The earthy scent of wet stone and moss permeated the thick, damp air at the ravine's base. I pulled Ethan against me, his body languid but alive, and my chest heaved. The fall caused my muscles to ache, but the excitement rushing through me made it less painful.
Marcus squatted a few feet away and focused his eyes as he scanned the crest of the ravine. Cold and harsh, like the sound of a dagger being drawn, the successor's voice reverberated slightly above us.
"Olivia, you can't stay away from me forever!"
Marcus gave me a harsh look as he looked back at me. "We must move immediately," he added quietly. "We gained some time from the ravine, but not much."
I wiped the dirt from Ethan's cheeks and nodded. Pain-clouded but yet brimming with that silent resolve that had sustained us, his eyes fluttered open. "Are you able to stand?" With a trembling voice, I whispered.
With a quiet grunt, Ethan's hand gripped my arm. "I'll give it a shot."
