The Other Duet by Jessica Lynch

Author:Jessica Lynch [Lynch, Jessica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-09-17T16:00:00+00:00

5

The blood drains from my face.

Holy shit.

Up close, Hunter’s mountain is huge and scary as hell. Craggy and capped with snow, it’s even bigger than the tallest skyscrapers I’ve seen in New York City. It’s part of a range, shadows of further mountains looming in the distance, spreading out as far as I can see.

This one, though? This massive mountain is strong and untamable. The line of trees extending from the woods leads up from the bottom, thinning out as the mountain extends high into the sky.

The absolute peak disappears into the thick, light grey clouds overhead.

I gulp. I’ve got my eye on those clouds, too, ‘cause the last thing I need is a thunderstorm when I’m about to climb a mountain in a dress and sandals.

I wish the threat of a storm and a lack of climbing gear is all I had to freak out over. All the time I spent wishing I was here and it never once dawned on me that I’d have a problem with climbing Hunter’s mountain because heights have never bothered me before. Coming face to face with this monster? Vertigo has my head spinning. I might just hurl again.

Oh man. I’m doomed.

“So… this is it?” Please say no, please say no.

“Yup.”

“This is where you lived? In a cave on this mountain?”

Hunter nods. “It’s safer than the woods, if that makes you feel any better.”

Should it? It doesn’t.

I swallow roughly. My mouth is suddenly super dry.

I know that Hunter wants to visit the cave he once lived in because he’s seen portals there on at least two separate occasions. This morning, that seemed as good a place to start as any.

Now, though?

I swallow again, trying to work up some moisture. It’s like the Sahara desert in there. “This cave of yours… was it close to the ground? Like, maybe only a few feet up and not all the way at the top or anything? Because that sounds like a good spot for a cave to me.”

“You afraid of heights, darlin’?”

Sure, my eyes are totally glued to this behemoth of a mountain in front of me. I still see it when Hunter’s lips twitch. Wonderful. He’s hiding a smile. I know I sound like a moron. How nice that he agrees.

“Afraid of heights? No. Terrified that I’ll trip and accidentally fling myself off this mountain? Oh yeah.”

“You’re not gonna fall.” Hunter grabs my hand. He’s too fast. I don’t even know he’s moved until his fingers are wrapped securely around mine. His palm is rough, calloused, and warm. “I won’t let you.”

I wrench my hand out of his grip. If I let him touch me, I’m afraid I might beg for more. “Hunter, please. Don’t… just don’t.”

He lets go, though it’s obvious he doesn’t want to. I don’t get it. For days, I thought he was tolerating me because he’s a good guy. Now?

Fucking Artemis.

I shake my head. “Forget it. Let’s just go. Up, right? Okay.”

Deep breath in, shaky exhale out. I can do this. If I can slay a scorpion with a stick and threaten a god with a bow, I can conquer this mountain.

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