The climb was worse the second time.
Grace's boots kept slipping on wet rocks. The rain came sideways now, sharp as needles. Diana climbed beside her, not bothering with words. What was there to say? They both knew this was probably stupid.
[Definitely stupid.]
Lightning struck close enough that Grace's ears rang. The whole mountain shook.
"She's really pissed," Diana shouted over the wind.
No kidding.
The higher they climbed, the worse it got. The air itself felt angry.
Grace's fingers were numb by the time they reached the final approach. The peak loomed above them, wreathed in dark clouds that swirled like a tornado trying to form.
"Ready?" Diana asked.
"Not really, no."
"Good. Me neither."
They climbed the last stretch together.
The summit was chaos. Wind screamed from every direction at once. Rain fell up in some places, sideways in others. And in the center of it all—
