153 What Can Be Done

ELIA

Clawing at the ladder, she remembered what he'd told her to do if she ever thought she'd fall, and she threw her elbow across the rung, locking and bracing it with her other hand and arm, so that even if she lost her feet completely, she would still have a grip on the ladder. But it changed the angle of the ladder again, and her other foot slipped to the corner of the rung, and caught there, awkwardly, her weight heavily on her bent ankle.

With Reth's scream still echoing in the chamber, Elia's heart pounded so loudly she couldn't hear anything but their twin terror.  She froze, the ladder swaying slowly back and forth from the jerking, and Reth panting so loudly she could hear him even over the waterfall below.

A moment later he blew out a breath. "Do you have your grip?" He sounded terrified.

"Yes." Her voice was too high, quavering a little, but she wasn't near tears. Just… tired, and afraid.