Page 230
Iryana looked back down at Misha’s wide, fright-filled eyes and pulled out her dagger.
“Stop,” Misha shouted, high pitched. “I changed my mind.”
Iryana froze.
“If you try to climb down here, you’re going to fall.” Misha seemed to straighten herself. “Just leave me. No use in us both dying.”
“I’m not leaving you, Misha!” Iryana protested. “There’s no chance.”
“What if we fall?”
Iryana swallowed. “Then grab onto me and we shield as hard as we can.”
Misha’s eyes stared up at her, wide with disbelief, as Iryana sawed at the rope around her waist. The moment she was no longer connected to the group ahead of her, she felt like the ground was spinning, but it was only fear. She didn’t listen to fear anymore.
One leg at a time, Iryana slid off the ledge, digging the tips of her boots into the wall. This wasn’t the climb she was familiar with, but she focused on the feel under her boots, searching for purchase. The climb down was agonizingly difficult and precarious, but Iryana refused to give up.
When Iryana finally made it down to Misha, her arms and legs were shaking.
She inched over to her sister. “We’re going to climb up together.”
“I tried climbing. I can’t do it.” Her words were short bursts.
“You can.”
“I’m too scared,” Misha admitted, trembling.
“I’ll be right with you the whole time.”
Misha’s head jerked back and forth. “Just climb back up, leave me here.”
“I’m not leaving.”
A shiver raked up Misha; she was near hyperventilating now. “You left me before.”
Her heart cracked. Had she been fearing this the whole time? Just waiting for Iryana to leave again?
“We’re together now,” Iryana pleaded. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
“How can I trust you!” Misha snapped, choking on a sob. “You leave! That’s what you do!”
Iryana let out a wavering breath, trying to hold the regret off until later. “Listen to me, Misha. I can’t go back and change what happened, but I will never leave you again. If you fall, I’m going down with you.”
“I’m just—” She gasped in a breath, head jerking back and forth. “Everyone always leaves me.”
“Oh, Misha…”
“Hadima and Mom and you and Dad! You’ve all left me!”
She didn’t look like a fourteen-year-old brave enough to face dakii for her clan. She looked like a sad little girl who didn’t want to be hurt anymore.
Iryana swallowed, suddenly fearing she didn’t have the words to give Misha the strength she needed. That she was doomed to watch her sister fall. The wind threatened them, tearing across the rough cliff they clung to. The ground loomed dizzyingly below.
“We’re gonna make it, Misha,” she promised.
It didn’t seem like her sister had even heard her. Misha looked down, eyes blowing wider. Her whole body shook.
“Is something wrong with me?” Misha whimpered.
