Page 74 of The Chosen Fae

They were elated and took off to find the cliffs where the last three competitors were competing for the flag.

Rune belatedly wondered where Silas and Xena were. Surely they had told them that the game was over.

When they finally reached the cliff face, they saw how high it was and where the guys were: Elon was to the left of Stone and down below him, and Vesper was to the right of Stone. They were neck and neck.

Vesper kept eyeing Stone as if he were planning something evil.

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Stone didn't trust Vesper to play fair. When it came to challenges, Vesper wanted to win no matter what. Vesper tried to get ahead of Stone, but he really couldn't. They were matched in strength, and their cliff faces were similar now, so Vesper couldn't make any faster headway.

But then Vesper swung to the side to try to reach Stone, who moved away from him. He would have gone up if he could have to avoid Vesper. Vesper struck his sword at Stone's rope. Heart pounding, Stone hadn't expected that.

Stone heard Rune and the others gasp down below. At the same time, Elon swung toward Stone and grabbed him as Vesper struck Stone's rope again, cutting it all the way through and sending it to the ground.

Suddenly, a golden rope shot up the cliff face past Stone as he clung to Elon while Vesper figured he was going to win the challenge and continued to climb the cliff toward the top.

He would too. There was no way that Stone and Elon could climb up the cliff together when Elon was the only one tethered to a rope.

"Vesper could have killed you," Elon said to Stone, furious, his breathing as heavy as Stone's.

"I know. He will do anything to win," Stone said, the wind whipping around them. He wasn't sure where to go from there without a rope. He clung to his pickaxe, embedded in the rock, while Elon continued to hold onto him.

Suddenly, the golden rope that had snaked up the cliff face tied around Stone's belt, surprising him to pieces. The other end of the rope shot up toward the top of the cliff face as he and Elon, both astounded, watched it. It tied around the piton on top of the cliff in a clove hitch knot. Stone and Elon feared releasing each other in case the thin gold rope didn't hold, yet it had magical properties.

Then, before he or Elon was ready, the golden rope pulled Stone and Elon up the cliff, since Elon was still holding onto him—and he was still connected to his own rope. They were drawn up the rock face twice as fast as Vesper could climb, soon passing him.

Stone couldn't believe their luck. He just hoped the rope would get them to the top safely.

And it did. As soon as it pulled them over the top of the cliff, he and Elon hurriedly removed their ropes at the top, and the gold rope came after Stone and wrapped around his belt again. He laughed. They saw the flag, and they sprinted for it. But Elon let Stone actually grab it.

Instead of having to rappel down the mountain because Vesper had cut Stone's rope, a couple of dragons came to their rescue and took them down to the ground. Vesper had to rappel down the mountain without the flag. It must have killed him.

"He used magic to make it up the cliff!" Vesper complained when he reached the base.

Stone couldn't believe he would complain about that after trying to kill him.

Tears in her eyes, Rune hugged Stone, and the golden rope moved from Stone's belt and coiled up around Rune's.

"I take it that's a gift from Brett, Ena's mate?" Stone asked, his brows raised.

"Yeah. It sure came in handy for us, and saved your life."

The Game Master announced, “For this final challenge, Stone is the winner. Since Elon helped save Stone on the cliffs, you share in the win. For trying to kill Stone, you will be sent home at once, Vesper."

Elon smiled, looking pleased that he was included in the win.

Stone hugged Rune back and kissed her. He was glad Vesper was being sent home in disgrace. "I'm glad you had a wizard sponsor, and he gave the rope to you."

"For sure."

Then they saw Silas and Xena coming to join them. She was furious. “How long has everyone been here?” she screamed.

No one answered her. Silas smiled.

Rune tried to give Silas the rope. "Thanks for your help."

"You'll regret this," Xena told Silas.