Page 124 of Thief of Hearts

What was he thinking?

He immediately turned and started to climb the rocks. “Hurry! Get up here as fast as you can!”

I followed him and it was difficult to figure out where to put my hands and feet. I had the strength to do this but not necessarily the dexterity.

He made it to the top and held out his hand to me. Instead of trying to climb up the last few feet, I made sure I had a good footing and then jumped up to take hold of his hand. He helped to haul me up and I landed on the top of the rocks next to him.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

Right then a drop of water hit my face. And another.

It was raining.

But why had that concerned him so much?

He answered my question without me asking. “The desert is not built for rain. The goddess of discord keeps this place dead and the ground will not accept the water. It doesn’t seep down but runs along the surface and becomes flash floods that sweep away and kill everything in their path.” He glanced around. “I’m not even sure we’re high enough.”

We were at least twelve feet off the ground.

The rain began to fall faster and faster. It wasn’t long before I was completely drenched, my teeth chattering. Too cold.

“Put on everything you can!” Zain yelled over the rain. It was difficult to move but we both put on our extra clothing and armor. I secured my weapons to make sure they stayed on and he did the same.

He pulled out the rope of Phrygia and tied one end around a thinner outcropping that was attached to the rock we were on.

“Come here!” he shouted.

I got as close to him as I could and it was like being next to a burning branch. Despite being soaked, he still exuded warmth and I nestled against his neck as he tied the rope around us, lashing us together and then to the rock.

We sat down and I could feel Dagger breathing against my chest. I was glad he was covered.

Zain’s mouth was next to my ear. “Stay close! The best thing we can do right now is combine our body heat.”

“I don’t think I have any to contribute,” I said through chattering teeth.

The longer we sat there, the worse the rain got. Faster and faster, hitting harder and harder. It began to feel like I was being pelted with tiny darts. Even wearing so many clothes and my armor, even with my head being protected by his, those darts were everywhere, stinging my skin.

It felt as if I would never know what it was like to be dry ever again.

There was a bright flash and I was startled when a loud crash of thunder shook everything around us.

And we were attached to the highest point around us. Did we now have to worry about being struck by lightning?

I was about to ask Zain if we should move to a different spot when I heard a roaring sound. Like an army of lions.

“What is that?” I called out.

“Flash flood!”

He’d used that term earlier and I was about to ask him what it meant when the answer appeared in front of me.

Lightning repeatedly split the sky above us, lighting up the earth so that we could see what was happening.

And it was terrifying.

The rocks we had chosen to sleep in were arranged with a chain of rocks that led off far into the distance. I could see a wall of water rushing down the center, like a river gone mad.

It headed straight for us, carrying dirt and brush and other unidentified objects.