Sweat poured down Lara’s back by the time they reached the small island, the mist and cloud cover hiding them from Maridrinian patrols above and on the water. On the day that Aren had raced the snakes, it had been sunny. But today the hundreds of snakes that teemed beneath the ledges and among the rocks were hidden by the fog.
Which made what she was about to do all the worse.
“This isn’t a bravery trial.” Aren slung his bow over his shoulder and handed Jor a sack of still-moving fish before retrieving his own. “We’ll keep baiting them off the path, and then we’ll cover you as well as we can with arrows. But with this visibility . . .”
“It’s fine,” Lara said with a confidence she didn’t feel. “Either I make it to the pier ahead of them or I don’t. A handful of arrows aren’t likely to make a difference.”
Aster moved next to her, draping a thin length of rope over her shoulders, then securing it to her belt. It was heavier than she’d hoped. Heavy enough to slow her down.
“You don’t have to do this. I—” Aren started to say, but Lara only hopped out of the boat and onto the submerged sandbar, making her way toward the island until she was only knee-deep. Interlocking her hands, she stretched her arms in front, her back cracking. “I’m ready.”
She wasn’t ready. Not even close. Over the sound of the surf, she could hear the snakes moving, their coils rasping against each other as they watched the intruders, the hisses of hundreds of tongues blending together into one monstrous voice.
The crews from both boats were in the water, and several of them took the sacks of fish and started splashing noisily in opposite directions, baiting the snakes away from the path. The rest lifted their bows, Aren included.
You can do this.
There was movement on the beach, sinuous figures disturbing the fog as they moved onto the sand.
“The path is relatively smooth,” Aren said. “Trust your feet, and watch for the snakes.”
As if she didn’t know that.
“They can jump. You need to get at least a dozen feet up the pier before you’re out of reach. At best, you’ll only have a handful of seconds to make the climb.”
Lara clenched her teeth, fighting the urge to nod. Any movement would draw the snakes’ attention.
“On my mark!”
She couldn’t do this.
“Go!”
Lara broke into a sprint, water splashing as she hit the beach, her legs pumping. She didn’t look to see if they’d thrown the fish. Didn’t look to see if the snakes had noticed her.
She just ran.
The deep sand shifted and sank beneath her feet, but she’d been raised in the Red Desert, and the sensation was as natural to her as breathing.
But the desert didn’t have snakes like this.
Dimly, she heard the Ithicanians shouting, trying to hold the creatures’ attention.
She knew it wasn’t working. Could feel the creatures converging on her, an invader and a better prize than any fish.
The fog swirled as she hit the path, her gaze fixed just ahead of her feet, searching for movement.
There. A dark head flashed toward her, all teeth and scales. Lara dived, flying over the lunging serpent, rolling and then on her feet again in a flash.
But they were behind her. Gaining ground.
She ran faster.
Bits of rock cut into her bare feet, but Lara barely felt the pain as the bridge pier emerged out of the mist.
An arrow sliced past her, spearing the head of a snake that had appeared out of nowhere, its body slamming against her ankle as she passed, making her stumble.
Keep going.
She raced onward, sensing others converging in her periphery.
Faster!
“Run, Lara!” Aren’s voice filled her ears, the desperate edge of it driving her to greater speed. She leapt over a rock, a gasp tearing from her lips as something knocked against her heel.
“Run!”
The pier was only a dozen paces away, but she could hear the heavy bodies of the snakes hitting the ground behind her as they lunged.
She was almost there. Gathering her strength, Lara flung herself at the rough stone.
Her body slammed against the pier, fingers scrabbling for a handhold, sliding, her fingernails tearing, the weight of the rope pulling her down.
“Lara!”
Sobbing, she clawed at the rock, fingers finally catching hold. She climbed, heart in her throat.
Then something struck the back of her knee and pain lanced up her leg.
Terror filled her, but she didn’t dare stop to see if she’d been bitten when others were flinging themselves against the pier just beneath her feet.
“Climb higher!”
Her toe slipped, her weight making her arms scream, but she struggled on. Foot by foot, her whole body shaking.
Had it bitten her? Was she moments from falling to her death? Lara didn’t know. Wasn’t certain if she was feeling sweat or blood dripping down her legs as she climbed.
Higher and higher she rose, shifting around the side of the pier so that she could climb up the bridge itself.
Finally, she made it to the top. Rolling over the edge, she rested on her back, gasping for breath. Only for voices to fill her ears.
Voices that didn’t belong to the Ithicanians below.
47
Aren
Jor and Aster had him by the arms, hauling him back, all three of them falling with a splash in the water.
“She’s up! She’s climbing!”
But he’d seen the snake hit her. Even a shallow bite was enough to be deadly. He had to get to her.
Shoving Jor away, Aren clambered through the water toward the beach, only to have his head pushed under the water, his face smacking against the sand.
Jor hauled him out by the hair. “Don’t make me half drown you to make you see reason, boy. Look! She’s already at the top.”
He was right. Through the mist, Aren could faintly see Lara circling the pier, moving with a steady confidence as she climbed up the side of the bridge, disappearing on top. Exhaling, he lowered his head to find several snakes approaching the waterline, watching him with interest.
“Just try it,” he hissed at them, but moved back toward the boat rather than tempting fate.
And it was then he heard voices.
“Shit,” Jor muttered. “Patrol.”
Aren could barely breathe, terror wrapping around his chest like a vise. Lara only had a belt knife, and she’d be exhausted from her race and subsequent climb. He needed to get up there. Needed to help her.
Except the beach was covered with snakes, and they’d used all the fish to bait them away from Lara. But he had to try. He had to—
Jor’s hand latched onto his wrist, his other hand pointing.
Lara had climbed back over the side of the bridge and was hanging there, barely visible through the fog.
“Shouts were coming from over here.” A Maridrinian’s voice.
“I don’t see nothing,” another responded. “You’re hearing things.”
“It’s the cursed fog,” yet another said. “It’s enough to drive one to madness, never being able to see.”
At least three, but probably more.
“They can’t see us,” Jor said under his breath, then signaled Lia and the others to stay silent. “They’ll move on soon enough.”