Page 38 of Run of Ruin

“They’re making us jump,” I said. “Out of the plane.”

He tensed beside me.

“Don’t think. Don’t panic. Fear’s useless here.”

I reached out, laying a hand on his shoulder. His muscles were tight, coiled, ready to spring or snap.

“Look for my chute. Aim for where I land. Got it?”

Silence.

“Thorne.”

“Yes,” he said quickly, voice rough. “Yeah. I got it. I’ll follow your chute.”

“Briar Grey,” the General barked. I squeezed Thorne’s shoulder once, firm and quick.

“Find me,” I said, and then I was moving, guided to the open hatch, wind screaming in my ears.

The General’s voice was little more than noise as he muttered something about not pulling too late. Joke’s on him. I was going to pull the second I hit open air.

A hard shove against my back, and I was free-falling.

The sky opened up around me, a rush of wind and chaos. I twisted in the air, searching for stability, and when I finally found it, I yanked the cord.

My chute burst open with a violent jolt. I grunted, breath knocked from my lungs, and tore off the blindfold.

My descent slowed.

The world stretched wide and vivid around me, blue sky like a painting, trees below thick and lush, endless. I turned slightly, scanning the horizon. I couldn’t see anything above me except the wide extended chute. No sign of the plane. No sign of Thorne.

But I had to trust. Had to believe he was falling toward me now. Watching my chute, lining up his drop.

I adjusted the cords, steering the best I could with zero training. A break in the trees caught my eye, a small clearing. Perfect. I swore softly, trying to hold my course as the wind fought me for control.

Closer. Closer.

My feet hit the ground running, catching the momentum before stumbling to a stop. The chute collapsed behind me in a heap of fabric.

I didn’t waste a second.

I looked up.

A figure was plummeting through the air, chute tangled, twisting violently in the wind, refusing to catch. My heart leapt into my throat.

“No. No, no, no,” I whispered, then screamed, feet already moving beneath me as I ran toward the falling shape. “Come on, untangle, untangle, please.”

The chute I’d abandoned dragged behind me, and just as I gained speed, it caught on something. My body jerked back.

“No!” I howled, ripping at the harness, tears stinging my eyes. But it was too late.

The figure fell fast, too fast, and then vanished into the treetops with a sickening crash that echoed in my bones.

My knees buckled. I hit the ground hard, sobs tearing through me as I pressed my forehead into the dirt.

“No. No. No.”

Thorne. My twin. My other half.

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