Chapter 217

Nathaniel's boot connected with the jagged cliff face, propelling him backward as he untied the rope. His landing sent vibrations through the uneven ground.

The impact startled a cluster of bats into chaotic flight.

Brushing thorny weeds from his clothes, his piercing gaze swept the harsh terrain. The cliff base offered no comforts - only an unforgiving landscape that made his gut tighten.

No sign of Evelyn. Dead or alive, he'd tear this place apart to find her.

Pushing through dense foliage, his search became frantic. Then - movement. A dark shape lunged from behind.

Nathaniel pivoted, delivering a crushing kick that sent the brown bear sprawling. The beast recovered quickly, saliva dripping from yellowed fangs. Starvation gleamed in its wild eyes as it sized up this new prey.

Three precise strikes later, the bear lay whimpering on the ground.

Nathaniel's fingers closed around the compact shotgun at his waist. If this creature had harmed Evelyn...

"Don't shoot!" The voice echoed through the gorge like a ghostly whisper.

His head snapped toward the sound. There - filthy, disheveled, but unmistakably alive - stood Evelyn. Her clothes hung in tatters, yet energy sparked in her eyes as she picked her way through the undergrowth.

Before she could speak, Nathaniel crushed her against his chest. The force knocked the air from her lungs.

She squirmed free, gasping. "That's a protected species! You can't just-"

"Self-defense exceptions exist," he growled, scanning her for injuries. The tension in his shoulders eased slightly seeing her intact. "Why the hell did you jump down?"

Evelyn scowled. "I didn't fall! I was waiting on a ledge when I saw you rappelling down. Called out but you didn't hear. Had to jump after you!" She gestured angrily at her torn sleeve. "Hence the wardrobe malfunction."

Nathaniel's grip tightened on her shoulders. "You risked your neck because...?"

Evelyn's mouth opened, then snapped shut. She turned away, cheeks flushing. "Same reason you came down here, obviously."

A beat of silence. Then Nathaniel's laughter rang out, startling nearby birds. He ruffled her tangled hair roughly. "At least my wife has the sense to worry about me."

Evelyn rolled her eyes so hard it hurt.