Page 68 of Golden Star

“Told you so.” She takes a cautious step, then another, keeping a solid grip on the frozen rope handrails.

I hurry behind her, since there’s no way I’m letting her get too far.

But I move too fast, not giving the spikes on my boot enough time to dig into the snow.

My boot skids sideways, and I curse, somehow managing to grab the rope quickly enough to regain my balance.

“You okay?” Zoey asks, not moving.

“All good. Just… testing the sturdiness.”

“Well, test slower,” she says. “Because there’s no way I can make it across this thing without you.”

“I’m not too sure about that,” I say, although from the sad look in her eyes, I can tell sheissure about it.

Still, she presses forward, her steps slow and deliberate.

I follow right behind, making sure the spikes dig firmly into the snow.

At our pace, the bridge feels like it goes on for miles. My fingers are so frozen that I’m surprised they’re still able to grip the ropes.

“Halfway there,” Zoey says after what must be an hour. “We’ve got this.”

“Slow and steady,” I repeat what we’ve been saying this entire time.

Then, out of nowhere, the wind picks up, making the entire bridge swing like a pendulum. It tears at my clothes, cutting through my skin like knives as I try desperately with everything I have to keep my grip firm and my feet steady.

“Zoey!” I shout, but the wind swallows my voice.

Another gust of wind slams into us.

The bridge jerks violently to the side, and Zoey loses her footing, her eyes wide in panic and her arms flailing around as she searches desperately for something to hold onto.

Sapphire

“No!”I reachfor Zoey, my pulse pounding in my ears, magic swelling my veins as I try with everything I have to keep my feet steady and not plummet to the bottom of the ravine.

And then—somehow—the bridge steadies.

I’m not being battered by the cold anymore. The trees are still blowing wildly on the other side of the ravine, but it’s like the wind is movingaroundus, protecting us and keeping the bridge from trying to throw us off.

I manage a glance over my shoulder at Riven.

He’s standing at the start of the bridge, as if he’s ready to run onto it at a moment’s notice. And from the way he’s staring at me, I’d almost bet he’d jump into that ravine to save me if it came down to it.

“What’s happening?” Zoey asks, and I snap my attention back to her, where she’s gazing out at the windwhipping through the branches of the trees at the opposite side of the ravine.

The knights that Riven sent over there are waiting at the end, although they’re stealing glances around themselves as well, seemingly just as confused as Zoey.

“I don’t know,” I say, and while the bridge sways again, it’s so gentle that I barely have to try holding on. “Let’s just keep moving.”

“Good plan,” she says, and we press forward, each crunch of the ice spikes in our boots louder than ever in the now quieted wind.

Eventually, Zoey lets out a shaky laugh, breaking the silence. “So,” she says. “Do you think Riven will be impressed that we made it this far?”

“Really?” I ask. “We’re navigating a deadly bridge and you’re thinking aboutRiven?”

“Only becauseyou’rethinking about Riven,” she says. “I saw the way you were staring at each other across the bridge just then.”

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