Page 120 of Beyond Oblivion

Thomas shook his head. “You can’t counter our weight, Cami. We’ll pull you right over the edge.”

I turned to look over my shoulder, positioning myself so that I could wrap my legs around a small boulder, hooking my ankles together for stability and yanking a few times just to make sure. “I’m okay. I’m countering with one of these rocks.”

“You’re… what do you mean?” he said.

“Just climb, damn it!” I growled.

Thomas reached up and grabbed hold of the jagged rock, his face contorted in pain as he pulled himself closer. A low growl escaped him with the effort, making it clear he was injured badly. His movements were stiff, deliberate, but I couldn’t tell where the worst of the damage was. Blood streaked his arm, dirt smeared across his face, he kept climbing, inch by agonizing inch.

When Thomas was close enough, I extended my free hand toward him. My underarms burned with the effort, the sharp edge digging into my skin as both my shoulder joints strained to their limit, supporting two grown men suspended in midair. I bit back a cry as my sockets stretched and my ankles cut into the rock, gritting my teeth as I held on, the thought of one or both of them slipping from my grasp too horrifying to consider. The ache in my arms blurred into desperation, every nerve in my body focused on holding on just long enough to somehow pull them both to safety.

“Liis?” Thomas asked. “Where is she? Is she okay?”

“I think… I think she’s in labor. She’s about twenty yards back.”

“Shit,” Thomas said, looking for a way to the top.

Trenton looked at me and then his brother. “She can’t pull us both up. I’m not sure she can lift even one.”

“Shut your face, Maddox,” I shot back, grunting as I shifted my body to counter their weight. “I can, and I will. I just need to think.”

Thomas tried to use his other hand to hoist himself up, but slipped, falling. The motion yanked on my arm, and I cried out in pain.

“Fuck,” Thomas hissed. “I’m sorry,” he said, finding his footing. “I’m sorry.”

“Liis?” I screamed over my shoulder. “Liis!”

“Is she okay?” Thomas asked, breathing hard while he clung to the steep wall of the gorge.

“I see her,” I said, licking my dry lips. “She’s okay.”

“Okay,” he said, looking at the cliff side in front of him. “Let’s think.”

“Think quickly,” I said, straining.

The root Trenton held on to made a ripping sound and pulled away from the rock a few inches, jolting us both.

“Shit!” he said, looking down. His eyes darted back up to me. “Don’t look, baby. If I fall… I don’t want you to see it. Look away.”

Tears burned my eyes. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Thomas looked at his brother and then up at me, his expression calm despite the terror in his eyes. “Camille,” he said softly. “Let me go and use your other hand to pull Trenton up.”

“Fuck that!” Trenton yelled.

“No!” I said, shaking my head quickly. I could feel streams cutting through the dust on my cheeks. “We can figure this out. Liis just needs to rest and then she can help. Just… hold on for a little longer.”

“She can’t,” Thomas said. “If she’s in premature labor—”

The root ripped again.

“Tell Liis…” Thomas began.

“Don’t you fuckin’ dare,” Trenton pleaded. “You let go and I’m right behind you, brother.”

Thomas looked down. “There’s a ledge. With any luck, I can slow myself down and land on it.”

“Yeah, and break every bone in your body,” Trenton said.

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