by Lexie Ray
Gwen’s hands clutched the reins until her knuckles ached. Now crouched on the balls of her feet, she shifted her weight, riding the thuds. The back of the sled dipped. Water sloshed over the musher’s perch. The dogs scrambled forward, racing for the shore with every ounce of their strength.
They stormed the far bank, and the sled rattled furiously and tipped. Gwen was thrown, only to be driven forward by the careening sled and the snow piled before it. The dog’s cries rang in her ears. She curled herself into a ball within the wooden walls as the sled slammed into a tree. Then there was only silence.
It took a few moments for her adrenaline-soaked mind to piece the world back together. Birds chirped uncertainly from somewhere unseen, the dogs huffed and nuzzled each other, and her own ragged breathing echoed within the makeshift cave the sled had created.
A towering pine stood a few inches from her face, the strong, unmoving bark taking an iron hue in the breaking dawn. She closed her eyes against her brain, rattling through how her body would have fared if she had hit it.
“Gwen!”
The snow crunched under Jamie’s staggering footsteps. He raced to the sled, but didn’t touch it.
“Gwen?” An edge of panic simmered around her name, rising with each repetition.
“I’m okay,” she finally managed to reply. A trail of laughter bubbled out of her. “Be a prince and get me out of here.”
With a rough grunt, he yanked the sled far enough from the tree to let her scramble out. The second Gwen was up, Jamie’s hands found her shoulders and pulled her tightly into his arms. His hands fluttered over her body, searching for any injuries.
“I’m okay,” she insisted. “Your feet?”
“The water didn’t get through my boots,” he said as he pulled back, a grin on his face. “Having fun yet?”
“Oh, yeah. Let’s do it again.”
She spared a moment to study the lines of his face, the way his face lit up with his lingering smile, the way the light danced across his skin.
“I’ll check the dogs,” she said as she pulled back. “You check the rig.”
“First, are you going to give me that kiss you’ve been contemplating?”
“What?”
“Or are you going to plant it on me when we’re all set?”
“You’re so damn cocky,” she huffed.
“I prefer the term ‘confident,’ but they both work pretty well.” He took a step closer to her, a seductive smile spreading across his face. “Sure you don’t want to give me just a quick one?”
Her stomach fluttered, the sensation spreading out through her insides. Driven by her boldness, she ducked down and captured his lips in a swift kiss. It was a closed press of chapped lips, but it filled her head with a warm, heady buzz. Jamie’s fingers stroked over her hair, twitching with restraint as he fought the obvious urge to pull her closer. Reluctantly, Gwen pulled away and succumbed to the impulse to tap her knuckles against his shoulder. He grunted like it had actually hurt.
“Get back to work.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he hummed. He looked far too pleased with himself.
Chapter Sixteen
The majority of the damage was superficial – scratched up paint and cracked railings. With a bit of ingenuity, Jamie was able to rig the sled up to last the remaining leg of the journey. Ice caked over his boots, cracking with every step he took. The morning was working hard to scatter the shadows that still clung to the ground, protected by the towering trees. Any extra warmth it supplied was robbed by the growing wind chill.
It turned the melting snow into sharp sheets of ice. The falling snow soon hid the black patches, forcing them to take greater care with each step. With one final tug on the rope, Jamie straightened, knocking off inches of snow that had heaped onto his back within a few moments. If they didn’t start moving soon, they were going to have to spend most of their time snowshoeing down the soft powder for the dogs.
Gwen didn’t need the warning. She was already making her way back to him. She called out, but the wind carried her words away before he could hear them. Frustration scrunched up her face, and she raised her voice to a yell.
“They’re fine! But go slow for a bit!”
He nodded and waited for her to jump back into the sled. The dogs were still eager to move, but held a steady restraint. They tested their legs as they made their way through the forest, ducking and weaving as they tried to blaze a trail between the ever-decreasing spaces.
Jamie and Gwen changed positions more than once before they made it high enough for the forest to thin. From there on out, the ground became an increasing slope. The trees became smaller and father between, and opened more of the ground to ice-covered rock. The wind bombarded them with never-ending fury. It whipped the snowflakes, creating near-whiteout conditions that threatened to throw them off their trail.
Jamie leaned his weight into each turn, but didn’t know how effective he was. Still, Gwen urged them forward. The snow grew denser until the dogs were forced to leap forward with every step. As it dripped from their jaws, their drool turned to icicles. Their yelps were replaced with heavy panting. Jamie had lost feeling in his face, and his snow goggles were doing little to maintain his vision.
Suddenly, the dogs began to rear, scurrying over each other when their harnesses kept them from breaking apart. Gwen cursed and threw her weight back. Ice hunks sprayed out from under the sled as the brakes snapped on. It was only then that Jamie saw the cliff.
It was hard to spot, masked by the swirling wind, the sky just as consumed by the snow as the ground. With their combined weight, they were able to tip the sled onto its side. It continued to careen toward the edge. A wave of snow fanned out in the wake of the sled. Jamie couldn’t see the edge any longer. Or the dogs. Or Gwen, who he felt sliding across the slick surface beside him.
His gloved hands felt thick and feeble as they yanked his hunting knife out of the sheath attached to his hip. Twisting onto his stomach, he slammed the blade into the snow, digging deep until the hilt drove into the earth.
He reached for Gwen with his free hand and found her already searching for him. Between the efforts of both their blades, they slowed. The dogs had worked the sled away from the ledge. There was nothing separating them from the sudden drop.
Jamie’s legs slipped over the edge before he was brought to a jarring halt. He froze. In the resounding silence, he could hear the snow crush and settle under his body weight. His heartbeat hammered within his ears as he strained to hear any hint of the cliff edge following suit. A steady ache filled his shoulder. The joint almost popped free as he strained to keep contact with Gwen’s hand. Despite the pain, he couldn’t bring himself to let go. Her fingertips seemed like the only solid ground that existed anymore.
“How ya going, Navy?”
“Me? I’m fine,” he said with a smile. “Just trying to remember the starting lineup for the Mets this year.”
“Just another example of you picking a subpar team. Not the worst, but nowhere near the best.”
Gwen’s fingers twisted against him as she spoke. Apparently, she didn’t trust the ground they were on either. It wasn’t exactly a comforting thought.
“Well, educate me, Army.”
“The Rangers.”
Jamie laughed, abrupt and loud. “You know, you could have told me you were delusional before we set out.”
The wind whipped over his back and snapped the material of his parker with an audible crack. But the cliff was holding. And, as fresh snow piled up over his back, the snow under him held firm. He had officially run out of reasons not to move.
“You ready for this?” he asked.
“If you do something stupid, I’m letting your heavy ass fall,” Gwen said by way of confirmation.
“I’ll make sure to hit your brother on the way down.”
Taking a deep but rattling breath, he reluctantly loosened his grip on her hand. Slowly, he shifted his weight and began to army crawl forward, taking ca
re not to shift his knife. Memories flooded his head of when he had witnessed a misplaced blade cause an avalanche. The cracking sound that had echoed moments before a wall of white had rushed up was something that he’d never forget. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he waited to hear that sound again.
Bit by bit, he edged forward, each move steady and measured. Gwen watched him with an unwavering intensity. A layer of fine powder covered her golden hair. She took every inch she could, sliding her hand further along his arm, her fingers tightening around him like iron. He kept creeping forward, inch by inch, only feeling like he was out of the woods when he was level with her.
They both crumbled into a fit of broken giggles. Without letting go of her hand, he rolled onto his back and blinked up at the grey sky. It didn’t take more than a few seconds for the snowflakes to gather and begin to consume his sight.
“Mets? Really?” she said abruptly.
“What’s wrong with the Mets?”
He rolled his head to look at her and was met with a sudden press against his mouth. Her lips held an icy chill, but warmth still lingered under the cracked exterior. It only lasted a few heartbeats, but the heat it provided stayed with Jamie as she pulled back.
“That was just a reward for not dying,” she mumbled.
“Well, I’m managing not to die right now,” he said as he leaned closer. “Where’s my next kiss?”
She chuckled and suddenly sat up. “Let’s go get my brother.”
“And the others,” he prompted with a smirk.
“If you have time.”
“You’re brutal when you’re cold.”
She glanced over her shoulder at him as she headed back to the edge.
“Why do you say that like it’s a turn on?”
“Because it is,” he said, as he followed.
The dogs had already dug their holes, curling up against themselves to fend off the coming storm. The wind howled like a hungry beast, lashing at them with unseen whips. Bracing themselves, they peeked over the edge. Gawain’s emergency beacon flashed in the mist. The whiteout made it nearly impossible to judge the distance. Nine yards? Maybe half of that?
Gwen tapped Jamie’s shoulder and moved to the sled. The harness and abseiling rig had all survived. They triple-checked the gear and the setup, neither wanting to mention how dangerous the move was going to be. A wind this strong could easily push them off course. Even if they did manage to make it onto the ledge, they were going to get brutally battered against the cliff face on the way down.
When everything was in place, Gwen shifted her gaze to Jamie. He could see her contemplating, weighing up the pros and cons of fighting to be the one to go over the ledge. She was heavier. She might be able to stabilize herself better. But then, her extra muscle would prove useful to hurl him and the others up, if need be.
“I’ve done a lot of bad weather runs,” Jamie said.
She nodded and finally handed over the rig. The material was designed to wrap around his waist, with matching strips looping around his thighs to hold him in place. It was a perk of recklessly endangering his life that Gwen was the one who strapped him in.
Jamie’s hips jerked when she let her hands wander slightly, spreading her fingers just enough to toy around the edges of his groin. At first, he thought that she had simply slipped. Her smirk told a very different story.
The plummeting temperature couldn’t compete with the warmth that blossomed within Jamie’s skin. There was something beautiful in her holding her own, in being on the receiving end of her toying advances. It was a sure sign that she was growing comfortable around him. She was letting her guard down. It would be just his luck if the rope snapped.
The mischief in her eyes was replaced with an expression that was pure, unwavering focus. With finely honed expertise, she checked over each strap and buckle. One last solid tug, and they were all set. Jamie’s lips quirked, the warmth settling into his stomach like warmed molasses. Cupping the back of Gwen’s head with one hand, he pulled her down, ignoring her startled expression to speak into her ear.
“It’s going to be fun working with you.”
He could feel the heat that flooded her cheeks and couldn’t resist planting a swift kiss just below her ear. The moment passed the second he pulled back. Without another second passing between them, they arranged themselves into position, Jamie on the edge of the colossal drop-off and Gwen ready to help ease his way down. Their eyes met as he let his weight tip over the edge. The cord pulled taut. It held his weight as the wind closed around him. Gwen planted her feet, adjusted her grip, and gave him a final nod.
Jamie let his feet go and began his descent. The wind howled around him, as fierce and wild as in the Devil’s Run. Without anything to ground him, he was sent swaying with every gust. He moved like a pendulum with every bit of rope he allowed to move through the rig. The motion was only broken when he was slammed against the broken wall of the cliff. The hard stone scratched along him, searching for any inch of bare skin.
Ice crusted over his jacket and clung to every hair it could find. At the top of the cliff, it had been hard to judge how far away the flashing light was. In the middle of the rising storm, the task was rendered impossible. Still, Jamie kept his eyes on it. Bit by bit, inch by excruciating inch, he drew closer to the beacon. Before he had realized he was that close, his next swing brought him crashing into the jutting stone.
He pulled up his legs and rolled with the blow as best he could. It didn’t stop the impact from rocketing up his hip like fireworks under his skin. His feet skidded over the cool, slick stone, the wind pushing at his back until he almost skirted over the edge.
Two sharp tugs signaled to Gwen that he had made it unscathed, more or less, and he pushed the snow off of his goggles to try and get his bearings. The emergency light was fixed into the stone with an impressive display of sheer tenacity. Jamie only got to see bits of it through the constantly shifting snowdrift.
A bright orange tarp covered the mouth of the cave. It rattled and snapped in the gust, but didn’t give way. Maybe Gawain was a massive screw up in most areas, but he clearly knew his stuff when it came to emergency survival.
Rig still in place, Jamie forced open the edge of the tarp and slipped inside. He was met instantly by three very surprised expressions, illuminated by the artificial light of a few electric lanterns. He instantly tried to spot Gawain. None of them shared many of Gwen’s features. One man was grizzled, while the other was still almost boyish. The third was a woman, so she wasn’t really in the sibling contest.
“Sorry to intrude,” Jamie said as the wind continued to thump against the tarp. “Which one of you is Gawain?”
The stunned, boyish man lifted his hand.
“You look nothing like your sister.”
Gawain straightened. “You know Gwen?”
“Yeah,” he grinned.
“Are you a park ranger?” the woman rushed to ask.
“No,” he laughed. “But I am here to lug you up that hill. We’ve got all the supplies needed to get you guys through the night.”
“Through the night?” she snapped. “We need to get off this god-forsaken hill now.”
“Well, unless you can stop this storm, that’s not happening. It’ll be okay. We’ve got this covered. The others in our team are due to arrive when the storm breaks.” He turned his attention to the injured man and knelt down before him. “And I have lots and lots of painkillers.”
“It’s his leg,” Gawain said as Jamie began to check over the brace that covered his right leg. “I think it’s broken.”
Jamie probed at the space and gauged the man’s gasps of pain. “I’d say it’s a fracture. It should heal up all right. This is really a nice set up. Did you do this?”
“Yeah.”
“Impressive.”
“My husband is injured,” the woman snapped. “I demand you take us back down.”
“Like I told you before, Mary,” Gawain said smoothly. “It’s going
to take time.”
“We’ll be fine. Just take a deep breath and stay positive. I’ve been in worse situations.”
“How much worse could you have possibly been through?” she sniped.
“Well, I am an ex-Navy SEAL, so it would surprise you.”
“How do you know my sister again?” Gawain asked.
Jamie grinned up at him. “I only met her recently but, honestly, I’m pretty hardcore wooing her.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No. She’s amazing.”
“Gwen.”
“Yes.”
“My sister Gwen? And you?”
Jamie gave him his most charming smile. “That’s the dream.”
“You have seen my sister, right?”
Jamie’s brow furrowed. “Yes.”
“Tall, built like a brickhouse, face only a mother can love.”
“You know she’s your sister, right?”
“I love my sister,” Gawain said. “But you ain’t the type of guy that normally notices her.”
“You mean a SEAL?”
“I mean attractive.”
Jamie rose to his feet. It was a little off-putting to find himself at eye level with Gawain.
“You’re a blood relative, so you probably haven’t noticed, but your sister is insanely attractive.”
“No, she’s not,” Gawain said as he crossed his arms over his chest. “What the hell are you up to?”
“Sorry to interrupt,” Mary snapped. “But my husband is dying.”
“Mitch is not dying,” Gawain said with a growl.
Apparently, this was an argument that had been played out more than once while they had all been cooped up within cave.
“Well he’s not getting any better while you keep chatting.”
Mitch released a pained groan. Instantly, Jamie ducked down next to him and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“Hang in there a little longer. You’ll be comfortable soon.” Raising his voice, he continued. “Here’s the plan. Gwen is going to help pull you up one at a time. It’s not going to be pleasant. It’s most likely going to be terrifying. But I’ll brace the end and, between us, we’ll get you up there. Gawain, you’ll be going first.”
