Page 97 of Horn of Winter

He squatted beside her then carefully rolled her onto her back. I couldn’t help but gasp. One side of her face was completely covered by a network of tiny red welts that resembled a river and its tributaries. They extended down her neck and across one breast, which was visible thanks to her sweater and a portion of her bra being burned away. There were other patches of burning dotted across the rest of her clothing, and I really didn’t dare look closer to see if the revealed skin bore the same sort of scarring.

The horn—which was indeed whole—remained clenched in her left hand, but her fingers were seemingly welded to it by bands of ice. Given they hadn’t existed when second sight had shown me her location in the café, it must have happened when death had claimed her. Perhaps it was a means of not being parted from the person who’d abused its power—a way of ensuring the abuser’s body and soul could be claimed by Borrhás. Godly relics often had minds of their own, so it was entirely possible.

“It looks like she’ll have to be moved as is,” Mathi said. “And that’s not going to be easy.”

“The whole carrying her across several rooftops and then getting her down that fire escape aside, someone is bound to report us carrying a dead person through the streets.”

“Indeed, which is why our best bet is to not walk across the roof or through the streets at all.”

“But how—’ I stopped. “Company helicopter? Isn’t this area out of bounds for all air traffic except for emergency air evacs?”

“I can get special dispensation from the council if necessary, but it might?—”

“Special dispensation could take days, and to repeat, we haven’t got that long.”

“You forget we’ve been tasked with returning?—”

“To Borrhás, not the council.”

He rolled his eyes. “Seriously, can you just let me finish a sentence?”

I couldn’t help the smile that tugged briefly at my lips. “I could; not sure that I will.”

Amusement briefly echoed in his eyes. “The minute they hear Liadon has been tasked by the god himself to retrieve his artifact, they’ll work with inhuman speed to get us all that we need. Which, in this case, is a fire ladder to get us all off this roof, and either an ambulance or a morgue van to transport us and the body over to the council’s building.”

“And while you arrange all that, I will drink water and eat the rest of this block of chocolate.”

“Thewholeblock?”

“You should have seen how many blocks I went through when we broke up.”

He shook his head, got out his phone, and started making calls. I retreated to the other side of the roof and sat down to eat, drink, and rest. By the time the fire brigade had arrived, I’d completed my self-assigned tasks but didn’t really feel any better. Only a good ten hours—or more—of sleep would do that.

But actual sleep wasn’t something I was going to get all that much of... unconsciousness was another matter entirely.

I frowned at the thought but didn’t have the chance to chase it down as Mathi walked over. “They’re raising the ladder now. Once we’re down and Martha has been removed, a morgue vehicle will transfer us all over to the council’s headquarters. Dhruv Eadevane will meet us in the foyer to witness and document the horn’s return.”

“I’m sure Liadon would make a note of it.”

“No doubt, but they nevertheless want to make their own record of it in case anything is said in the future.”

I personally thought it was a little too late for them to be worrying about future records, but I wasn’t about to say that to any of them. Eadevane seemed friendly enough now that I’d spoken to him outside the confines of the council chambers, and I needed all the friends I could get there, especially if, after the coronation, Cynwrig stepped away from it.

I really hoped he didn’t. Even if our relationship was doomed, it would still be nice to see him—talk to him—occasionally.

“Come on, up you get.” Mathi held out a hand. “The sooner we get this task done, the sooner you can get to your hotel and get some rest.”

I put my hand in his and once again he hauled me up easily. “I need to return home first—I left my overnight bags there.”

“That might not be safe.”

“The tavern is full of people. If my aunt intended to send anyone after me, she’d only do so when the place was closed and there were no possible witnesses. As long as I’m gone well before that happens, it’ll be fine.”

“Famous last words,” he growled, but didn’t actually argue.

We were roped up, then sent down the ladder and escorted over to the morgue truck, which was nothing more than a basic white van in appearance. A stretcher and a shroud were sent up to the roof, and a few minutes later she was brought back down and carried over to the van. Once they’d placed her on a trolley and closed the rear door, we climbed into the front and were soon underway. The driver didn’t speak—perhaps he’d been told not to—but he did make record time getting over to the council building, despite the traffic.

Once there, he opened the rear door, pulled out the trolley, and motioned Mathi to take over. He did so, quickly wheelingover to the main doors, which the guard was already holding open.

---