Page 29 of A Kiss of Frost

“Is there a problem, zeretta?” he whispered in her ear, his warm breath sending a pleasant shiver down her spine.

“Not really. We have plenty of food. I was just wishing I could make something special for the children for the holiday.”

“I would also enjoy something special.”

She grinned. “I’m sure you would. Johnny mentioned that there are more supplies in the cave at the foot of the glacier and I was wondering if I should go and investigate.”

“Not on your own,” he said firmly, walking over to the shutters. “We still have several hours of daylight. How far is it to this cave?”

“I’m not sure. Johnny, where is the cave you mentioned? Is it far?”

“Nah. I could do it in fifteen minutes. It’d probably take you at least twenty,” he added, but he was smiling as he said it.

“Then this would be an ideal time.” Jack looked at the boy and something clearly passed between them. “I know you will take care of our family while we are gone.”

Our family.Unexpected tears threatened to spill down her cheeks and she hastily began her outdoor preparations to distract herself from the sudden longing. While she made a list of things it would be nice to have, Johnny brought out the makeshift sled he used to transport goods.

They stepped outside, Keffi joining them at the last moment. Jack lifted the little creature to his shoulder as he frowned up at the sky.

“I do not like to look of those clouds.”

They loomed low and heavy, pregnant with snow, but they didn’t seem much worse than normal.

“I expect it will snow again tonight, but we always seem to have a clear period in the afternoon. And besides, it doesn’t sound like it’s very far.”

Johnny had directed them back through the rear of the trading post and across a sparsely wooded area at the base of the mountains. The ice sheet ended in a tumble of rocks and fallen trees and the opening was difficult to spot at first, but Johnny’s instructions were clear and Jack quickly found the half hidden opening.

The passage was dark and foreboding, and she hesitated, stepping closer to Jack. He took her hand and smiled down at her and she relaxed. She had brought her small torch and used it to light the way into the narrow entrance. He gave it an approving glance as they walked down the tunnel.

“I see you do have some technology.”

“Less and less each year. I don’t know how long it will be before the power in the torch fails, but I won’t have any way of restoring it.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “I may be able to assist with that.”

“You’re going to share some of your precious Tandroki technology?” she teased.

“I will share everything I have with you,” he said solemnly, and there went her foolish heart again.

She bit her lip but before she could think of a response, the passageway suddenly widened and they stepped through into an enormous cavern. The size of the cavern was readily apparent because as soon as they crossed the threshold, floor level lighting began to glow, outlining the space and running down racks and racks of goods. A number of the racks were already empty but a vast amount of supplies still remained, and she gasped. Many of the items she saw were increasingly rare or impossible to find.

“I can’t believe no one ever knew this existed. Some of these racks contain items valuable enough to make someone’s fortune.”

“Is that what you want?” he asked. “I will be happy to assist you in retrieving them.”

“I don’t know. It would be nice to have enough funds to purchase a house for Merry and the children.”And you, she thought, but didn’t quite have the courage to add. “But we get all kinds of people traveling with the caravan. Some whose fortunes are improving and some who have lost everything. I’m not sure that wealth made any of them happy.”

“That has been my experience as well.”

The haunted look was back on his face and she remembered what he had said about belonging to a Great House. Had he been wealthy once?

“And I’m cynical enough to know that the more you have, the more some people will try to take it from you,” she added. “People like my father.”

“He does not sound like a desirable parent,” he said, tugging the sled behind them as she set off across the smooth stone floor to find the food supplies.

“He most certainly is not. But he can fool a lot of people.”

“What do you mean?”

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