Page 168 of The Cradle of Ice
He was proven right a short time later when the skiff slid out of the tunnel and into a vast, empty void. The world vanished ahead of them. The tiny firepot revealed only a stretch of dark sea, spreading endlessly beyond the prow.
But this chasm wasn’t a cavern.
“I see stars,” Jace said.
Daal craned his neck. Far above, there was no roof. Winds whipped across a distant opening, creating that howl. They had sailed into another rift in the Ice Shield, like the giant fissure that opened into the Crèche.
Still, that’s not what drew a gasp from Daal.
Far above, bright gems twinkled.
Stars …
All his life, he had never been allowed to travel with the village men as they hauled carcasses to the top of the ice as an offering to the raash’ke. So, he’d never witnessed the open sky before. While some of Nyx’s memories had revealed such a glittering wonder, it was nothing like seeing it firsthand.
“They’re amazing,” he whispered.
The sight of that shining splendor stirred hope inside him.
If such beauty exists, anything is possible.
Still, he could not forget how a nest of worms had almost ended their journey. And far worse lay ahead of them.
Then, as if to further dim any optimism, a low roar cut through the wail of the winds. The seas shook again. Distant ice cracked.
Another quake.
Daal held his breath, but it ended quickly and with far less violence.
Just a warning from the gods to hurry.
As he exhaled his relief, he stared past the stern, praying that the path home would remain open long enough for them to return.
Next to him, Nyx stared forward, focused ahead, not behind.
Still, Daal pictured who lay behind them: his mother and father, his sister, Henna, even Nyx’s companions, who were closer to his heart after his sharing of Nyx’s life.
With all the quakes and terrors along this journey, he cast out a brief prayer back home.
Please be safe.
67
RHAIF WAITED FOR the sands to stop dancing across the beach. As he held his breath, he balanced on his crutch, riding out the minor quake—praying for it to stay minor. It was the second tremblor since the violent shake that had toppled walls and collapsed homes in Iskar. To make matters worse, that big quake had sent a huge swell across the town, wreaking more damage to a village that had sustained so much misery already.
At least, this time it wasn’t our fault.
The sands finally settled around him. He looked to Kalder for confirmation. The vargr had stiffened a moment ago, as if sensing what was coming. Prior to the massive quake, Kalder had howled in warning—not that anyone understood him until the ground began to heave and roll.
Steps away, the vargr paced a few wary circles, but his hackles slowly smoothed across his back.
Rhaif called over to Floraan and Henna. “Kalder says it’s over.”
“At least for now,” Fenn added from Rhaif’s other side. The navigator glared at the sea, as if daring it to surge toward him.
“Let’s pray that’s the end of it,” Floraan said.
Henna still clung to her mother’s arm, hugging tight to her leg.
