Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

There was no time to hesitate their pursuers were close behind.

Everett and Rafael exchanged a glance. Even if it was stupid and risky, there was only one method they could use flying while carrying their burdens.

Dylan and Jacob could fly on their own, but the other eleven men needed to be carried. That meant Everett and Rafael needed to do at least five or six trips back and forth. Under extreme fatigue and with their internal force severely depleted, it was a life-threatening task.

"Sir, I'm truly sorry for the trouble," Rafael said, his eyes full of remorse.

Everett sighed. "You're my only apprentice, and you've married the most troublesome girl in all of Meadow Ridge. If I don't feel for you, who will?"

Rafael wanted to say he was happy, but under his master's compassionate gaze, he swallowed his words. They would just have to carry their burdens. He knew that his master had a stubborn streak-if Everett disagreed with Rafael, the former would have made it clear. There was no more time for words. Rafael first carried Felix, while Everett took Thomas. The remaining people attended to Lawrence, and would wait for their return.

Rafael instructed Felix, "Hold on tight. Don't move except for breathing."

Felix nodded and clung tightly to Rafael's neck. Immediately, he felt herself lift off the ground, soaring toward the cliff face.

Rafael managed to grasp one of the small trees, but he couldn't rely entirely on it for support. After all, he still needed to repeat a few trips. He used his knees to brace against the cliff, searching for footholds but finding none. He shifted sideways, finding just a tiny protrusion to hold onto.

He used that leverage to climb further, but this time he had to angle to the left to grab another small tree. As he reached out, those below held their breath in fear, their hearts in their throats.

From below, the angle made it look like Rafael was dangerously close to missing his mark-but he managed to hold on.

slowly began to ease as Rafael

a different set of small trees. No one knew how deeply their roots were planted, or if they could not withstand repeated strain. Everett's path was even more perilous, being steeper and riskier-one wrong move, and he might

wiped the sweat from

Scott spoke, their tension

managed

the

they grasped the

a final

Dylan were waiting on the ground. They would only go up after everyone else

just one trip, Rafael and Everett were already breathless. They took a brief moment to

so Rafael had to make six. The last trip was for Lawrence. He needed to be secured to Rafael's

Everett didn't have to make another trip,

follow behind and watch your back for any issues," Everett said. Sweat soaked his back, and his hair was damp and

had

Jacob would

couldn't hold Rafael on his own, and tying him up would limit Rafael's agility, making this the

his breath, Rafael made a second

with the third and fourth trees, which