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“Was a reasonably sized ledge too much to ask?” I laughed, the sound reverberating off all of the open stone and coming back to us until I sounded like a mad man.
“You know what this is, don’t you?” Philit’s voice was choked, his eyes wide as he stared into the land far below the cliff face.
“The Preika Cliffs,” he gasped when no one answered. “The place the first rider battled the first dragon.”
I turned, expecting to see some sign of the battle, but there was nothing but ice covered trees and mud.
“All I see is another ridiculous trial,” Zilon said, pulling me back from the cliff as though it would swallow me whole. “Who planned this path?”
Someone who wanted us all dead.
“Those poor riders,” I mumbled, staring into the foot of the cliff. How many riders were at its base, fallen to their death. How many didn’t make this journey without dragons to help them?
“Take your time,” Landers said, pulling me from my thoughts. “Shuffling along the ledge, facing the wall.” He stepped out onto it, keeping perfect balance. “Use your fingers to find grips to help keep your balance, then shuffle down.”
He demonstrated, making it look like it really was the easiest thing to do.
“How can you do that?” Zilon asked, looking impressed.
“I may have all the luxuries of the world, but it doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy climbing shit. We did stuff like this back home. Mostly on a dare, and never in the snow like this, but still, this is easy compared to the shit I was put up to doing.” Landers chuckled as he continued down the ledge.
Okay, no turning back now.
“Your turn.” Philit motioned me forward.
“This is where I die,” I muttered. I wanted to ask Philit if he would catch me if I fell, but I already knew that was a no go. I didn’t have to look at the glare he had fixed me with to establish that.
Philit reached for my hand and pulled me to a stop. He didn’t look at me, his focus forward even as he whispered to me.
“I won’t let you die. Just do your best, moving slowly across. Watching your footing and remember what Landers said about the walls. Use touch to find something to grip to.”
Well, color me surprised. I thought for sure he would let me die, unburden him from the chain of a rider he didn’t want. Yet… I looked up to him, but he was still scowling forward, even as his hand squeezed mine and sent a jolt of warmth through me.
“Rayna, I...” Ah, there was the regret I was waiting for.
“Yeah, yeah. I got it.” I cut him off. I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear him take that promise back. I slowly pulled from his grasp, hating that I had to create that distance. It was always him keeping the distance, not me.
I focused, reminding myself that Philit was going to catch me, and if he wasn’t there were two others who might have the good sense to catch me as I fell. It didn’t do anything to settle my nerves, however. I fixed my bag so it wouldn’t hinder me and then stepped out onto the ledge, noting how the snow really did make everything more slippery.
Once I was far enough out on the ledge that I knew I couldn’t stop, I finally realized something. I hated heights. They scared the crap out of me. I swore the ground began spinning when I made the mistake of looking down.
Great trait for a rider, but probably something I shouldn’t be focused on right at that moment. Either the heights or the rider that was scared of them.
“Look straight ahead,” Philit said. “I’m right behind you. Focus on the rocks and on moving forward, not on what’s below you.”
He said nice things, but he sure sounded like a douche.
“Mountain, cower beneath me,” I whispered, trying to put the mountain in its place as I shuffled further and further out, something that was proving treacherous seeing as I couldn’t feel either my fingers or my toes. Both of which were apparently needed for this task.
“You’re doing good,” Zilon called out, the abruptness of his voice making me stiffen even more.
“Shut up, you’re going to scare her,” Philit snapped out.
“She’s scared. It’s good to give her words of encouragement.”
“Not if it means she falls!”
“Will you two fuckers fucking shut the fuck up? Fuck!” I screamed, which thankfully shut them up, but sent Landers chuckling from up ahead of me.
