Chapter 270
Cold icy wind rushed around me as Greg pulled me through the forest. Behind me I heard giant splintering noises of wood breaking as Aidan smashed the trees snarling and snapping at our heels. Greg held on to my arm tightly, "There is a rock face coming up, Aidan won't be able to climb it." He said cheerfully yanking me out the way of a sharp missile of wood that had exploded behind us.
In the gloom I saw a large craggy rock face several hundred feet high. At the top was a grassy plateau, Greg turned to me, "If we get up there, we are out of Aidan territory and off the menu."
"I'm not very good at climbing." I whimpered.
"Do you want to become dog meat?" Greg asked.
I shook my head. Greg grabbed my waist and lifted me up on to a small boulder and said, "Climb!"
The rock was loose and crumbly under my fingertips and in the pitch black I found it difficult to find my footing. When I had traveled up about three feet I noticed Greg was already half way up. He looked down at me and yelled, "Go faster."
I rushed, pulling myself up, below me Aidan was taking giant leaps, hurling himself against the rock. I was just out of reach but occasionally my foot would slip and dangle within his grasp. My palms became clammy and I felt faint. I kept hauling myself up. Greg was stood at the top of the cliff cheering me on. I pulled myself up a little further and looked down. I was well out of Aidan's reach but I was nowhere near the top. The height made me nauseous. My legs were slowly turning into jelly. When I passed halfway I was exhausted. Below me I could hear Aidan's men hollering to each other, "She's going to fall!", "She' wobbling!". Every time my leg or hand slipped on a rock they began to jeer. Greg peer over the top of the plateau down at me, "Skyler you're not looking so hot." He said concerned.
Dizzy, I looked back down again and felt a wave of nausea hit me. Greg scrambled over the edge, "Don't move, I'm coming to help you!" He ordered.
His voice seemed to was over my as my sense came light and fuzzy. The wolves below were shouting excitedly, "Timber!"
Greg was yelling at me to hold but disaster struck. The ledge I was holding cracked. Greg shouted, "Grab on to another ledge!"
I lifted my hand up and felt the ledge I was gripping on to fall away. I lost my balance and fell back, air came whooshing round my ears and I closed my eyes bracing myself for the impact below. Suddenly the air changed current as if I was traveling up, puzzled I opened my eyes to take a peek and I found myself in Rayne's arms. My legs and arms were numb and my vision was very fuzzy, I could just make out his face. Confused I looked up at him, "Am I in Hell?" I asked.
He looked furious, he must be angry that I managed to get myself killed. Flatly he told me, "You are not dead."
Focusing harder I saw a pair of black wings coming out of Rayne's back pounding the air. Stunned I watched mesmerized, "Rayne you have wings." I said.
"I noticed." He replied irritable.
Rayne landed on the grassy plateau and gently put me down next to an emotional Greg. Greg threw his arms out wide and came staggering towards me. Rayne crushed me to his side and said in a low tone, "No one is allowed to touch her except me."
Greg froze to the spot his arms dropping to his side and nodded. Angrily Rayne grabbed my shoulders and shook me, "What were you thinking! Being so reckless! Are you trying to get yourself killed!" He shouted.
Wincing away I shrugged, "It was an accident."
Rayne let out a cold humorless laugh, "You were accidentally climbing up the rock."
"It wasn't like that! Those wolves were chasing me. They were going to rip me and Greg to pieces, we had no option!"
Rayne's dark gazed wandered to the circling wolves below.
"Stay here." He said quietly walking to the over hang.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
Rayne did not reply.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. "You're not going to kill them?" I whispered dryly.