Mist's Edge (The Broken Lands #2) - T.A. White Page 0,144

are debating who’s coming up here, I’m going to go back and get Trenton,” Shea called from above.

“You’re to do no such thing,” Fallon yelled back. “Stay right where you are.”

There was a grumble above and the distinct words of bossy, arrogant, and ass drifted down. The rest of the men carefully didn’t look at Fallon, whose eyes narrowed as Shea continued. He would enjoy exacting his revenge when he caught up to her.

Eamon, Buck, and Witt turned away to hide their grins, each having been on the end of a similar tirade before. Sometimes for having told Shea what to do. Sometimes for doing something she considered stupid.

“Question,” Buck said once her voice had died down. “How are you going to climb with no light?”

Witt looked at the other man and then back at the wall. The lights from the torches created harsh shadows. It would be difficult to discern hand holds in it. “This is going to be a problem.”

“Is there another way, maybe another passageway?” Eamon asked, looking at Fallon.

He shook his head. “If there is, there’s no guarantee that it won’t triple the journey or end in a maze of tunnels.”

“Guess the only way is up,” Eamon said, stepping back.

“You could always try holding the torch in your mouth,” Buck volunteered.

Witt snarled. “I’m not letting fire that close to my face.”

“Afraid you’ll scar your pretty mug?” Buck taunted with an arched brow.

“Enough. We’ll take our chances,” Fallon said. “Let’s start.”

“I’d like to go with you, Warlord,” Eamon volunteered. “Shea has taught me a few things about rock climbing so I might be an asset.”

Fallon nodded.

“I’ll lead,” Witt said, waiting for Fallon’s agreement before starting up the rock face. Fallon and Eamon followed soon after.

*

Shea waited as the men below made their ascent. It was tempting to disregard Fallon’s order and go back for Trenton. The only thing stopping her was the knowledge that she wouldn’t be able to move him very far without their assistance. Given his wounds, she suspected she might do him more harm than good if she tried to drag him through these tunnels.

After what felt like an eternity, Witt reached her. She bent down to help him over the ledge, and then stepped back as he offered the same help to Fallon and then Eamon.

Fallon stepped past the other two, his hand coming out to haul Shea into his arms. Once there he clung to her, his hold tight. She buried her face in his shirt and inhaled, grateful to have a moment like this. For a minute, she had feared such things would be part of her past.

They didn’t waste breath on voicing the fear that had lived with them since the eagle attack, content to hold one another and just be. Eamon and Witt directed their attention out into the cavern, letting the two have a private moment.

Finally, though it hurt her to do so, Shea stepped back. They had important things to do. First among them—getting Trenton help.

“I’ll lead you to Trenton.” Her eyes met Fallon’s in the flickering light of the torch, their warmth conveying how glad she was to see him alive and well, before she turned toward where she had left her guard.

Hopefully, he would still be there when she returned—alive and threatening her with more training. Gods, she hoped he was still alive. She didn’t want to have to live with having left him to die alone.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

“HOW LONG have we been down here?” Clark asked, keeping pace with Shea. “It feels like an eternity.”

Shea looked to find him craning his neck back to give the rock above them a dissatisfied glare. He looked back down with a huff, the small patches of visible sky, where the ceiling above had collapsed in places, seeming to have put him in an even more morose mood.

It was a sentiment many in their party shared as their time underground stretched to days.

“I told you; this way is longer because we have to go under the cliffs. Be grateful for the horses. If we were walking, it would take us a few weeks to make the journey. As it is, we’ll probably be back aboveground in a few days,” Shea told him.

Trenton had been recovered and treated in time. Shea had been right. He’d been more injured than they had first assumed and had been bleeding internally. Luckily, Chirron was able to stabilize and treat him.

For most of the first day, Chirron had kept him heavily dosed with Trateri