The Priestess and the Dragon (Dragon Saga Book 1, Wattpad Version)

Chapter Thirty Six

Rin had hung back but when Suzume looked to her for an explanation Rin only shrugged and joined the the boys. Damn their secrets.

It turned out there was not much distance left to travel. They found a winding set of stairs carved into the stones themselves. The wind blew hard enough to pull the unwart off a cliff just feet away. Suzume’s hair swirled around her. She pushed the strands away from her face and titled her neck back to try and catch a glimpse of the top of the stairs. The steps disappeared into the clouds, obscuring their destination. Kazue really did not want her remains to be found.

“Do not tell me we have to climb that.” Suzume said pointing at the narrow stairs. On one side was the stone smooth and ancient. On the other side was a drop that led to the foot of the mountain.

Rin stood on the edge of the precipice, her auburn hair flew around her head like a bright banner against the gray sky behind her. She did not seem afraid of the heights just curious. Kaito’s gaze was fixed on the stairs. He cannot wait to get there.I wonder if he’s hoping Kazue is waiting him at the end of this quest. This thought filled her with bitterness. What do I care? All I want is my old life back. Once I get that, none of this matters.

“We’re almost there, are you ready?” Tsuki said to Suzume. He was grinning from ear to ear.

“You could at least try to hide your eagerness.” She replied.

He titled his head as he regarded her. “What would be the purpose of that? Now that we’re all being honest with one another.”

Suzume felt like their were cold fingers grasping the back of her neck. She rubbed it but did not look away from Tsuki. There’s no way he could know what Hisato told me. I am just being paranoid.

“Are you trying to say there’s more you’re not telling me? Like is there something up there waiting for us?”

He shook his head. “We’ve told you all we know. Most of our information has been gleaned for the priests of the temple. This is the first time since we were cursed that we left the temple.”

Suzume’s skin tingled. Small sparks burst along her skin creating a red glow. Something was waiting for them at the top of these stairs, she could feel it. Either Tsuki was lying or he really didn’t know, she could not be sure. I cannot believe Kazue would go to all this trouble and not put extra protection around this place.

“Let’s get going while it’s still light,” Kaito said. He looked ready to pop from the anticipation. He shuffled from one foot to the other, his gaze ever upward.

They headed up the stairs. It was even more perilous than Suzume imagined. The steps were cramped together and worn smooth by the elements. The stairs only allowed one person up at a time and in few spots, they had crumbled away and they had to jump over massive gaps. It was at this point that Suzume took a grudging ride on Tsuki’s back across the chasm. Half-way up she made the mistake of looking over the edge. Thick white clouds obscured most of the forest floor but for patches of green that peaked through breaks in the clouds. The spun as the height difference registered. She clutched at the rough wall, her fingers finding no purchase. She felt like she would tilt over the side and fall forever. Suzume closed her eyes and leaned against the stone wall for a moment. She felt a hand in the small of her back and when she opened her eyes, Akira was standing beside her.

“Just take it one step at a time, and try not to look down,” Akira said.

Suzume nodded mutely before they continued their climb. She managed to climb the rest of the stairs without looking over the edge. Once she slipped on some loose rock and fell down a few steps. Rin came to her rescue and kept her from tumbling all the way back down to the bottom, or worse going over the edge. Suzume gave Rin an begruding thank you. They’re all being so helpful today. Probably because they need me to retrieve Kazue’s heart.