Page 77 of A Rebel's Shot

“I’m going to drop the loop over you, then I need you to thread your arm through so the rope’s over your chest.” He kept feeding out rope.

“And then what? I’ll pull us both down!” Her voice cracked with the beginnings of hysteria.

He paused, his gaze meeting hers with such unwavering intensity it stole her breath. “I anchored the rope to a tree, Merr. Have a little faith.”

The loop on the end of the rope swung close. With careful aim, he tried again. She jerked back as the rope brushed her cheek.

“Easy, Skeeter. Almost there.” His voice was calm, steady, as if this was an everyday occurrence.

Then it landed right over her head. Knowing what she had to do next sent a tremor through her. The only thing keeping her on the cliff was pure terror.

“Okay, thread your hand through.” He began pulling in the slack in the rope as he spoke, his gaze never leaving hers.

She shook her head, a tear breaking free. “I can’t hold on with just one hand.”

“I know you can.” How could his voice stay steady when one wrong move meant her death?

“Tii—”

“Do it, Merr. Now.” The urgency in his voice moved her.

She took a shuddering breath, preparing herself for the next step. With a silent prayer, she loosened her grip on the rock and reached for the rope. Time seemed to stretch as she fumbled with the loop, her fingers trembling so violently she thought they might snap off.

The ground above her shifted again, a cascade of pebbles and dirt tumbling into the abyss. The shriek that tore from her throat surprised even herself.

“You’ve got this, Skeeter.” Tiikâan’s voice was a lifeline, anchoring her to reality. “Just get the loop over your arm.”

She felt it brush against her shoulder, then her arm, and with a burst of adrenaline, she managed to thread her hand through.

The instant relief at having the rope around her body was quickly replaced by the terrifying realization that the ground she clung to had all but disappeared. She pressed her cheek and chest against the cold, damp rock, spreading her weight to keep the ledge from crumbling entirely.

“Good job, Merr.” Tiikâan smiled as she stared at him. “Now hold on tight. I’m going to pull you up. Just trust me.”

Before she could respond, he scrambled up the ledge and out of sight. She slammed her eyes shut, hating the sensation of being alone. When the rope tightened around her chest, her eyes flew open.

For a second, the pressure offered much-needed security. Then the ledge she clung to gave way completely.

She dropped, a scream ripping from her throat as the world tilted upside down. Sharp pain jabbed into her back as the rope jerked her to a halt, leaving her dangling above the abyss.

Above her, she heard Tiikâan’s grunts as he pulled on the rope. Panic clawed at her throat, choking off any attempt at words. All she could do was hold on, praying that the rope, the tree, Tiikâan would hold.

The world tilted again as she was pulled onto solid ground. She collapsed onto her side, gasping for breath, tears streaming down her face. Tiikâan was beside her in an instant, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her close while he scooted away from the ledge.

When he had them a good ten feet from the ledge, he collapsed to the dirt. She clung to him, her fingers digging into his shirt, her entire body trembling. The scent of fresh air and the reassuring warmth of his body grounding her in the chaos of their near-death experience.

They lay there for a long moment, hearts hammering in unison as they recovered from their brush with death. He rolled to his side, but his arm stayed over her, his hand pushing against her back like she was something precious about to disappear.

“You okay?” His voice was rough, laced with concern.

Merritt nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. Her voice had taken a hike to the bottom of theravine, along with a good chunk of her sanity. She never wanted to see the edge of a cliff again in her life.

Tiikâan’s fingers traced patterns on her back. She closed her eyes, savoring the feel of his touch, the solid presence of his body beside hers. And she realized, with startling clarity, that he’d not only saved her life but held a good portion of her soul now, too.

Her fingers trembled as she ran them over his beard. How was it that he hadn’t been a part of her life long, yet he’d become the safest place she’d ever known? Stranded in the mountains wrapped in Tiikâan’s arms, she found the place she never wanted to leave.

“I love you.” The truth of the words hit her hard, and her breath shuddered with the force of it.

He fisted the back of her shirt and leaned his forehead on hers. “I love you, too.”

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