Season of Sacrifice (Blood of Azure Book 1) Jonathan Michael (red novels .txt) 📖

is priority. After dismissing the devastation around me, I don’t see what I want to behind us. The bridge hasn’t retracted the slightest. And worse, the melody of the thumping has stopped. The assassin is in full combat with Coloss at the base of his tree. Coloss can defend himself. I convince myself. Just like Helios can. They’re beasts of the forest. Guardians. They can protect themselves. I’m not convinced in the slightest, but I dismiss it nonetheless, and trek upward at a faster pace with my head down.

Far above the tree line, we allow ourselves another break. There’s no sign of pursuit. The night and morning are both behind us, along with the massacre. And the sun is well past midday now. The pounding heat is more apparent up here. I lift my tunic and wipe away the beading sweat at my forehead.

As we near the top of the wall, the sun gives way to twilight. Cerise has yet to bless us with her presence, implying a dark night’s ahead of us. But that’s the least of our challenges as I see what lies ahead.

The success of the climax washes away with the sight of the stairs falling short of the top of the wall. Coloss’s retraction must have started from the top down. Why did I ever think that was a good idea?

Roughly three flights will need to be climbed by hand. Fortunately, this high up on the wall, the rock face isn’t as sheer, leaving some room for a foothold. We should be able to climb the rest of the way to escape the maniac below.

“What do we do now?” Zoie asks.

“We climb.”

“I can’t climb this wall.” Her head sinks between her shoulders.

“Since when are you afraid to do anything?” I ask her as I inspect the wall for good gripping points.

“I’m not afraid.”

“It’s okay if you are. You can stay here, if you want,” I tease her.

“Stop it, Goose. I’m not afraid. You go first.”

“Alright, then.” I put one hand on the wall then find good placement for the other. Zoie watches. “You always want three points of contact when climbing,” I say to her confidently. I secure a marginal foothold at best and lift my other leg. I slip. “Don’t step there,” I say to her and look back, blushing at my own incompetence. Her green eyes have a subtle fear in them. “What is it, Zoie? You don’t have to be afraid. I was only giving an example of how easy it is to slip.” I smile and wink at her.

“No offense, Goose, but I’m not really listening. I know how to climb, and you don’t seem like you’re too experienced with it. Maybe I should go first.”

“Then, why are you so tense?”

“I’ve never left Greybark before. I…I’m afraid of…I’m afraid of what’s out there.” She points to the horizon.

“Oh,” I say earnestly. “Well…you still don’t have to be afraid. You have your mighty Goose with you. I’ll keep you safe. Plus, the world out there is nothing compared to what I’ve experienced in your remote village. You have nothing to fear.”

She’s not convinced. Nor am I. The Taoiseach is out there.

I start back at it, and this time I manage to get off the landing completely without stuttering. Zoie follows right behind me without hesitation.

“Goose!” A sudden shriek squeals from her lungs. I look down to see the assassin has caught up to us, and he has Zoie’s ankle in his grip. I grab hold of a tree root, disregarding my advice of having three points of contact, and I seize her hand.

“Zoie! Climb, Zoie. You have to climb up my arm.”

“I can’t,” she cries.

The fear in her eyes is no longer subtle. She looks to me for help. She’s expecting me to save her. She’s expecting me to be her guardian.

“Zoie, you have to try. Up is our only way out. Use your arms and climb, Zoie.”

The root frays from Zoie’s savage kicking and twisting. I don’t know how much longer it will hold.

I flex and pull, but the root slips from its anchor point instead, and we all judder downward before it snaps tight again. Zoie continues to kick, but her tantrum is no match against the assassin’s grip. He’s far too strong.

We’re never going to scale this wall unless we rid ourselves of this man. I let go of the root, and the two of us fall. My feet hit the deck below, but Zoie’s fate isn’t the same. She smashes hard into the assassin, and both hurdle over the edge. I leap to grab anyone or anything, hoping to secure at least one of them, knowing if it isn’t Zoie, she would at least be able to grab onto the assassin. And that is exactly what happens. Except, the assassin has Zoie in his grasp. He’s latched onto her at the ankle as she dangles upside down. The drop below is beyond measure. Her life is in his hands, and his in mine.

“Zoie! Are you okay, Zoie?” I yell out. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you, Zoie.”

“Save yourself, Goose,” Zoie calls from her inverted state.

She sounds fearless. No worry in her voice whatsoever. Much to the contrast of her hesitance to leave her village moments ago.

“Don’t worry about me. Finish what you came here for.”

The assassin bursts out into a hysterical laughter. “The two of you are ridiculous. What are you talking about, lad? You have no control over her safety. I do.”

He lets go of her without any hesitation. Zoie’s scream echoes throughout the ravine as she falls out of sight. Her scream torments me into eternity, echoing longer than it should. This man is sinister beyond comprehension.

“You are sick. How could you so easily let an innocent young