“I’m open to suggestions.”
She shook her head with a sigh. “I guess we’re climbing. Ready?”
“Not even remotely.”
The path down wasn’t straightforward or easy. We both spent most of our time on all fours, climbing over large boulders and jumping down to ledges below us. Our palms were raw before long. And the rain made the rocks slippery and cold.
I think I had about ten heart attacks in the first hour alone.
Laila leaned back against the boulder she’d just climbed down from and closed her eyes. Sweat coated her forehead and made her tank top cling to her skin. It would have been distracting if I wasn’t using all my energy trying to keep her from falling to her death below.
“I need a minute,” she panted.
I nodded, though it drove me nuts to stay still.
We continued on, making it a grand total of five steps before her foot slipped. I caught her arm before she could slide over the side, yanking her to me. I wrapped my arms around her and caged her against my body, holding on like she might disappear if I didn’t physically keep her here. Burying my nose against her neck, I inhaled her scent, which reminded me of sunlight. Somehow she managed to still smell like her instead of ash or smoke.
She didn’t say a word as she hugged me back, her heart hammering rapidly in time with mine.
“Let’s not do that again,” I murmured into her hair.
“Agreed.”
Hours later we reached what appeared to be the end of the trail. It was a ledge a good fifty or so feet above the ground with a drop so sharp and smooth it would be impossible to climb down. It looked like we’d be jumping.
Laila slipped her hand into mine. “Together?”
Using the hand she held, I pulled her into my chest and wrapped my arms around her. If anything went wrong, I wouldn’t hesitate to spread my wings.
“What are you doing?” she asked even as her arms looped around me.
“Jumping,” I said, stepping off the ledge.
The fall seemed to last forever before we slammed into the ground. Unlike humans, our bodies were designed to be able to drop far and fast without breaking apart on the landing, but jolts of pain still shot up my legs on impact. I stumbled a couple of steps, trying to stay on my feet and keep Laila steady at the same time.
I failed, and we both ended up in a heap. Stones dug into my shoulders. At least I’d managed to land so I hit the ground first with Laila on top of me.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Laila sat up, breaking my hold on her. “I’m fine.” She took my hands and pulled me up. “We’re alive.”
“Yeah.” I grinned. “We are.” I looked up the mountain we were now sitting at the base of, toward the rivers of flame that guarded the gates to the Devil’s court. A whole new kind of hell was waiting.
EIGHTEEN
Laila
The mountain was harderto climb than anything I’d yet to face. Loose rocks slipped under my boots, constantly shifting the ground under my feet. Between the effort required to climb and the heat that radiated off the rocks, I was covered in sweat. It was literally dripping off the ends of my hair.
My foot slipped, and I reached out to catch myself before I face-planted into the side of the mountain. Hot stones dug into my palms, and I hissed in pain.
Hands were pulling me up within seconds. Joriel grasped my wrists, examining my hands.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low and serious. It amazed me how he could endure years of torment and be covered in the scars to prove it and then act so concerned when anything happened to me. And what was more, he truly didn’t seem to see what kind of person that made him. He only focused on his worst memories, the things he regretted.
“I’m fine,” I assured him.
He reached for the back of his shirt and started to pull it over his head.
