Page 72 of Pippa of Lauramore
I worry my lip, looking for another step.
There’s no way around it. We’ll have to jump to the next ledge. It’s not too far, but I don’t know if Leonora or Marigold can do it. I don’t think I want Leonora to even try when she’s carrying my future niece or nephew.
“What is it, Pippa?” Leonora asks.
I click my tongue, thinking. “That ledge there. The only way to get across it is to jump.”
“All right.”
I look at her, surprised. “All right?”
She nods, and she looks determined. “If it’s the only way, then we jump.”
Marigold whimpers. She’s crouched on the ground, crying into her knees.
I scan the ceiling. From that ledge, I can boost the girls to the opening. As long as the rock doesn’t crumble under our hands, we’ll be free.
“Come on Marigold, let’s leave this place.” I hold my hand out.
She shakes her head. “I can’t.”
Leonora is about to say something, but I shush her. There are faint yells coming from down the tunnel.
The bandits are awake, and they’re after us.
CHAPTER 18
“Marigold. We leavenow.” I grab her arm. I’m not gentle, but we don’t have time.
She fights me. “I can’t.I just can’t.”
Leonora has her other arm, and she’s helping me drag Marigold up. Marigold stops fighting but continues to cry. Great sobs wrack her tall, slender frame. It will be a miracle if we get out of here before the bandits find us.
Leonora is already breathless from Marigold’s weight. “They’re coming,”
“It will take a while to find the right tunnel. We took many turns.” I glance back, then crawl up the first ledge and hold my hands down for Marigold. She takes them, and Leonora boosts her up from behind.
“You have to try!” I yank Marigold up, so I have most of her weight.
Her sobs have calmed to hiccups, but tears still stream down her face. She finally gets a foot over the top, and I’m able to yank her the rest of the way. I reach down forLeonora. Thankfully, I don’t have to pull her up. She does the climbing on her own.
Marigold makes it over the stair-step ledges, and we’re nearing the jump. A rock clatters to the ground from behind me, and I glance back. Leonora is pressed against the rock wall, breathing hard.
“Don’t look down.”
Her eyes flicker to mine. “I already did.”
Not taking my own advice, I glance down at the cavern floor.
My vision spins, but I look back up and take slow breaths, trying to focus only on the ledge under my feet.
“You can make it,” I tell her. “Keep your eyes on me.”
We must crawl up and out the ceiling before the men find us. They’ll never guess we could make it out, and they’ll continue searching the tunnels. That will give us time to escape. It’s the only way.
“I’m going to jump.” My voice wavers, but there’s nothing I can do about it.
I back up, take a deep breath, and then leap across. I hop forward a few steps because I put too much energy into my jump. There’s a rock jutting out next to my shoulder, and I grasp it, regaining my balance.
