A throng of people filled the square. Kaden muscled his way through the crowd, leading AJ and the harlots up the steps to the Citadel.
Inside, chaos reigned. Praying that she’d remember the way, AJ led them through the twisting halls, passing whole families bent on taking refuge in the warren of rooms. It was the highest point in Petra, safe from the torrent of water roaring into the valley.
They stopped in front of the ten-foot-high entrance to Tok’s office. Kaden grabbed a torch off the wall and kicked in the door. One quick glance told him the room was empty. He ushered the women in and barred the door from inside.
AJ swept the books and ledgers off the wooden table Tok used for a desk. Kaden dragged over a small chest and lifted it onto the table. He took off his sandals, tucking them into his belt, then climbed on top. “I need to get higher,” he called out. AJ grabbed a pile of thick ledgers and handed them up.
The additional height was enough to boost him into the narrow shaft carved out of solid rock leading to the skylight. The soft glow of Neodyma’s purple moon shone down on him, his back braced against the smooth rock wall as he inched his way up the shaft with his bare hands and feet.
It was at least fifteen feet to the top, and he stopped a few times, gasping for breath. AJ could see his strength was nearly gone. Blood seeped through the bandages, dripping onto the ledgers stacked on the chest.
Finally he stopped, fumbling for the sword in its sheath around his waist. “Back away,” he shouted.
She heard a crash. Shards of glass rained down. Moonlight disappeared as he heaved his bulk through the opening. There was silence for a moment, then she saw the end of a rope drop. “Send Dianna up,” he called out.
AJ swept away the jagged shards of glass and helped Dianna tie the rope around her waist. Then she climbed onto the table and boosted the young woman up, balancing Dianna on her shoulders to take as much of the burden off Kaden as she could.
Dianna was light and slender, easy to lift. Kaden hauled her up hand over hand until she could grab the edge of the skylight and climb through.
Together, Dianna and Kaden pulled up the next woman, with AJ helping from below. As each woman reached the top, the task became easier, one more set of hands bearing the load. Finally, only AJ and Sophia were left. Sophia looked down at her girth, and back up at the skylight.
“I’ll get stuck, like a cork in a bottle,” she wailed.
“You can do this.” AJ gave the rope a few extra turns around Sophia, including one just below the cheeks of her ample bottom, trussing her like a sausage. Then she knelt on top of the chest and told Sophia to climb onto her back.
Every muscle in AJ’s body screamed as she rose to her haunches, then higher, allowing Sophia to clamber onto her shoulders. Everyone pulled from above and, inch by inch, Sophia ascended the narrow shaft, blocking out the light. AJ heard Sophia’s triumphant cry as she vanished through the skylight. Then silence.
Kaden’s head appeared at the top of the shaft. “Tajina.” His voice was calm, but she’d known him long enough to hear the worry he tried to conceal. “The rope is frayed. I don’t trust it. We’ll do our best to get you up quickly, but you need to brace yourself all along the way.”
Hands shaking, AJ took her sandals off and tied them around her neck. Then she wrapped the rope around her waist and gave it a tug to let them know she was ready. With a jerk, she was yanked off her feet.
Bracing her back against the rock wall as she’d seen Kaden do, she levered herself up the shaft using her palms and the soles of her feet, her weight borne by the many hands on the other end of the rope. Halfway to the top, the rope snapped, dropping her a few stomach-churning feet before she managed to jam her feet against the wall and stop her descent.
Kaden’s shout echoed down the shaft. “Tajina! Are you all right?”
“I…I’m okay,” she gasped.
“Look at me. Keep looking at me.” The top half of his body hung down into the shaft, hands outstretched. “All you have to do is climb a few more feet and then I’ll grab your hands. You can do this, Tajina. Slow and steady.”
Urged on by the calm, encouraging tone in Kaden’s voice, AJ managed to move one hand then the other. Pushing hard with her thighs, she slid her back up then braced her bottom against the shaft and scooted her toes higher. Her head sagged as she let go of the breath she’d been holding.
“That’s right, my love. You’re doing great. Just a little farther.”
AJ forced herself to keep moving. Inch by painful inch, she made her way up the shaft. Finally the effort burned through the burst of adrenaline that had kept her going. Muscles quivering with fatigue, she stopped.
“Please. I need to rest.”
Kaden leaned over farther, hanging in the shaft with only his legs and thighs anchoring him on the ground. “You’re almost here. All you have to do is get close enough to grab my fingers.” His hands dangled, just out of reach. “I’ll pull you the rest of the way.”
She shook her head, shoulders slumping.
Kaden’s voice boomed, shocking her with its harsh tone. “I am your Master! You will obey me. Climb. Now!”
She gathered the last of her strength and managed another few inches before her legs cramped. “I…I can’t.” She fought to keep the tears out of her voice. “If I try to move again, I’ll fall.”
“You can do it. Just use your tail, Tajina,” he crooned softly. “You’re my wildcat. Use your tail.”
Through her tears, AJ saw a shadow swaying on the wall above her. She looked up. Kaden had her red tail grasped firmly in his fist, dangling right above her head.