Tony and can see him blushing as he looks down at the ground. “I would do it again in a heartbeat, sir.” Then he turns to look at someone behind me. “But I owe a huge thank you to Marya.”
My dad and I both turn around to look at Marya. Her eyes are glowing like a heated pot of melted gold. Sweat has formed above her brows and she looks a little out of breath. Alec has an arm around her, working to help her get her strength back.
“ I could feel her powers keeping me on the ledge,” Tony tells us. He turns to Marya again. “Your gift is very powerful.”
She blushes. “It was nothing.”
Suddenly, the climb down makes more sense. I had no idea how Tony managed to keep us from falling that whole way down.
My dad wastes no time enveloping Marya in a rib-crushing hug. “It was everything. Thank you, Marya.”
She looks up at my dad. I can see in her eyes that the pride coming from a father figure means the world to her. I realize I know very little about Marya —like how long she’s been without parents.
I walk over to her and give her a hug. “Thank you, Marya.”
“ You’re welcome,” she tells me and we smile at each other.
My dad turns back to Tony and pats him hard on the shoulder. It’s like my dad is saying, Welcome to the man club.
Carrie brings Sabby over to us. His eyes are red and swollen from crying. He holds his hands out for me to take him in my arms. “I so scared, Wello. So scared!” He sniffles.
I pull him tighter to me. “I know, buddy. I was too. I’m okay though,” I tell him.
“ I know. Tony an Marra are heroes!” he says, mispronouncing Marya’s name.
“ Yes, they are.” I smile at Tony from over Sabby’s shoulder.
Growing weak, I hand my brother to my dad. Feeling the adrenaline crash, I allow myself to fall down to the ground and sit with my arms wrapped around my legs. I’m shaking from head to toe and I can’t seem to stop. Everyone takes their turns coming over to Tony and me. I get a lot of hugs. Tony exchanges some manly handshakes and pats on the back. Everyone gives Marya her due attention too.
Eventually we all end up sitting on the ground, most of the others talking enthusiastically about how brave Tony was and how powerful Marya’s gift is.
I close my eyes and lean my head back, trying to get the shaking to stop.
I utilize my healing ability and Tony chimes in and helps. Eventually, my body begins to calm as it realizes that the imminent danger is gone.
“ Feeling better?” Tony asks me quietly.
I wipe my hands on my jeans and nod my head. “Yes, I think it all caught up with me.” I give him a half smile.
He puts his arm s around me and pulls me closer to him. “I’m sorry about the rope. I had no idea that it would break like that. If I’d known, I would have never have let you or anyone else on it.”
“ It’s not your fault that Alec exceeded the maximum weight limit, Tony,” Connor—who shouldn’t be honing in on our conversation—teases. Lillie is at his side, hanging onto his leg. She giggles at her brother’s comment.
Alec punches him in the arm. “Whatever, Fatty Patty. You were the last one on that rope!”
Lillie laughs harder and Alec smiles down at her. He holds his hand out for her to give him a high five. She slaps her little hand against his and they exchange a fist bump. The humor in her expression drops and she looks up at her brother. Her little, black eyes look worried.
I instinctively turn my attention to Connor, whose face has gone white. Not because he feels bad, but because he’s just realizing it could have been him falling from the cliff.
Tony —who shouldn’t be listening in on Connor’s thoughts—weighs in. “Yeah, I like you and all, Connor, but it would have been mighty awkward to have had to carry you down on my back.” With that, the tension is cut.
Connor laughs and shakes off his feelings. I notice that Lillie’s eyes lighten up as well. I wonder how hard it must be for her to have
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