Page 89 of A Shard of Ice

“Be gone! Go or die!”

With a final howl, they turn and run back into the snowstorm, disappearing from sight.

I breathe a sigh of relief, my heart rate finally starting to slow down. I look over at Damon, who is sheathing his swords andwalking toward me with a tired but satisfied expression on his face.

As he gets to me, I hug him close. “You did it.”

He pulls me in close, resting his head against the top of mine. It feels so good to be wrapped up in his warm embrace. I close my eyes, feeling warm for the first time since we left Grigor’s farm.

He pulls away a fraction, his gaze going to my mouth, where it lingers. I see him wrestle with himself. All I want is for him to kiss me, but he doesn’t. Instead, he gives a sad smile and releases me. “We should get going. Make sure you memorize the terrain so that you can find the gully again.”

“I will,” I say as we mount up. My heart gets heavier with every step my horse takes.

30

Kyrie

“Are you sure they’ll be okay?” My voice echoes within the dark tunnels, the entrance to which is so obscured by thick ivy that if you didn’t know it was there, you wouldn’t be able to find it.

Right now, we’re deep inside the tunnel. The horses are untacked and secured in one of several corrals down here. There are some basic supplies like blankets, lanterns, and candles stocked in a closet down here. There’s also some horse tack and other supplies. It’s clear to see from the layer of dust that no one has used this space in a long time.

It is still functional and will serve its purpose. At least, I hope it will. I look at Ranger and Missy, feeling a pang. They did so well in getting us here.

“That ice will melt soon enough, and they’ll have water.” Damon points at the pails he filled with freshly fallen snow. There are two in each corral.

They’re happily munching on the grain we brought with us. They look fine…happy, even.

“Besides,” Damon adds, “I won’t be gone all that long. I’ll get you inside and make sure you’re safe, and then I’ll head out. It’ll be a couple of hours at best and perhaps for the night at worst.”

I nod. “You’re right; that isn’t bad at all. At least, they’re dry and warm with some food in their bellies.”

My chest aches somewhere in the vicinity of my heart. Our time together is very nearly at an end.

A couple of hours.

It’s nowhere near long enough.

We each take a lantern and start down the long, dark passageway. Damon finds my hand and clutches it. I clutch his right back.

Initially, the tunnels were warm, but as we walk, it gets colder and colder. I note that the walls are now covered in ice. They gleam against the light from the lanterns. The air turns crisp and frigid, my breath frosting. Our footsteps echo off the walls.

“Make sure you go straight.” He points at an opening to our right. “There are several of these going in both directions.” As he says it, we pass a tunnel opening to our left. “Stay straight to get to the Ice Court and then straight when coming back to the tunnel we entered through. You can get lost down here and never find your way out.”

I shiver internally at the thought. “Got it. Stay straight in the main tunnel.”

“Also, all of the courts are contained by a dome. The domes were put in place after Snow took over. Do you know about them?”

“Yes, humans can’t pass through on their own; they need to be accompanied by a fae.”

“That’s right. The dome is in place above the ground, directly over the Ice Court and surrounding lands, but not so below it. You will be able to pass through in this tunnel on your own. Donot try to run over land; you won’t be able to escape that way. The dome will block you.”

“Understood.” It isn’t something I’d thought about, but it makes complete sense.

Finally, we arrive at a large set of doors carved with intricate ice patterns. The cold is even more intense here.

“Are you ready, Ky?” Damon whispers.

I nod, my heart pounding in my chest. This is it – the Ice Court. My new home, if all goes well.

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