Spectator

Chapter Thirty-One: Now

She'd never climbed so fast in her life. Kali had never heard Kadent scream like that, and whatever danger she was in, until she could spy Zakariah and Jae, they could be in it too. Not that she particularly cared that much about Zakariah's wellbeing, but Jae was... Jae was a different story. She might not know how she felt about his kisses and his irresistible charm, but the thought of his loss was too great to imagine. So, climb! She grit her teeth as she raised one sore limb after the other. Jae had been all about steady and careful while maintaining his natural speed; this was all desperation. She pulled at a root too hastily and it ripped free; she just barely managed to keep her footing by clutching at a protruding rock.

Fuck! She had to be more careful. Except she didn't have time to be careful. Kadent screamed again. It didn't sound terrified; she sounded hurt, in pain. Kali threw herself higher recklessly, her feet leaving secure footholds for nothing but gravel and air, but she was rewarded by a sturdy branch she'd seen Jae clamber up. He hadn't tried contacting her, and she didn't have the hands to do so herself. Kali guessed he had his hands full.

She looked up. Almost there, almost there. Her arms screamed as she pulled herself up another cluster of vines, and she had to stab her knife into the dirt when a root cracked beneath her feet, but after a moment, when her grip was secure again, she was able to keep going. Just a little—further—there. She was just at the cusp, but the ground above her protruded more than she expected, and her arms weren't as long as Jae's or Zakariah's. She did see a divot in the dirt but it was several meters to her left.

"Jae?" She called out, a little too urgently. There was no reply; she shuffled her way in the correct direction, and then suddenly there was a hand launching over the side of the cliff, close enough to tickle her nose. Jae's face came with it. He wasn't smiling.

"I've got you," he said, and she grabbed onto his arm gratefully. The pure amount of sweat that had been exuding from her body made a hard grip difficult, but Jae was strong and Kali was determined, and with a strong jump upwards, her inertia and his hold pulled her up the side. She gasped for breath as her knees fell onto solid grass and dirt. Jae embraced her briefly, either from the angle or because he wanted to, and then he was up on his feet, eyes scanning the trees intently. Kali couldn't loiter either and pushed herself to her knees.

"What's happened?" She asked.

"Don't know yet. We heard her but couldn't find her. I stayed here in case she swung back this way."

To wait for me, Kali added silently. He'd seen the lip and wouldn't abandon her. But there was no time to tease him about heroics. She took his hand when he offered it, and together they ran off into the trees. She was just about to hope that Kadent cried out again when she did, close and to their right. She and Jae changed directions without a word, ducking underneath vines and jumping over upraised roots.

Then, just as abruptly as the forest had obscured their view, it was replaced by a clearing, not unlike the one at the top of the cliff. And then finally, Kadent, lying on her back on crimson grasses, made so from the blood pouring from her body in a multitude of lacerations. She was struggling to get up, her hand around the knife stuck into her gut, but each time she did, the man above her would stab her again with his spear.

"Jae," Kali cried out in a tortured whisper. She took a step forward—to do what, exactly, she wasn't sure—and his arms were around her, part comfort, part restraint. "Can we help her? We have to help her."

He didn't answer, and Kali saw why: into the clearing appeared Augus, his expression a mixture of sorrow and rage. He too was covered in blood, streaks along his arms and face, but he had a bone spear in hand. He took one look at the man torturing Kadent and hefted it. It sailed true, right in the bare man's back who fell with a surprised gurgle. He was dead instantly, and Augus sprinted over to Kadent's body. She was still alive, gasping for breath, and Kali tried to move too, but to her surprise, Jae was still holding tight.