Page 209 of On Wings of Blood

I wobbled as I landed, flinging my arms out to steady myself. Damn that drug they’d given me. There was no way the other consorts were suffering these after effects, considering I was the last one here.

I stood on the platform, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did. I’d expected the next platform to rise, providing me with a way across. Shit.

“You need a partner to get across,” Visha called, sounding annoyingly smug. “It won't work otherwise.”

She stepped towards the edge of the cliff, her violet eyes gleaming. “Did Professor Wispwood mention you're being timed? The platforms will all disappear in a few minutes. Including the one you're standing on. You’re the last one to emerge.”

“Thanks for the helpful information,” I called back, sarcastically. “And you’re both doing what? Just waiting on the other side to watch me fail?”

To my surprise, she shook her head. “I'm going to help you across. I need you to promise not to attack me when I come towards you.”

My heart pounded. “Why the hell would you do that?” I shook my head stubbornly. “I’m not an idiot. There's no way I’m trusting you.”

Visha moved a little closer to the edge. “You have no choice. The clock’s ticking. You're the last one. And maybe you’ve failed to notice this but Regan is long gone.”

“Why would you help me?” I demanded. “You hate me. You tried to kill me.”

“Kill you?” Visha rolled her eyes. “So melodramatic, you blightborns. If I’d wanted to kill you, you’d be dead. I was testing you.” She shrugged. “So I got a little carried away.”

“Regan sent you after me,” I accused. “Why the hell would I trust you now?”

Visha smirked. “Regan wasn’t the one who sent me to fight you that day. Though, of course, she was thrilled that I did.”

I stared at her. “Then who did?”

“I’m sure you can figure it out on your own.”

I felt a lump in my throat, but savagely pushed it down. “Blake.”

She nodded. “Turned out you weren’t as weak as we thought. Way to prove me wrong. Now are you going to just stand there or are you going to let me help you across?”

“I don't understand,” I said. “Blake sent you after me then. But now he’s what? Told you to help me survive this?”

“That basically sums it up.” Visha nudged her fellow consort. “Right, Evander?”

Evander frowned but said nothing.

“Evander isn’t thrilled with any of this, so if you could decide what the hell you’re doing soon, that would be great,” Visha explained. “We need to get going.”

“Why would Blake want you to help me now?” I demanded.

Visha threw up her hands. “Look, you and Blake can figure all of this out and talk about it once you’ve survived the Games. Sound good? It’s none of my business. He’s the House Leader. I’m just doing what I’m told.”

She leaned forward slightly and to my surprise, a pillar began to rise up out of the mist, just a few feet in front of her.

“There,” she said with satisfaction. “Thought so.”

She jumped onto the first pillar, then leaned forward again and the next one rose.

“If you’ve already crossed once with your consort,” she explained, slightly out of breath as she leaped to the next platform, drawing nearer and nearer to me. “Then the platforms will let you go backwards. But you can’t go forward the first time alone.”

She jumped to a pillar as it rose across from the one I was standing on. One more to go.

I spread my legs a little more, willing myself to keep my balance. I still felt woozy. I tried not to look down at the rolling sea of mist below us.

Visha glanced over at me. “So, what’s your decision? You going to fuck this up and get us both killed or you going to catch me?”

She didn’t wait for me to respond. She jumped.

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