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“Come It’s easy” Snorri looked down atout a hand I’d coht on a steep field of loose, frost-shattered stone resting on solid rock beneath I took a step towards hi for the offered hand

“F—” I started to say “Fuck” but as my boot continued to slide the word drew out into a wail that turned into a scream and ended with an “Ooffff!” and me on my arse

“Try again” Snorri Ever helpful

“I can’t” I said it through gritted teeth My ankle had filled with a hot, liquid pain I’d felt the joint flex past the angle any ankle shouldunder , but either way the idea of putting weight on it was not one I could entertain

“Get up!” Snorri roared it at me as if I were a coeant because I was on , hiking my breath in to vent in successively louder outbursts

When I fell silent I could hear a slithering of stones, and a second later Snorri loo out the day

“I don’t abandon comrades,” he said “Come on, I’ll help you”

Now, I’m not a man who takes his pleasure in other men, but in that moment Snorri’s overmuscled and sweaty eet from Cherri or Lisa He heftedThe proxi between us, but I was prepared to risk it being less fatal than Edris and his murderers

“Thank you,” I burbled, half-delirious with the pain “I knew you wouldn’t leave me I knew—” Snorri stopped and set me with my back to a boulder, propped up on one foot “What?”

“It’s fine” Snorri cast about, studying the layout of the boulders, the width of the ledge “This will do, here I’”

“I want you to leave!” I hissed the words past gritted teeth “Keep going, you big lummox” Just take me with you! I kept that last part behind ht think badly of e his mind Of course, if he actuallythe issue of being hauled along too For the now,the bluff hero would at least keep hi me in my incapacitated state