Page 51 of Blood and Fate

Kais released her to retrieve another rope. “It’s about to get a bit damp, Your Highness.” He flung the new rope over the top of the guide rope, pulling the ends even. He held one end up in front of her. “May I?”

It was time. She stepped closer to him, nodding.

He stood in front of her, looking into her eyes for a moment before he pulled in a heavy breath. “Arms up, please?”

She lifted her arms away from her sides, and Kais leaned in, wrapping his arms and the rope around her waist. The heat from his hands left a trail as he knotted the rope. He did the same with the other end. His breaths on her ear as his arms encircled her sent shivers from her head down her legs. When he stepped away, she was secure to the guide rope, and he began tying another around his own waist.

He turned to the men behind him. “When we get to the island, don’t wait. Pull the rope back and send the next one over.”

“Are you coming back across?” one of the men asked, looking at Kais.

She felt it immediately, the uncertainty, guilt even, as Kais glanced at her and then back at the men. “I’m not, I’m taking the Princess over and staying.”

She did not doubt that Kais would have been the last to cross the rapids if she weren’t there. She didn’t know what to say. She certainly couldn’t cross alone. And telling him not to worry and that he could return was putting him in danger again. She said nothing, waiting.

Kais turned to her. “Are you ready?”

She shook her head no. “Sure.”

His mouth turned up in a smirk that she knew was forced. “You are a beautiful liar.”

He’d said it to her before, and it gave her comfort for some reason. He held out his hand, and she took it, ignoring the spark that passed between them. He nodded once, giving her what she knew was his best reassuring look. Then he stepped onto the dilapidated bridge, and she followed. When he entered the water, she immediately felt the strength of the rapids tug at his footing, and she closed her hand tighter around his.

She stepped into the water after him. It was freezing and the force of the flow would have carried her away had Kais not had a grip on her. She reached up and wrapped her free hand around the pulley rope again and again until it hurt. Kais had already done the same. They moved slowly and carefully, her feet slipping on the slick wood submerged in the froth.

When they made it to the island, a voice called out to them. “Kay!”

She and Kais looked to see Teague waiting on the opposite bank. Kais took her hands and wrapped the second pulley rope around her arms and through her hands.

“Hold on.” He didn’t look up at Teague as he called, “Yeah?”

His hands worked the knots at her waist until they were free. Then he tossed the rope, which was pulled back the way they came, for the next person.

“You good?” Teague called, the words barely discernible above the din.

“Perfect!” Kais called back, still not looking at the other man as he unwound one of Satori’s hands and tied that bit back around her waist.

When she was secure, he untied and retied himself, the first rope disappearing back to the men.

“Second half is worse!” Teague called. “Watch your step.”

Finally, Kais looked up, giving him a nod of acknowledgment before refocusing his attention on Satori. “Ready?”

“You need to stop asking me that,” she said, wrapping the rope around her wrist and taking Kais’ hand with the other hand.

They stepped off the tiny island and back onto the broken logs of the bridge. Kais’ grip on her hand was almost painful.

He took a step and slid, his foot going out from under him. His grip on her tightened, as well as his grip on the rope above him, as he righted himself.

“Watch there.” He nodded toward where his foot caught.

She stepped and found no purchase as the rapids caught her feet, sweeping them from beneath her. The force of the water ripped her grip from Kais’ hand, and she cried out as she flailed, searching for anything to latch onto, finally finding the rope that was thankfully still wrapped around her wrist.

The flow caught her body, tossing and pulling her downstream. The water was so cold it knocked all the breath from her lungs.

“Satori! Satori!” Kais screamed her name. “Hold on, hold on, I’m coming.”

Fear gripped her as she squeezed the rope in her hands so tightly that they ached. Kais held tightly to the rope with one hand as he stretched toward her, but he couldn’t reach her, and she didn’t dare let go to catch his hand. He heaved again and caught the rope she held, and slowly, with more strength than she thought he possessed, he wrapped the taut rope around his arm, steadily pulling her in toward himself.

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