She opened her eyes, and he shined a light down on her. “Jack!” she gasped, relief flooding her. Thank you, God. “Jack . . . this root isn’t going to hold. I don’t know what to do.”

And it wasn’t like Jack could help her. He had a bum arm. Owen wasn’t a climber. She was going to die.

“Take deep breaths. Just remain calm and still,” he said.

Jack shouted over his shoulder to someone behind him, but she couldn’t make out the words. Her pulse ticked up, roaring in her ears, and her palms started sweating, making her grip on the root slippery.

She repositioned her hold and was rewarded with more dirt. One more shift on her part, and the root might give way completely.

Oh, God, I don’t want to die on this mountain. I don’t want to die like my mother. If I die here, it wouldn’t even be to give my life for someone else like she did.

A gust whipped over and around her. She was exposed out here. Even as sweat beaded on her temples and back, the bitter wind made her shiver. Her hands trembled.

She was slipping.

Terra squeezed her eyes shut again, hoping to keep the tears from sliding down her cheeks. She was stronger than this, wasn’t she?

A noise from above drew her attention.

A form slipped from the edge. “I’m coming for you, Terra.”

“You can’t, Jack. Your arm! Just lower the rope to me.”

He was next to her before she finished the sentence. “I’ll do better than that. Grab on to me and hold on. I brought a rescue tether, but you can’t get it on without risking a fall. With my bum arm, I risk losing us both. But hold on tight, okay?”

Using his legs, he pushed closer to her. She reached over and climbed onto his back. She held on with her life, for her life. She felt the strength of his toned physique, the muscles ridged in his back. “Are you sure I’m not hurting you?”

“Seriously?”

“Your arm, Jack. You were shot yesterday. You’re still weak.”

“I’m not too weak to save you, Terra. Although, I didn’t have time to set up my gear, so this could be a bumpy ride up.” He lifted his face. “Okay, Owen!”

The rope lifted them higher, and Jack used his legs to practically walk up the cliff so they weren’t slamming against it. They reached the ledge. Jack continued forward from vertical to horizontal without even stumbling. He stopped and Terra climbed from his back. She bent over her thighs to catch her breath and slow her racing heart.

Owen sat on a horse where the rope had been tied to the saddle horn, using the horse as an anchor. Owen grinned as he hopped off. “Basic cow horse training.”