Page 98 of A Shard of Ice

“Good day,” I mumble, allowing myself to be led away. I want to look back, but I don’t.

“What was that? He seemed to recognize you.” Elsie is frowning heavily. “He said your name was Kyrie, which is just plain laughable.” She laughs but it’s wooden, like she’s concerned.

I shrug and smile. “He was mistaken. It happens. I’m sure that we humans must all look the same to the fae. Like I said, it’s different out there. Since he doesn’t look like the guards from around here, I’m assuming he’s from somewhere else.”

Why is Hali here?

I can’t believe my bad luck. What should I do? Maybe I should leave. It’s my first day here; I can’t just leave.

“You’re right; he’s not an icefae. Let’s forget about it. Silly man. Although, he seemed to realize his error. Let’s go and have a cup of hot chocolate. I’m sure my mom won’t mind watching the children for a little longer. I need to warm up before making the trip home. What about you?”

“I’m freezing. Hot chocolate?” I frown. “I’ve never heard of it.”

“You have to be kidding me.”

“No, I’m not.” I smile, trying to act normal, even though my mind is still racing at a mile a minute.

“You’ve never had hot chocolate?” Her eyes are wide, then she smiles. “You’re in for a treat, Sindy. Let’s go.” Packages in hand, we walk together to the other side of the market.

I pray that Hali bought our story. He seemed to, in the end. I hope he did. I have nowhere to go. Not right now.

33

Damon

I secure the last of the goods onto the gelding and then pat him on the neck.

“Ready?” I ask the horses.

Of course, they don’t answer but they seem eager to get out of the caves and back out in the open.

Missy tugs on the reins. I’ve secured Ranger so that he will follow the mare. He is carrying most of the goods, which frees her up to carry just me. That way, we should hopefully make good time once we are down the worst of the mountain.

I lead them from the cave, pushing aside the ivy and squinting against the muted light. There are no clouds to speak of. The snow is deep; it crunches beneath my boots as I walk.

I pause, not convinced that the narrow gorge will be navigable in such deep footing. There is only one way to find out. I’ve dallied too long.

I mount up. Then I take a deep breath, looking back. The Ice Court isn’t far away.

“Goodbye, love,” I whisper.

Then I urge Missy forward, leading the way through the thick snow. The mare seems sure-footed despite the challenging terrain, her hooves sinking into the powdery snow and leaving deep imprints behind us. Ranger follows close behind.

It doesn’t take long to reach the narrow gorge; the towering cliffs loom overhead. The snow is deep. Almost too deep, perhaps.

I nudge Missy with my heels, and she walks forward. After a short while, the snow is almost as deep as the tops of her legs.

I dismount, assessing the situation. The gorge ahead is a daunting sight, with walls slick from the meltwater that trickles down in rivulets, freezing into icy patches along the sheer rock faces. The snowfall has made the trail nearly impassable, and my heart sinks at the thought of navigating this treacherous terrain.

Glancing back at Ranger, I see that he is struggling even more, with the snow touching his chest and belly. With a heavy sigh, I realize that attempting to traverse the gorge in these conditions would be foolhardy at best. I need to find another way around.

There isn’t one that I know of.

Leading Missy and Ranger back from the gorge’s edge, I decide to search for an alternate route on higher ground. I am eager to be on my way.

Kyrie

“Pass me the salt, please, Sindy.” After a pause, Elsie says, “Sindy! The salt, please.”

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