page46 (1/2)

He lifted his head, his eyes blinked a few times, then he sat up

“Jade?” he answered, his voice a croak

“Oh, Mason! I’ve found you” She crouched down and tried to reach out to hiet it?”

He rose to his feet and stretched out to touch her, but the distance was too great

She turned to the natives “Please Help”

One of the men cut down a vine and tied it to the base of the tree, then threw the end down into the pit

Jade waited to see if Mason had the strength to haul hi on the rope as he clambered up the sides Just as he reached the top, the sides of the pit disintegrated, sending dirt flying Froround

She ran into his ar breaths

“I thought I’d lost you,” she wept, burrowing her nose into his vest, not caring about anything She succeeded in her mission—she’d found Mason and he was alive

He brushed aside her hair and tilted her head back She hoped for a kiss, but his lips were cracked

“Water,” Mason whispered

/> He drank a whole bottle before he spoke again “How?” he croaked “How did you get here?”

“Callo’s ship I fixed a few problee They helped me” She nodded in the direction of the three men, aited in the shadows of the trees, still nervous about Mason, who easily towered over their slight, athletic forms

Jade’s sto her lover and trepidation at his response to her disobedience He continued to regain his coh the dirt clung to his skin and clothes She handed hi the nues of concern she’d sent over the previous day

“I dropped it when I fell in the trap,” he explained, his gruff voice losing its dryness