Page 59 of Cruel Abandon (Fallen Royals 5)
We get deeper into the woods, and the more unnerved I become. I can’t even put my finger on why, exactly.
“Bet you regret becoming my partner,” I mutter.
She grabs my arm. “Why would you say that?”
“I’m the outcast.” I shoot her a look that says, Obviously.
She scoffs. “You’re only the outcast because you chose that role. You’re kind—Whitney wouldn’t have stuck around if you weren’t. And besides that little slip-up…” She smiles. “You have our backs. I feel weirdly compelled to tell you all my secrets because I know you’ll keep them.”
That brings a smirk to my lips. “Don’t tell Liam that. I’m sure he’d disagree.”
I don’t know if he’ll ever trust me again.
But do I even want him to?
We continue onward. The path to the water tower is narrow, curving along the hillside. To either side of us, the ground slopes down. One side is a lot steeper, though, riddled with fallen rocks and thin pines.
“Wouldn’t want to end up down there,” Taryn says. She peers over the edge. “No-man’s-land.”
I step up next to her. “I didn’t even realize we had climbed this high.”
She shudders and moves away, and I pivot to follow her.
The earth slides out beneath my boot without warning.
Falling is a curious feeling. It seems to happen in slow motion—slow enough that I can distinctly recall sticking my arms out, pinwheeling, and being unable to stop. My knees hit the ground first, then a forearm.
The mix of dried, fallen leaves and loose rock gives way, and suddenly my fall is more than that.
“Skylar!” Taryn screams, running for me.
I scrabble at the rocks as I’m pulled downhill. My slip becomes a tumble, and all I can do is protect my head on my way down. Finally, I slow to a stop, flat on my back.
“Skylar, oh my god,” Taryn yells again, but it’s a lot farther away. Above me, on the little trail.
Had I only been standing there a second ago?
Branches snap, and the roll of gravel alerts me to the thought that she might be coming to rescue me. And maybe it’s not the best idea.
I let my arms flop to the sides, taking mental inventory. Legs feel okay, so do my arms. Something warm drips into my ear, but nothing hurts too bad.
My pride, maybe.
I push myself up carefully and cough. Bright-red blood sprays onto my hand. The world rocks a bit, and my vision goes in and out.
Tentatively, I touch my lips. My head takes a second to catch up with me, because it throbs. I discover a cut on my forehead, probing at my face.
“I’m okay,” I call back to Taryn. “Just… banged up.”
Stupid assignment.
Stupid will to do well in school.
“I’m coming down. Just—”
I turn around. Taryn has frozen halfway down the hill, staring past me. Her hands dig into a small tree, and it seems to be the only thing holding her up.
“Are you okay?” I head toward her.