No Strings Attached

He clutched her wrist, the one that wielded the remote control, like a modern-day scepter.

As they tumbled down the slope, lan twisted with all his might, snapping Victoria's wrist. She screamed in agony, the remote slipping from her grasp. Their descent accelerated, and soon they vanished from view. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ (F)indNƟvᴇl.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

A deafening explosion echoed from below.

Clara, sprawled at the cliff's edge, roared into the abyss, "lan!" Only echoes answered her call, accompanied by the rising plumes of thick smoke.

Clara's fingers clawed into the earth, nails splitting, bleeding, unaware as the pain inside dwarfed any physical wound. She lay there, boneless, lan's name a litany on her lips, tears tracing unnoticed paths down her cheeks.

"Attorney Clara, our teams are on their way down. I have

in his arms. The violent impact triggered Victoria's explosives. The slope was steep, so their separation in the

dusk fell, the chill of the mountaintop bit through the fog that began to cloak

her shoulders. Ryker's deep voice reached her ears. "Clara, please wait in the car. I've brought my squad. They'll find lan.' Her cracked lips parted, her

pat. "Don't worry, he's tougher than nails. He won't go

and his team plunged into the

fireflies, drifted through the foggy

Clara's phone rang. It was Ryker, "Clara, we found parts of Victoria's... remains. No sign of lan, which means he likely separated from her during the fall. He's alive, I'm sure of it.

vacant eyes. She wiped away

as I say and wait in the car. Ian wouldn't forgive me if he came back to find you