Thirty-three
Ryann pulled her body close to the metal rungs. It made climbing awkward, but she had to leave room for Cathal. The emergency hatch wasn’t designed for more than one person at a time.
Keelin had helped her bind Cathal to her back, just as she had done for Brice. His legs against her thighs felt strangely intimate, almost inappropriate, but they held him in place, and Ryann understood why Brice had wanted Cathal bound so tightly. Even his head at her shoulder—again, an intimacy that unsettled her—was practical.
At the top of the ladder, she spun the plate and pushed open the hatch. Water cascaded down, running into the hold-out and over her body. It dripped down her neck, running off Cathal’s covered head. But it did nothing to wash away the stench.
Easing herself throu
