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I put a hand on his shoulder. “I wouldn’t have brought you here if I didn’t know you could do it.”
His eyes locked on mine for several seconds before he finally nodded.
I handed him the rope again. This time he took it.
“Now climb,” I said, holding my own rope. “Just move your hands and feet up one knot at a time, got it?”
He reached up, his hands shaking, but his feet left the ground and he moved upward slowly, but steadily.
I started up my own rope, staying at his level.
We had climbed about ten feet when the angry voices grew louder. Torchlight flashed, exposing the tree’s silhouette on the wall. We were still hidden within its shadow but wouldn’t be for much longer.
Please, no,I silently begged. Don’t let them get to us.
“Any chance you could speed up?” I asked Graham.
“I’m doing my best!” he said through gritted teeth.
“Try to keep up with me.” I started to climb faster, hoping it would motivate him so we’d actually make it out before the Enforcers caught us. We climbed higher, my confidence rising with each stone I passed.
But Graham’s sudden yelp dashed my hopes.
My head spun. I looked down in time to see him hit the ground.
I let go of my rope and dropped to his side on the grass where he lay on his back. I leaned over him. “Are you hurt?”
He groaned. “I don’t think so.” He sat up, glancing around the tree trunk at the torches moving across the grounds.
I pulled him to his feet. “Try again.”
“You can’t be serious,” he said, but he still grabbed the rope.
“Don’t let go this time.” I started to climb again. “You don’t have to keep up with me. Just go at your own pace, okay?”
The firelight grew brighter and the voices rose into a clamor. The Enforcers were close.
I kept by Graham’s side until we were level with the top of the tree. Then I held onto my rope with one hand and pulled out a knife with the other. I sliced through the rope just beneath the knot I stood on. Then I swung toward Graham’s rope, my knife in hand.
“Are you trying to kill me?” he asked with terror in his voice.
“We can’t let them follow.” I grabbed his rope and cut it in the same place, watching the severed piece fall to the ground with finality.
Graham looked down, shaking his head before starting to climb again.
We rose above the shadow of the tree, losing our cover.
The noise below escalated. “They’re climbing the wall!” someone shouted.
I glanced back to see the fires traveling across the vast lawn, the lights converging as they came straight toward us. We were too high to reach, but their pistols didn’t have the same limits.
“Just keep going,” I said to Graham.
I looked over my shoulder and realized I was above the rooftops of the mansions. We were halfway there.
“Pistols out!” came an order from the grounds.
“Bryn!” Graham’s voice was breathless.
