Chapter 62: Rescued
Levi ignored the sharp pain in his arm as he scrambled to the edge of the cliff. The sight that met his eyes was horrifying and also hopeful. While Max’s lifeless body lay sprawled unnaturally on the rocky terrain Lyse was nowhere to be found. Levi reasoned that it had to be a good sign.
"Stay back!" He ordered to the team that looked like they wanted to come close.
Levi did not trust that the edge of the cliff would hold all their weights, he preferred to do it alone. He jumped down a scraggly edge and peered around.
As he looked around, trying to find her, he yelled her name. "Lyse!" He shouted, his voice echoing in the still air.
A faint, barely audible voice responded, "Help me, please help me, Levi..."
Hope surged through him. She was alive. He carefully edged closer to the cliff’s edge, his heart pounding with fear and relief. Lyse was still clinging to a small patch of undergrowth, her grip weak and her body limp. He could see that she could not hold on for much longer, he marveled at her tenacity.
Hold on, Lyse," he urged, his voice steady. "I’ve got you."
With a Herculean effort, he pulled her up, her limp body dangling from the cliff’s edge. Just as he was about to pull her to safety, a sharp pain shot through his arm. He had injured himself in the struggle with Max, but he ignored the pain, focusing solely on rescuing Lyse.
Finally, he managed to haul her onto the clifftop. She was barely, her breathing shallow. As he cradled Lyse in his arms, a surge of relief washed over him.