Night's Awakening Read Online Free Page A

hearing Sloan’s scream in her head. She’d fallen, and she’d been harnessed.
    Rhys nodded and motioned Banan back up. “Of course.”
    Guy gently set her down, and all three began taking rope, carabineers, and bolts from her belt. She didn’t hinder them, but watched as they expertly hammered in a bolt, tied a quick knot, and tossed the rope over the side.
    That’s when she realized she was going to have to go down that rope. Elena took a hobbled step back. She couldn’t do it. The knot might come undone or the bolt might not be hammered in securely enough.
    Guy put his hand to her lower back and moved in front of her to block her view of Banan going over the side. “We willna let you fall, Elena. I give you my word.”
    How she wanted to believe him. Desperately so. But she had seen—and heard—Sloan fall.
    Elena shook her head. “There has to be another way.”
    “Banan is already over. Safely on the ground. Look if you want.”
    She had never been afraid of heights before, but she was quickly developing the condition. “It’s okay. I’m good.”
    Guy turned away, but she saw his hint of a smile before he did.
    It was Rhys who said, “You willna believe us until you look yourself.”
    She wasn’t sure if her fingers were cold inside her gloves because of the cool air or because she was scared shitless. One look at the men and she knew they would hound her until she saw Banan.
    Elena gingerly put the tip of her left boot on the ground and put all her weight on the right side before she jumped. She hadn’t even landed before Guy had a hold of her to help her to the edge.
    Her cold fingers gripped his arms as she peeked over the side and her light allowed her to see a brief look of Banan’s face as he tilted it up to them.
    “See?” Guy said when she leaned back.
    “Uh-huh. Sure. It’s all good.”
    Rhys chuckled. “I hope that’s convincing you, lass, because it’s doing nothing for us.”
    Elena might have laughed had her life not been on the line. As it was, all she could do was swallow past the lump in her throat.
    “See you down there,” Rhys said with a grin before he, too, went over the side, one hand barely holding the rope.
    The image of him sliding down the rope made her think of Sloan, and she turned away. “Tell me he’s all right. Tell me he landed.”
    “Look for yourself,” Guy urged.
    “I don’t think I can. I don’t want to be scared, but…”
    “It’s understandable. All you need to do is trust us.”
    She looked up at him and said, “But I don’t know you.”
    He didn’t answer right away, just tugged a strand of her hair behind her ear.
    “There are two ways we can do this. I can tie your harness to the rope and slowly lower you down. Both Banan and Rhys are below in case anything happens.”
    “Or?” she asked, praying the second option was better.
    “Or…you climb on my back, and I take both of us down.”
    Elena closed her eyes. “I knew I should have stayed in bed this morning.”
    Guy knew Elena was close to losing it. She had done remarkably well, having never gone caving before, being injured, and seeing her friend fall to her death. All in all, he was impressed.
    But if he allowed her to continue as she was, they’d likely never get out of the mountain.
    He put his fingers beneath her chin and lifted her head so she had to look at him. Her sage green eyes slowly opened to look at him. “I’m going to strap you to me, and then I’m going to lower us down.”
    “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
    “You keep clenching your hands. They’re cold, are they no’? Do you think you can hold on to the rope yourself? And what of your injured leg? You’ll need both to help you descend.”
    “Shit,” she mumbled, which caused him to grin again.
    He set about getting her harnessed and then wrapping the rope around himself and her before he reached to fasten her to him.
    “If you drop me, if I die, I’m warning you now that I’m going to make