Page 195 of Wings of Ash & Flame
“Fine.Whatever transpired between Dawson and you last night was private.I apologize for implying otherwise.”
“Thank you.” She couldn’t remember Solflara ever apologizing before. Her phoenix took shit from no one—and truthfully, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Though there were things you said.Things we should talk about.”
They finally passed the edge of the massive ice crevasse they’d spotted from the mountain’s base.
“Saved by the frozen mountain.”
“This conversation is not over,Alaire.”
“Sure,Solf.”
She grunted.
The crevasse opened wide, a jagged wound in the earth. Carefully, they navigated its edge. One wrong step could send them plummeting into the abyss. Alaire’s heart hammered at the steady drop as the ice cracked beneath their feet.
“We have to be close,” Dawson said, his breath a frigid cloud.
As they rounded a bend, the crevasse widened, and Dawson stopped. When Alaire reached his side, she saw why. From far above, a pulsating glow refracted off the blinding snow. Nestled in an alcove behind a curtain of icicles, a singular flame burned blue. Something about it called to her. The familiar pull in her chest returned, drawing her forward.
“The winterflame,” Alaire murmured. “Do you know what it’s for?”
The flame seemed alive, pulsing with power. Each flicker tugged at her chest as if recognizing her presence.
“I’ve never heard of it. During our trials, we endured our share of tribulations, but no one ever had to retrieve a specific item.”
“I wonder why we have to now…”
He shrugged. “This trial is more challenging than even I anticipated.” Tucking his hands into the pockets of his leathers, he studied the flame intently. “I’ve never seen fire burn so blue. I’ll give them that. Why do you ask?”
“The flame feels like more. Special. There’s this odd tug here.” She placed a hand over her chest. “I’m not sure how to describe it. It feels both familiar and forgotten. Powerful and deadly.”
Silence.
“I sound outrageous. The altitude must be getting to me.”
Dawson shook his head. “No, you don’t. I’m just surprised you could sense that from this far away. The inscription didsay,Retrieve the objects and pass the test. Seems your line of thinking isn’t far off. There’s only one way to know for sure.”
“We have to go down there.” She scanned the rough terrain for a way down. Shielding her eyes with her hand, she squinted. All she could see was white and blue.
It would be easier if Solflara and Beck could swoop down, but they still couldn’t fly in this sector. She’d come to rely on Solflara’s presence and skill more than she realized.
“I’d be thankful for me too,” Solflara interjected.
“Stay out of my head!” Alaire shouted down the bond. She untangled the threads tying her to Solflara, raising her mental shield.
This was why they’d come all this way. She needed complete concentration.
With his fae vision, Dawson pointed to a narrow, icy trail that snaked down the crevasse’s side. “That looks like our best bet, but it’ll be tricky.”
They began their descent carefully, taking slow, deliberate steps. Alaire unsheathed one of her blades and forked it into the side for extra grip.
She smiled as she heard Dawson unsheath his broadsword behind her. Copycat.
Solflara’s talons dug into the ice as she went first, with Beck bringing up the rear. The path was treacherous. Each movement sent showers of ice and snow cascading into the depths below.
Halfway down, the trail narrowed further, transforming into a slick, steep slide. They could see their reflections in the sheen of ice.
