The Children of Erebus

XXVII

I noticed the archers too late, they already had us surrounded and trapped. I dodged the first but I was ensnared. I eluded them as best I could, ensuring that Raven stayed out of their direct striking range, but what I didn't see was Bulldog, the third highest-ranking commander, coming at me from behind, intending to stab me.

Raven lunged herself at him.  Caught off guard, he stumbled and threw her off him. Raven landed with a painful thump, the sound followed by her muffled cry of pain. I twirled and caught him with my own knife, rendering him unconscious and out of the games. I then took hold of Raven's arms and tried to get her to her feet, but she couldn't stand. I gathered in her my arms and dashed out as fast as I can: my muscles burning and Raven's breathing worsening.

A cliff was up ahead, the waterfall, the water would be ice-cold, but...

You can't jump you'll freeze to death!

I stopped and peered down. I frantically scanned my surroundings. There was no other place to go.

Maybe I can scale it down. I thought to myself, my breathing intensifying, adrenaline thick in my veins.

With Raven?! My brain argued.

Shut brain! I really don't want to hear it.

I looked down at Raven in my arms, her face was pale as if she might pass out at any minute. I held her chin gently in mine, she flinched at the contact. It was as if she'd thought I'd strike her again. I had always hated myself, but never like I did then. I didn't want her to fear me.

I gave her a tender smile, not caring who was watching. Let Erebus rot! I have been his lap dog for years and what had that gotten me? Nothing but agony.

"It's alright Raven," I whispered. She cocked her head.

"How?" She demanded. 

I can hear them closing in on us. I put her on the floor and spun around to give her my back. 

"Quick, hop on. We'll have to scale down." 

Thankfully, for once in her life, she didn't argue. She wrapped her arms around my neck and shoulders, her legs around my abdomen. 

"Tryna choke me?" I teased her as I began scaling down. She tensed up. "You scared of heights?" She shook her head. 

"No." Her voice sounded steadier. I could fell her shifting slightly to look down, only to proceed to bury her face in the crock of my neck. "But I really don't want to fall." She said breathlessly, her warm breath on my neck. My face heated up for some reason as if I was blushing. I was suddenly too aware of our bodies pressed tight together, her face buried in my neck. 

Focus! 

How?!

An arrow flying right next to my head snapped me back to reality. Another one hit the rock I was using to scale down causing me to lose my hold. I cursed, Raven's hold tightened. I looked down and noticed something. 

Here goes nothing... 

"Please, don't let go," Raven whispered in my ear. 

But I did exactly that. I let go. Raven screamed in my ear, causing it to bleed, I counted the feet as I fell down, accelerating: preparing. 

One, two... four... six... now! I got a hold of the rock formation, pleading with it, not to fall apart. It didn't. Raven frightfully opened her eyes, as I scaled up and got in the tiny cave. At first, I thought it was an opening, but as I climbed in I realised it was a tunnel.