The waiting shelf was sheltered from the wind, but it was not a place Nova wanted to spend another night. The stone beneath their feet had trembled twice since they brought Ivo down from the ledge, and the grey growth was already probing the cracks beyond the rail. It had not reached the shelf. That was the only reason they had time to decide how to leave.
Ivo sat against the inner wall, his swollen ankle resting on Vessa's folded cloak. He had eaten a little and drunk another cup of water, though every movement made him wince.
"I can walk if you give me a stick," Ivo said when Nova returned from checking the upper exit.
Vessa looked at his ankle. "You couldn't stand long enough to climb off the ledge. What's changed?"
"I'm closer to home. It helps."
"Not with broken bones, it doesn't."
Nova examined an old survey bench. Its top had rotted, but two narrow supporting rails were still sound, and neither was attached to the wall.
