The Dreaming: Dark Star (Book 5)

13.1. Crag of Goats

They walked throughout the night, with only one or two short stops. The next morning, at the first hint of sunrise, they stopped to rest.

Neither spoke to the other, and Liran was grateful for the silence. He realised he didn't need or want to know anything else about the city. It was clear that he would never get there, so what was the point?

He tried to sleep, but worried that Akim would dream about him, and was unable to drift off. Instead, he stayed awake, watched the sunrise, and looked out for Akim falling into REM sleep. As soon as he saw that telltale sign — Akim's eyeballs darting back and forth, he gave the sleeping man a kick and yelled, "Wake up! We're going."

Akim was dazed. "Right, one minute," he sat up, groggy, looking around as if he didn't know where he was.

Liran realised he could easily overtake the man. Why didn't I just hit him over the head while he was sleeping? He gave Akim another kick to his shin. "Let's go," he said.

"Give me a minute, alright!" Akim crabbed back in response, rubbing his shin. He managed to get to a standing position and took a leak over the side of the rocks.

Liran again noticed that he could easily push him right off the cliff. They were on a narrow passage with steep cutbacks down into the Crag of Goats. On their right was a waterfall that wasn't more than a trickle right now. It seeped down the rock in most places, but Liran knew just ahead was a cliff where the water fell off into the crag below.

They walked to the edge of the waterfall and looked over — there was a dark pool of water a few hundred feet down below. The crag had created an alcove, wearing away the rocks around the falling water. It was a beautiful swimming spot, and Liran remembered the day four years ago that he'd swam in that pool.

"Is that where we're going?" Akim asked, sceptically, looking at the steep terrain.

"Ayah," Liran answered. Was he imagining it, or did Akim seem scared.

"There isn't any other way down?"

"Not that I know of. It's not that bad, come on," Liran grabbed the branch of manzanita bush, and lowered himself down to the ledge below. The day was already warming and he wanted to get through this asap — there would be little protection from the sun during the climb.

"Wait, wait, wait," Akim protested.

"What, come on! It's getting hot!"

Akim was prepared, of course, and pulled out a mess of straps. "Body harness," he explained.

"We don't need that," Liran said. "It's not that difficult. It just seems difficult when you look at the ground, but when you're standing here, you just need to take the next step, and the next, and the next."

"No, I'm using the harness. And so are you. If you fall while we're doing this, then Silas will have my head on a platter."

Liran narrowed his eyes, wondering if Akim trusted him. "Fine," he answered and pulled himself back up to the top ledge where Akim was still standing. He took out his own body harness, and Akim helped him get hooked in.

But that wasn't enough. After Akim hooked them both up and organized the ropes, the sun was already higher.

Liran impatiently waited for Akim to drill a device into the rock face a few paces back from the drop. It was a complicated and cumbersome business, but Akim insisted at every step that it was necessary.

Liran was certain that Akim was terrified of heights.

After Akim had finished setting everything up, and tested the system twice, they started to climb down.