot back. “Half the treasure, or I don’t throw the rope.”

Kyral’s nostrils flared, and he gritted his teeth. “And what the hell is a human going to do with treasure on Vasz? You think you can just waltz into a Borraq city and spend it?”

Jasper’s heart raced. He’d always be in danger on this planet, no matter what. But with money in his pocket, he might stand a chance. He could try to bribe his way to safety, buy himself some time or resources…

If he wanted to survive, he needed a bargaining chip — something that could make him more than just prey in the eyes of his enemies.

“That’s none of your business,” Jasper said firmly. “Half the treasure is my price.”

Kyral’s jaw tightened, a muscle ticking in his cheek as he considered Jasper’s terms. The frustration was evident in every line of his body.

They locked eyes, the intensity of the moment freezing them both in place. Jasper's pulse ran fast, each beat echoing the enormity of his demand. He saw the fire in Kyral's eyes, a mix of anger and frustration battling against the necessity of the situation.

"Fine," Kyral growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Half the treasure. Now throw me the damn rope."

Jasper felt a surge of relief, but also a pang of fear. He had just forced a desperate bargain with someone who was technically his captor, yet who had also saved him from a far worse fate. The complexity of their situation hung between them like an invisible tether, binding them in an uneasy alliance.

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