Page 100 of Realm of Thieves

“This isn’t the only reason. See that light at the end of the tunnel?”

I look over Onyx’s head and see a small white spot at the end of the darkness, getting larger and larger as we move toward it. It’s also getting brighter, not from the sun, but as if the white is expanding until the glowferns fade away and the walls of the cave recede.

I put a hand in front of my face and wince at the harsh light, just as the coldest wind I’ve ever felt hits us like a hurricane. I close my eyes to the sting of it, Andor wrapping his arms around me tightly. “You’ll get used to the cold,” he whispers in my ear. “Take your time and open your eyes.”

Onyx walks for a few more feet, a strange yet familiar shuffling sound coming from his movement that reminds me a little of a camel in the desert, then comes to a stop, snorting loudly.

Lemi barks and I hear the galumphing of his run.

I pry my eyes open.

Like before, I can barely see, having to squint through my eyelashes at the glare.

Then my eyes start to get used to it.

And I realize that white is everywhere around us, blanketing the ground beneath us in waves of ivory, glittering like tiny gemstones, frosting the boughs of the tallest trees, and falling in flakes onto my arms and nose and hair.

“Is this…is this…?” I can’t even form the words properly, watching as Lemi’s black form speeds through it, white fluff kicked up in his wake and clearly having the time of his life. I look down at my own hand as a flake lands on it, a cold kiss that takes a few moments before it melts away, leaving a faint trace of glitter.

“Snow,” Andor says. “I know how excited you were to see rain. I thought perhaps this might be the first time you’ve ever seen snow.”

“It is,” I say, my breath making a frosted cloud in the air. I’m cold but it seems worth it to experience this. Everywhere I look, snow covers the land, from where we stand at the mountainside, across the tall trees that flank a wide expanse that undulates gently to the shore ofa bright blue lake that has steam rising from it and the tall icy mountains on the other side. All of it shimmers like crushed crystals.

“I didn’t think snow was so glimmering, though,” I say, looking at where the melted snow has left shiny patches on my hands and in Onyx’s mane.

“It’s normally not,” Andor explains. “Lake Efst has always had an unusual weather system. It snows here year-round, even in the middle of summer. But you’ll notice the lake is not frozen over. There are volcanic vents at the bottom, deep, deep down, that keep the lake comfortably warm at all times, and those vents shoot out crushed firestones into the water. The material floats to the surface and from there the wind seems to pick it up, take it into the clouds, and there you go. Comes down as glittery snow.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Figures you wouldn’t show me normal snow.”

“Only the best for you. Now, I’m curious. How well do you think you’d do in a snowball fight?”

I glance at him over my shoulder. The snow gathered in his black hair makes it look like it’s adorned with rhinestones, a delightful contrast to his scruffy beard. “Considering I’ve never had a snowball fight before…I’ll probably beat you.”

He grins, all cocky, boyish charm, and pushes himself back until he’s sliding off the rump of the horse. He’s then at my side, arms out to help me dismount from Onyx. Thankfully I do that a little more gracefully than I did trying to mount him.

Lemi comes galloping over to me, tail wagging, and Andor quickly scoops up snow in his palm, rounding it into a ball before throwing it. Lemi barks and runs after the ball even though it sinks into the snow and disappears.

I waste no time and do what Andor did, the snow ice-cold against my skin. It’s a little grittier than I thought it would be, making it easier to quickly form into a ball. Before Andor even has a chance toface me, I ping the ball at the back of his head—hard. It explodes and he gives a playful yelp as he whirls around.

“Does that count as a point?” I say. Then before he can come at me I duck under Onyx’s neck and start running for the nearest rock that’s jutting out of the snow, trying to take shelter behind it.

“You’re dead,” he says, staying behind Onyx and using him as a shield. His horse is patient, letting Andor crouch down and scoop up snowballs, not even flinching when I lob my own icy projectiles at him, even when my aim is off and they accidentally hit the horse, leaving pops of glitter like shooting stars.

“You’re not playing fair!” I yell at him, ducking just in time as his snowball blasts the side of the rock, showering icy pellets over me. “Using your horse as a hostage!”

“How would you know what’s fair? You haven’t played this game before!” he shouts, and I pelt him with another ball. This time it soars over Onyx’s back and I know it hits Andor right on the head.

We keep at this for a while until finally I’ve had enough. I take the risk and suddenly stand up, exposing myself to Andor’s assault as I start waving my arms at Onyx. “Go on, get!” I yell.

Onyx’s ears flicker back and forth for a moment; he doesn’t seem too threatened by me, until Lemi suddenly shifts right beside him, letting out a loud bark.

Onyx rears and takes off at a trot, heading right down to the lake.

“That’s our ride back!” Andor yells, wildly gesturing to the runaway.

But it doesn’t matter because now I’ve got him.

I start lobbing as many snowballs as possible at him while he tries to do the same, staggering through the snow toward me. I get him square in the face more than once and by the time he’s at the rock, his face is caked in shimmering white.

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