wire, his eyes closed tightly. I crawled back to him, gripping the charred wooden planks with my hands. The goat shrieked in panic as its hooves broke through the wobbly boards. Its eyes were wide with fear and rage, which made it even more dangerous.
I grabbed Luke’s arm and pulled him forward.
“Let’s go, we’ve got to move.”
“I can’t,” he whispered.
“You go first. I’ll hold it off. Focus on the wires. I’m right behind you. Go!” I shouted.
I put my weight against his and pushed him until his hands and feet were moving again. I kept my eyes on the goat, taking careful steps backward with my eyes on the goat.
It pawed like it was going to charge, puffing its nostrils. The foolish beast was going to run us right off into nothing.
I grabbed Luke by the back of the neck and we tripped forward to the end of the wooden planks, feeling the thunderous hooves beat behind us as the bridge whipped up and down like the string of my bow.
We weren’t going to make it.
Suddenly, a dark blur leapt past us. Camina stabbed a long spear at the beast’s chest. It reared up on its hind legs, tilting the bridge dangerously.
“Hold on!” I yelled at Luke, wrapping my arm around the wire as the bridge flipped upside down. I clung to the wire, feeling the cable bit into my palms, tearing the flesh. I pulled myself forward hand over hand, my feet dangling in open space until we reached the rocky ledge. Trevor was leaning out as far as he could, his hand grasping towards us. He gave Luke a hand up, then came back for me. I’d just grabbed his palm when I felt the last bridge cable snap behind me.
I looked back, wide-eyed as it began to fall.
“Camina!” Jazmine screamed.
We watched in slow motion as the goat’s legs kicked and bucked in the open air. Camina fell headfirst after it, plunging into the canyon. She grabbed one of the curly horns in midair and flung herself onto the creature’s hairy back, burying herself deep in the fur. We heard the sickening crack of bones as the animal hit the ground and split open like a watermelon.
Camina was thrown to the side and tumbled towards the walled compound. I held my breath as the dust settled, my heart pounding in my chest. Slowly, we watched her pick herself up and wave a shaky hand.
“Holy shit, she’s alive,” Luke said.
“She used the beast to break her fall,” Trevor said.
I smiled with relief, just before the sirens tore the air. They seemed to be coming from everywhere all at once. Flashing red lights filled the city, casting it in a deep red glow. Shouts came from the closest ramparts as guards rushed to peer down at the giant creature, still tangled in the wires and wooden planks of the bridge. Gleaming ribs poked through the hairy carcass like a pincushion. Camina ducked into a thorny briar patch against the compound walls.
But already a patrol was weaving their way down a set of steep external stairs, their swords raised and weapons drawn.
“They’ll find her,” I whispered.
“Em,” Trevor turned toward me. His deep brown eyes flecked with amber, cut into my soul.
The guards spilled across the rocks, forming a circle around the bloody carcass and slowly pushing outwards, hacking their swords into the brush.
“We have to help her,” I said, biting my lip. I cast another look up towards the mountain summit.
We were so close.
“Do what you came here to do,” Trevor said suddenly. “We’ll hold them off.” He kissed me on the mouth, crushing my lips, then slipped off the edge of the cliff. He used the hanging wire to lower himself down at first, then slid his feet across the dusty surface of the cliff face, which angled slightly. He was going too fast, but somehow he jumped from ledge to ledge without losing his balance and tumbling head first.
“He’s right,” Jazmine said. “You got this. The path is clear from here on up. We’ll fight our way out and meet up with you later.” She stepped off the cliff with a battle cry, flourishing both swords.
I looked at Luke, my eyes wide.
“Maybe I’ll just stay here and see how things turn out,” he said, peering over the steep ledge.
“Good luck with that,” I said, turning my back on him and heading up the hill. I hated leaving the others behind. But now that the alarm had been raised, I