Ariella knew the gamble could end in disaster. One slip, and Avya would plummet to a grisly death.
But she'd run the numbers—every angle, every variable. This was the fastest route down the cliff, a lifeline to the shore that dodged the roaming critters below. Precision was her weapon, and she wielded it like a blade.
The drone hummed softly as they descended, the sparse vegetation of the cliff's base coming into view.
A delicate waterfall trickled down the rock face, its mist catching the light in a shimmering veil. The scene felt plucked from a dream, a fleeting pocket of beauty amid the chaos.
"You can open your eyes now," the drone's voice prompted, steady and calm.Avya, who'd squeezed her lids shut against the terror of the drop, peeked down.
Her breath caught—they were already at the mountain's foot. Thirty seconds, tops, and barely a jolt. Just the cool whip of wind against her face.
