Page 7 of A Shard of Ice

“We need to escape,” I tell both Zara and Kyrie. “We need to go now.” My best friend steps back, but I grab her hand. “Right now,” I tell her.

Kyrie shakes her head. “No. God’s bones! What in Kakara’s name is going on? I can’t leave with you. What happened to you?” She shakes her head again, her mouth wide with shock. Her eyes fill with more of the same.

“It’s still me,” I try to reassure her, but I can tell that it isn’t working.

“You’re one of them.” Her lip trembles. “You’re…you…”

“I’m not. We need to go.” I look over at Zara. “Run,” I tell her under my breath.

She stares at me for a few moments and then does as I say.

It’s snowing heavily, but it won’t last much longer. The storm is moving on. Within minutes, the sun will come out, and our chance will be gone.

“Come.” I drag Kyrie behind me, headed for the three camels that didn’t make the trip earlier. They’re fully tacked, including supplies to make the long journey. The salt take was less than anticipated. These beasts weren’t needed after all. It’s an opportunity we have to take.

“He looks like a fae,” someone shouts.

“Like one of them,” another one says.

“Taylor?” I recognize Lona’s voice; it’s filled with shock. “What—?” I don’t hear what she has to say because I hoist Kyrie into my arms, and I run.

“Let me go.” Kyrie fights against me, trying to get me to put her down.

I don’t. “It’s me,” I try hard to reassure her. “It’s still me. You have to trust me, please.”

“No, it isn’t you. It… You have pointy ears. Your eyes. Taylor, you’re a fae. You’re one of them. No!” She tries to break free, pounding my chest with her fist. Tears stream down her face.

“I’m taking a camel, and I’m leaving. We don’t have long before the storm clears and, with it, the confusion. It’s our chance to escape, Ky.”

I look up, noting that the snow isn’t falling as fast anymore. Our time is running out. The camels are just ahead. Heavy water skins hang from their saddles, along with leather bags of dried food and other supplies.

I put Kyrie down and drag her the last of the way.

“I’ll help you up.”

She shakes her head.

“Yes. Kyrie, you need to snap out of it. You will die if you stay.”

“Leave me alone!” she yells.

In one easy motion, I mount one of the camels, looking down at Kyrie. I stretch out my hand toward her. “Please come with me,” I urge. “It’s now or never.”

In front of us, Tom and Lona mount a camel. Tom spurs the animal into motion. Several people start fighting over the third beast. Cyrano kicks a man, knocking down a second, and then mounts the last camel. Several prisoners start toward us.

“Now!” I shout at her, still holding out my hand.

Kyrie nods once, clasping my hand, so I pull her up behind me, digging my heels into the camel, which bellows. The beast takes off in a slow lope while chaos erupts behind us.

“They’re escaping!” a guard shouts.

“Stop them!” another yells in a deep voice. “Hey, you! Stop!” he shouts. “You’ll die out there.”

I spur the camel on, hearing screams and shouts behind us. I don’t look back.

Ignoring the insanity behind us, I kick the camel on, steering it away from the mine and toward the vast expanse of the desert in the same direction the riders took this morning. The sun is beginning to break through the dissipating snow clouds, casting a golden light over the dunes.

We ride on and on, the camels carrying us swiftly away from the mine and the chaos we left behind. Lona and Tom are on one beast, and up ahead, Cyrano is on the other. I’m guessing he is faster because his beast isn’t weighed down by two people. He slowly edges away from us as the time ticks by.

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