The Land of Miu (Land of Miu, #1, 2nd ed.)

Chapter 9

Kate’s right hand closed around an exposed root. The rest of her body continued to fall, her shoulder jolted painfully as she came to an abrupt stop, right way up. Dangling by one hand, Kate tried to ignore the pain in her shoulder.

She held on tightly. Heartbeat pounding, her breath came in quick, short gasps. She stared up into the darkness in horror. She didn’t have the strength, and couldn’t draw in a deep enough breath, to call out.

Through the thin, leather wraps, her toes pawed at the ledge as they desperately tried to find a piece of rock to stand on to take the weight off her straining shoulder.

Stale air drifted up from the blackness beneath her. She knew that it was a long drop to the bottom. Her fingers tightened their grip as her body started to tremble.

Siptah.

Her right foot found support. She tried to steady herself, but as she put more weight on the rock, it gave way. She jerked down. The hollow sound of the rock’s fall, as it bounced off boulders below her, sent chills up her spine. Her fingers threatened to break off as an animal groan worked its way up from her chest.

“Kate?”

“Siptah.” Her voice struggled up her wind pipe. The air felt trapped in her lungs. Her fingers ached. “Help me.”

“Siptah!” called Alara. “Over here.”

Kate heard scuffling noises and a dim light appeared overhead. The fingers on her left hand found a rock ledge to cling to.

“Down here!”

The light grew brighter. Two heads appeared over the edge of the chasm.

“Kate!” Siptah’s eyes were enormous. He stared down at her for a second, and then withdrew.

“Kate, remain still,” said Alara, leaning over the edge and reaching down to her. Her hand stopped a foot above Kate’s outstretched right hand. “We will get you up.”

Kate’s fingers began to straighten. She willed them to hold tight. She stared up at Alara’s face. They held each other’s gaze for the longest moment.

“Siptah,” Alara said without breaking eye contact with Kate, “she is beyond my reach. We need rope.”

“I have rope,” Siptah replied. “I have secured it to a boulder. Lower me down so I can grab Kate. Then you have to pull us up. Can you do that?”

Alara broke eye contact and rose to talk to Siptah.

“I ... no, I cannot ...” said Alara. “You are stronger, you should lower me.”

Kate’s heart sank. Hurry.

“No,” came Siptah’s reply. “You are not strong enough to hold Kate’s weight. You must lower me down there.”

“But ...”

“We do not have time to argue. I will wrap the rope around here and you will be able to hold both of us.”

Please hurry.

“There,” said Siptah, “that should do it.”

Rope fell from above into the chasm, its length stopping beside Kate’s chest. The looped end of the rope wiggled for a moment. The light overhead dimmed. Kate looked up to find Siptah easing himself over the edge of the chasm. No one spoke.

Face first, he came lower and lower. Kate saw Alara above him, her back pressed against his legs. Siptah’s hands reached for Kate. She stared up at his face.