Besotted (The Fairest Maidens #3) - Jody Hedlund Page 0,77

reached the end. I hoisted myself up and collapsed onto solid ground, unable to think or move. All I could do was breathe in and out.

An instant later, Jorg fell next to me on his knees, gasping. For long moments, only the sound of our labored breathing filled the air. With each intake, my mind became clearer until I realized Chester hadn’t mounted the ladder yet.

“Chester?” I attempted to push myself off the ground but failed.

Jorg lifted his head and then crawled back to the ladder.

Drawing on a reserve of strength I hadn’t known I possessed, I dragged myself to the ladder too and peered over the edge. I couldn’t see Chester, but I sensed he’d used the last of his coherency to make sure Jorg and I were safely out before he succumbed to the fumes. “We have to go back for him.”

“I’ll go,” Jorg whispered, already on the top rung.

“Let me,” I hissed after him.

“No, if I can’t find him”—he wheezed for another breath—“you need to give the others the signal and then go after Aurora.”

I hesitated. One of us needed to survive the crossing and throw the stone to the courier, who would then relay the news to Mikkel and Vilmar, letting them know we’d survived.

In my moment of indecision, Jorg was already climbing back down. I held the ladder in place and watched the blackness, waiting and praying he’d have the strength of mind and body to locate Chester.

“He’s here,” came Jorg’s strained whisper. “I’ll lift him as high as I can, then you drag him the rest of the way.”

I took in a deep breath, then climbed down several rungs. I couldn’t feel my limbs, but I forced myself to move anyway. As I bumped into a body, I grabbed it and began to heave it upward, working mostly on instinct. Though I was still weak and dull minded, I had enough wherewithal to keep going. Once above the pit again, I collapsed next to Chester and was relieved when Jorg landed beside us several seconds later.

I wasn’t sure if Chester was alive, and I needed to haul him away from the basilisks’ poison and someplace where the air was fresher and he’d have a better chance of reviving. The only direction to go was up since the complex sat atop a mound. The climb was steeper than I’d realized, and in my weakened condition, I struggled to move Chester.

Moments later, Jorg joined my efforts, and together we crawled a dozen paces away from the ditch, dragging Chester with us. There we sprawled out, took off our masks, and gulped in the air that was mostly free of the venomous odors.

Chester didn’t move, and I feared we’d drawn him out too late. After rolling to my side, I pressed my fingers against his neck and checked for a pulse. A slow rhythm told me he was still alive, but barely.

I slid my arms underneath him. “Let’s lift him so he’s sitting.” Jorg aided me, and we were rewarded with a slight groan. I tilted Chester’s head back, hoping to open his airways. Then I slapped at his cheeks, trying to revive him.

He released another low moan and then attempted to drag in a breath.

“Wake up, you big oaf.” I prodded his chest.

This time he coughed and gulped in more air.

Relief rushed over me, clearing my head and giving me renewed energy. I flexed my arms and legs, the numbness from moments ago fading. I had to throw the rock. Though the pit wasn’t safe and we’d nearly died during the crossing, my brothers needed to distract the guards so we could begin our trek farther into the complex.

Earlier in the day, Pearl had drawn the outline of the buildings in the dirt and marked several places we might be able to enter. Most were windows that led into buildings least used at this time of night. Chester added his knowledge to Pearl’s. And together we worked out a plan, allowing us to hunt through the many chambers where the queen might be holding Aurora.

At another grunt, this one louder, Chester pushed himself up. He held his head in his hands. “Have you thrown the rock?” His voice was hoarse and breathless.

“Just about to.”

“What are you waiting for?” he snarled.

“Good to see you’re back to yourself and that the fumes didn’t hurt that sweet nature of yours.”

“Throw it,” he growled.

I couldn’t suppress a grin as I extracted a stone from my pocket. We’d each carried one