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Jo grumbled under her breath, but it was inaudible. It was clear the pair would never be the best of friends. I could say the same. The longer I was around the water caster, the more I disliked her and her companion.
“Ainsley, are you all right up there?” Jackson called out from the rear of the line.
“Yes,” was her short reply. Clearly, she was not, as she had a death grip on my hand, nearly cutting off circulation.
“Do not speak loudly,” Evelyn chided. “The stalagmites overhead are unstable. Soundwaves could easily dislodge them.”
Just as I’d suspected: death by impalement.
Rek grunted, however, I knew him well enough to say with absolute certainty he was not happy.
Neither was I.
Ainsley’s boot slipped on crumbling rocks, and she stumbled, crying out and losing her torch to the never-ending pit.
Quickly, I snatched her up by her forearm and pulled her to me. She was trembling. This trip was not worth a damn key. “Are you all right?”
She shook her head and mouthed “thank you,” as she continued on.
“And that is why I told you not to shout,” Evelyn added.
“Somebody muzzle that woman,” Jo whispered, but her voice echoed off the cave walls.
I craned my neck to smile in her direction, and she shrugged, clearly uncaring if Evelyn heard her.
Rek and Jackson struggled to hold their laughter, but it was evident as it, too, reverberated around us.
“How much farther must we go before we all fall to our deaths?” I questioned honestly. I was beyond frustrated and wanted the hell out of that blasted cave.
“We have a few feet left on the ledge and then a tunnel to traverse before we enter the cavern,” Evelyn answered tersely.
“This cavern. Will we be encountering more of your magical beasts or traps?” I inquired, and Ainsley elbowed me. “Hey,” I murmured. “I’d rather not fall to my death. Leave the jabs until after we’re out of this death trap.”
She quirked a grin. “Then be nice.”
“Pfft.” Jo snorted.
I adored that woman’s personality. She fit right in with me and my crew.
Evelyn sighed. “We are nearly there. The tunnel is not long, nor are there any traps that I recall.”
“Good to know,” Jackson muttered.
Even he was growing on me.
Finally, after hopping across a body of water, from the damnable ledge mind you, we reached the tunnel. Everyone from my crew breathed an audible sigh of relief.
“You may want to drink a bit of water before we hit the tunnel,” Evelyn advised.
Bruno was the first to pull a flask from his satchel, and everyone followed suit.
“Drink up,” I said. “We should stay hydrated.”
“Let’s hope it’s not poisoned,” Jo mumbled.
Water flew from my mouth, just as Evelyn glared at the wind caster.
“What? How do I know you haven’t poisoned us, or at the very least, me?” Jo shrugged. “No matter. I’ve built a tolerance over the years.”
