Page 176 - Fourth Wing

“Me.”

…

An hour later, my feet fly over the spinning posts of the staircase, and I

jump to the safety of the gravel path. Third ascent complete. Two more to
go. And I haven’t touched a single rope.

I swear I can feel Dain staring from the bottom of the course, where
Tynan and Luca have yet to start their climb, but I don’t look down. There’s

no time for what he thinks will be one last look, and I can’t afford the delay

of comforting him when there are still two obstacles ahead of me.
Which means there’s one I haven’t even had the chance to practice—the

nearly vertical ramp at the end.
“You can do it!” Rhiannon yells from the top as I reach the chimney

structure.

“Or you can do us all a favor and fall!” another voice yells. Jack, no
doubt. At least it’s only been our squad at practice sessions, but every first-

year can watch now, either from the base of the course or the edges of the

cliff above.
I look up at the hollow column I’m supposed to climb, then dart back a

few feet along the path.

“What are you doing?” Rhiannon shouts as I grab one of the ropes and
drag it horizontally across the surface of the cliff, sending pebbles into free

fall.
It’s heavy as hell and protests the stretch, but I manage to get the bottom

portion onto the chimney structure. Pulling the rope as tight as it can go, I

plant one foot on the side of the shaft and give the rope a tug, then send up a
prayer to Zihnal that this is going to work.

“Can she do that?” someone snaps.
I’m doing it now.

Then I lift my other foot and begin to climb up the chimney, using only