Page 18 of Ice Magic

Ever since we’d crossed the Eiralpine Line, the wind had constantly moaned, from gentle and soft to a piercing shriek that bit deep to the core. The land was devoid of most vegetation, and seemed to be crafted from rocks and dirt and snow and ice, and the ever-present wind.

“No. They’re part of life here. All day and all night, they sweep through the barren peaks at the top of the world. I’ve been near the top of the tallest peak once, and it’s terrifying. It makes you giddy, watching down from the top of the world, and yet…I remember staring at the sheer drop, thinking how easy it would be to fly. I raised my arms, but my father stopped me. He grabbed hold of me and shook me out of it.”

I shuddered. “I thought life with the People of the Snow was rough. Now, it seems like a slow, easy life compared to what living conditions here must be. So, my people worship the Bear. What about the People of the Winds?”

“They worship the sky, they worship the clouds and the eagles and all birds of prey. And when their people die, they stack them on a high pyre of rocks and burn them under the night sky. They believe that the spirit flies free, but if the body is buried, then the spirit is trapped and will haunt the family. If they were killed, and it wasn’t an accident, they’ll haunt the murderer until they’re vindicated, dug up, and set free by fire.”

Bran pulled a blanket over us.

“I’m not going to sleep with you,” I said. “Not yet.”

“Do you want to?” he asked.

I nodded, cautiously leaning forward to place a kiss on his lips. “I think I do. I’ve never known a man that way before—I’ve never been interested. But you…I want you in ways I normallynever think about. But now is not the time. Especially when I could conceive and have no way to prevent it.”

“Then we’ll wait. I would not flaunt you in front of my men, either, when their loved ones are distant. They’re all worried about those they’ve left behind.” He wrapped his arms around me, leaning me back. “But a kiss…a kiss is acceptable.”

And then he kissed me, long and deep, with a delicious growl in his throat. His eyes burned like golden fire, and the pull to rip off his clothing was strong. I wanted nothing more than to ride him like a horse, to feel his bare flesh against me, to press my breasts against his chest. But I let the sensation wash over me, then gently pushed it away, sitting up again to shake off the desire.

“Soon,” he whispered. “As soon as we can…but until then, sleep in my arms. You need not fear that I’ll take advantage of you, and we’ll stay warm.”

I wanted to say yes, but I also knew how powerful passion could be when it woke up. I’d seen it in others, though not in myself. “I’d like that but no, Bran. I’ll sleep next to Fenling.”

He laughed. “You know she loves women, correct?”

I nodded. “Yes, but she loves me as a friend. I can tell the difference. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but I don’t necessarily trust myself.”

And so I called to Fenling when she returned, and Bran left to talk to San and Trin. Fenling snuggled down beside me on the furs, pulling several covers over us. Despite the cold and wind and the fact that we were open to any danger that might come creeping by, I slept deep. My dreams were of warm spring mornings out in the woods, and in them, Bran was by my side and two children ran laughing around us.

CHAPTER TEN

Morning arrivedand after a quick breakfast, we saddled up and began to move. I managed a quick kiss with Bran before he headed to the front. Fenling caught my eye, and a smile spread across her face. I leaned against Yaran, and he whinnied softly.

“So,” she said, moving to swing up on her horse. “You and Bran have come to some sort of agreement?”

I blushed, ducking my head. “I think we have.”

“I hope to someday call you my cousin-in-law.” She motioned for me to mount Yaran and we began to ride out, taking our place in the line of horses. Bran gave the call to move out and we were back on the road.

By midmorning, the road was starting to level out and up ahead were the horns of Fenkar’s Pass, as Fenling had described. On either side of the road, tall pillars of rock jutted out of the ground, black granite that ended in massive horns. They marked the entrance of the narrow pass, and beyond the pillars, sheer walls of rock rose towering into the sky, buttressing both sides of the road. The ominous passage made my stomach drop.

“You say this pass is guarded by rock elementals?” I asked, keeping my voice low. It felt like we were being watched and the last thing I wanted to do was draw attention to ourselves.

“Rock elementals, yes. And ice giants. Very few people come through here during the winter. During summer, they’re quieter, storing away energy.”

“How do we fight them?” I eyed the passage warily.

“We run like hell and hope to make it through. I don’t know if we have the power to fight them, but…if they come after us, your best bet is to use your bow on the ice giants. The rock elementals won’t take any damage from sharp objects—it takes hammers and maces to fight them. Some of the men have weapons that will work, so try to let them take on the elementals.”

Given we were now past the steep dropoff to the left, I moved up to ride beside Fenling. “Are the ice giants actually made of ice?”

“No,” she said. “They’re flesh and blood. But they’re massive, a lot like trolls.”

Bran rode back, motioning for all of us to form a circle with our horses. “If we’re lucky, we’ll make it through the pass without incident. If not, we’ll have a fight ahead of us. Ride quickly and quietly, don’t speak unless it’s necessary, and if something comes up behind us, break into a run. If we can avoid a fight, we survive. If we have to battle, we may not.”

With those words, he returned to the front and we entered the pass.

By midmorning,we were partway through the pass, and the sun had broken through the clouds as the wind whipped themacross the sky. It lifted my spirits to see the light, though it made it hard to see. The rock walls on either side of us were covered with snow, and it occurred to me that the danger of an avalanche was high. All that snow built up on such steep slopes couldn’t be stable.

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