EVERGLOW

XXI. What broke her

Almost three months after the wedding

The sound of water flowing twenty meters down the side of a wide, craggy cliff should have been soothing. Yet it did nothing for Yue's pounding heart as she stood on the edge of the platform.

She cut quite a figure, dressed in white robes and alone, the breathtaking Nuorilang Waterfalls filling the frame on both sides in all its restored magnificence. The famous destination had been one of the province's lifeblood, drawing hordes of tourists all year round. Until that earthquake five years ago reduced it to nothing more than a pile of rocks covered in mud and barely evident trickles of water. It took years of intensive restoration, but the sight before her showed no sign of the tragedy.

Below her, the white airbag waited, standing out sorely against the green foliage. It looked insignificant, a paltry illusion of safety against the hard ground. It was supposed to catch her after her jump was slowed by the harness strapped around her chest and hips.

She was petrified.

Heights scared her. Everyone knew that.

But falling, with nothing but thin air to grab on to before crashing to a hard surface and breaking every single bone,made her question her own sanity when she decided to do more than half the stunts required for her new wuxia series.

Production had saved the more complicated stunts for the last week, making the most out of pricey equipment rental and additional crew. While she had spent the last week regretting the massive lapse in judgment she had made.

Nobody had forced her. She had negotiated for the same terms with previous projects. She had always wanted to work for something that would be credited to her.

She'd jumped from a plane and floated back down in a parachute, parasailed, done a photoshoot suspended among the beams of an unfinished warehouse, a free-fall scene, and even some jumps involving harnesses and a weapon.

But she was ill-prepared for the role of this particular heroine.

This one had to have almost half of her screen time suspended mid-air, doing flips and jumps, wielding either a sword, spears or a bow.

Dylan had been thrilled when she got the role. As she had been. Until that week.

She rubbed a hand on her throbbing hip. It had flared up almost as soon as the week started. But she kept her mouth shut. They would rib her again about not taking her physical training seriously before. Exercise was just never her thing.

Just one more scene to perfect, then she could go home and nurse her aches in her own sauna.

She shook her tense shoulders loose as the call to begin echoed from below. She took a deep breath, preparing to launch herself into the most difficult stunt.

They'd saved it for last at her request. She was hoping the previous stunts would numb her for this but she was wrong.

Closing her eyes, she tried to shut down the fear and become the character she had identified with for the last couple of months.

Her body knew what it needed to do. Jump spread-eagled, tuck into a roll, flinch and fall limp, and let the harness drop her safely to the waiting airbag. She'd already done it twice for the close-up and full shots. They needed another one for the wides.

One more jump for one last scene. The sooner she nailed it, the sooner she could pack up and leave. And go home.

Suddenly, his face flashed behind her closed lids. Looking down at her, a lock of hair falling over his brow, smiling so wide his teeth showed. The smile reserved for her alone.