I checked her harness and the lead clipped into the vine. “Here. I’ll climb around to the other side. Let you have a little privacy. You can get cleaned up, and we’ll leave in an hour. Deal?”
“Don’t trip,” she muttered. Then her features softened slightly as she cleared her throat. “I just mean, we still have a long way to go. And I wouldn’t want to use up all my energy trying to save you.”
“Definitely. Save your strength.” I tugged her line gently. “Don’t get too close to the edge. Shout if you fall.”
“Same.”
I shook my head, another laugh under my breath, and waited until she stepped back from the ledge. Then I reached for the nearest branch and climbed over it. An hour later, I’d changed clothes, eaten some more hardtack, and steeled myself for the second part of our climb.
Marin waited for me, leaning against the vine. Wind caught wisps of her hair, brushing them across her temple. She wore a fresh tunic, and it hugged her curves, the pale blue trim a perfect match for her eyes. My gaze lingered, even when she straightened, and this time it was the tips of her ears that turned pink. Easy to miss unless you knew her flustered tell.
“What are you looking at?” She smoothed the sides of her tunic as if she'd put it on inside out.
My boots crunched over the vine, flattening leaves until I stood in front of her. I gripped the rope attached to her harness and gently tugged her closer. My hand settled on her waist as I leaned in, the other tilting her chin to the east.
“The sunrise,” I murmured, letting my gaze trace the curve of her face. “It’s the most beautiful I’ve ever seen it.”
“Oh...” She blinked, her throat working as she swallowed. “Of course. I don’t know why I thought…” Her ears were on fire, voice twisting with a strange note as she tried to recover. “The sunrise is very nice. Orange.”
Marin cringed, a curse slipping between her teeth.
“Yes, it’s very orange.” I coughed behind my fist to hide my amusement. “We’d better go before I’m knocked off this vine by your poetic observation.”
Marin growled.
Gods, she was perfect.
I adjusted my pack and turned toward the next stretch of vine.Time to move.Marin led the way, a little slower than yesterday, but we were both still drained from the first leg. Fortunately, the rest of our climb went smoothly, and we reached the top just as the very orange sun was setting.
Marin sank onto a large rock to catch her breath. She sipped deeply from her flask while I checked the map. Real food and shelter were the top priorities. Then we could plan the journey to the castle.
Even at half power, Annie’s map was surprisingly detailed, going so far as to show our starting point at the top of the vine. The closest town lay west, stretched along the ridgeline, a mile or two away. But to the east, the land gave way to a wild forest of towering trees and tropical vegetation.
Mist clung to the air, thick and humid despite the altitude. The sun had dipped below the cloud line, turning the wispy expanse into a field of gold that radiated heat. Above us, the sky deepened into a rich blue, streaked with iridescent color as the first stars emerged.
“How does a real bed sound?” I asked as I tucked the map into my pack.
Marin capped her flask and struggled to her feet. “Like I may never leave it. In fact, you might even get the tiniest smidge of the hero worship you were going on about.”
“Tempting as always.” I swung her pack over my other shoulder and gestured to the rocky path that led west. “Toobad you spent all my money. I hope you brought room fare.”
She made a tsking sound with her tongue. “And he falls from his pedestal. I hope your mattress is lumpy.”
“So I guess that’s a no to sharing, and the smidge of hero worship.”
Marin groaned, her steps slow and shaking. “Honestly, I’m so tired I’d share my bed with a dragon if he offered me a pillow. So fine. Might as well be you.”
“That sounds like hero worship to me.”
“No. That’s bed worship. You’re just basking in its aura.”
I chuckled softly. “At least I know I rank alongside a dragon. I’ll take what I can get.”
She looked back at me, an odd gleam in her eyes as if she was trying to figure me out. But she didn’t say anything. Then she shook her head, her brow furrowed with whatever she’d uncovered, and kept walking.
The sky darkened as night settled across the cliffs. Buildings clung to the mountain face, their lanterns glinting like gold coins scattered across the rock.
We climbed a set of narrow steps chiseled straight into the cliff. On one side, a thick rope threaded through iron hooks hammered into the ridge. On the other, there was nothing but open air. The last few steps led onto a massive bluff, where huts jutted out over the abyss, their foundations secured deep into the ledges. Thatched roofs were dotted with glass tiles, allowing glimpses of the stars.
