This time when River froze, the last thing she was worried about was a documentary.

• • •

Emerging from the Veil was always like coming out of the water, half drowned and desperate for that first deep breath of fresh air.

Even after these many trips through, Easton still hadn’t gotten used to the way the ice canyon could mess with his senses. Without his father’s expertise during Easton’s younger years, he would never have developed the skills to navigate the Veil. Now, when he set lines, it was a combination of experience and instinct that guided him.

No one could ever be truly certain what they were standing on in there.

Low, shallow breaths didn’t bring the oxygen he needed to his lungs. For the first few minutes, Easton simply stood there, letting his body recover as best it could. Then he unclipped from the line and stepped aside. River was a fast climber, almost as fast as he was. Factoring in her standard pace plus whatever disorientation she must be experiencing, she was going to clip onto his section soon.

For a moment, Easton allowed himself to remember what it was like to kiss her that morning, to rest in his tent with her curled into his side. Easton hadn’t ever considered himself a lonely person. Loneliness was impossible when one always had Ash or Graham around. But it had been a long time—too long—since he’d wanted someone else to share his time with. Someone who loved something he loved too. Who lit up at the challenge of a tough ascent and who stuffed her cold nose against his throat, falling asleep without asking if he minded if she joined him.

With every word, sound, or soft pressure from her lips, River continued to blow him away.

Impatient to see her step out of the Veil, to see her reaction when one of the hardest parts of the climb was conquered, Easton shifted on his feet, arms braced over his chest.

River was a strong climber, the strongest in the group and more than capable of getting through the Veil. Like the rest of them, the going was slow, and she’d feel like she’d been buffeted around more than a little, but if she kept her head down and kept trudging through, it would be fine.

Only…it shouldn’t have taken her this long.

Easton stood next to the fixed line, watching the minuscule jumps and vibrations indicating someone was moving along it.

“Come on, whisky,” he muttered. “Where are you?”

Easton already knew in his gut something had happened, but the first visual of Jessie’s jacket made his heart drop down to his feet. With a curse, Easton darted down the line, clipping behind a confused Jessie.

“Did you see River?” he demanded over the wind.

“What? Where’s River?” Jessie yelled back.