Page 57 of Sohut's Protection

She was already on the landing above and she was crouching over the edge, looking down at him.

There was worry in her eyes

It made him pause and suddenly he was aware of his surroundings again.

Something glinted in the light and he realized it was the crude weapon she’d stabbed him with.

Sohut stiffened, his gaze moving to the vine.

Sure enough, where the vine connected with the rock was growing thin.

Phek.

His gaze flashed back to hers, not believing what he was seeing.

She’d cut the vine?

His body jerked as he dropped a little, some tendons of the vine breaking underneath his weight.

There was no way he was going to reach the top before the vine broke.

There was no other warning. With a snap, the vine lost tension completely.

Wide, pale eyes locked with his as he fell—horror filling her gaze.

He stared into those eyes till he couldn’t see them anymore.

Till he all he could feel was gravity pulling him down and the ground approaching fast.

Staring up at the cliff where he knew she was, his body went numb.

It brought back memories.

It wasn’t the first time a female had tried to get rid of him using excessive means.

His own mor had been the first to do so, selling him and his brother to the known enemy as a chid.

That hurt had been a surprise, coming from his mor, but even though Clee-yo had reason to do away with him, his life-organ still froze up and became solid at the fact that she’d actually carried through.

Numb.

So numb that when he hit the vegetation below, he felt nothing.

14

Cleo stared over the cliff, leaning over as far as she could.

She didn’t dare to breathe, the horror of the situation too much to digest.

The drop down the mountain was a long one and she’d watched the alien free fall till he hit the undergrowth like a brick that landed smack into her stomach.

And all she could do was stare.

She’d always checked the vines’ integrity periodically and for the whole time she’d used them to climb up to the cave, she’d never worried about them snapping or tearing.

Staring at the part of vine that was left behind, her hand shuddered as she touched it.

She hadn’t expected his weight to have such a huge effect on the plants. Otherwise, she’d have probably tried to explain there was no way he could reach the cave.

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