The slope was even steeper than she\u2019d realized when she started her ascent and the old wooden slats driven into the slope to provide better traction were slick with mud and wet. Her boots slipped against them, more than once almost toppling backwards and taking out Gray and the two members of the Wild Hunt that were coming up the slope behind him. The member of the Hunt in front of her kept glancing back, looking surprised at the difficulties she seemed to be experiencing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are<\/em> waiting,\u201d he said quietly.<\/p>\n Aoife almost cursed out loud as her boot slipped again. Calm down, damn you,<\/em> she thought. You\u2019re on edge and snapping at them isn\u2019t going to do anyone any good. Just take a deep breath and take this one step at a time.<\/em><\/p>\n Hopefully it\u2019s not like this the entire way to where he is.<\/em><\/p>\n She sucked in a deep breath, put her head down, and trudged on.<\/p>\n After what felt like forever, they finally reached the top of the slope. Aoife\u2019s calves burned and her thighs ached from the climb, and looking back down toward the river, she realized why.<\/p>\n That was a dangerous climb. Nasty angle.<\/em><\/p>\n Gray caught her hand in his and squeezed her fingers. She shivered and shot him a weak smile.<\/p>\n \u201cYou okay?\u201d he murmured.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you?\u201d she countered. He smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll see in a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis way,\u201d one of their escorts said curtly, starting down a narrow trail discernable from the rest of the woods that surrounded them only by the bootprints in the muddy snow\u2014probably from when the men escorting them had come down to the river in the first place.<\/p>\n Gray squeezed her hand again. \u201cI\u2019ll go first,\u201d he murmured, then let go, setting off after the lead escort. Aoife hurried to follow him, fingers wrapping tightly around the straps of her backpack. This part of the trail was much easier to traverse, but she could see another slope rising above them as they worked their way deeper into a system of ravines.<\/p>\n \u201cIs it far?\u201d she asked their escorts. One of them chuckled softly.<\/p>\n \u201cNot too far but not too close, either.\u201d<\/p>\n Aoife wasn\u2019t sure what to make of that as they crossed a small creek. She couldn\u2019t see the river anymore.<\/p>\n Where are they taking us?<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To your brother. That\u2019s where.<\/em> Her jaw tightened. At least they\u2019d better be or there\u2019ll be hell to pay.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The slope was even steeper than she\u2019d realized when she started her ascent and the old wooden slats driven into the slope to provide better traction were slick with mud and wet. Her boots slipped against them, more than once … Continue reading