Her reply, if she gave one, was too quiet; the river drowned it out, cocooning them in white noise. But Raven's body language was more than enough to go by and said more than her words did--she was inching along stiffly, obviously unsure of her footing. It made him suddenly glad she'd called his bluff, because now he was able to steady her.

Maybe she actually had wanted to hold onto him for this reason. Even if that were true he didn't think she'd admit it.

Her grip was vice-like, and only grew tighter as they creeped onward past the halfway point. He didn't complain. She was a survivor, she'd said so herself, but he knew she couldn't swim and might not have any physical training under her belt. It would be stranger if she wasn't cautious about keeping a balancing act on this bloody deathtrap.

Planks finally gave way to the squelching mud of the shore, and they stepped off onto the opposite bank no worse for wear. "Made it one piece. That wasn't so bad," he announced blithely. It was a chance for Raven to agree--

And to realize she was still clutching his hand.