Chapter 16 · Put me down

She shoved against his shoulder and reached for the next ledge. The movement pulled both of them off balance. Jace caught her around the waist and pinned her against the wall before she slipped.

Her back hit his chest. Her hair brushed his jaw. He felt the quick jump of her pulse through the side of her neck.

"Put me down," she said.

"We're hanging over a pit."

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't."

"Liar."

"You keep making dangerous moves."

"And you keep grabbing me."

"Because you keep falling."

She turned her head. Her cheek nearly touched his. "Maybe I want to see if you catch me."

For one stupid second, the pit vanished.

Then a hand closed around Jace's ankle.

He looked down. The fingers were thin and gray, and the fear coming from them was wrong. It wasn't fear of death.

It was fear of him.

The hand whispered his name.

Lira heard it too. "What did it call you?"

"Nothing."

"It used your name."

"I said nothing."

The fingers pulled.

Jace's grip slipped from the ledge.