Page 102 of A Tale of Ice and Ash
“You know, I came down here the first time alone because I didn’t trust anyone not to report back to my mother and I didn’t know about the dangers. You did. Why did you come alone?”
“I’m faster alone,” she said. “I can usually outrun any danger.”
“Can’t argue there,” he said. “Butusually?”
“There have been some… close calls.”
Cole shook his head. “If I had support like yours, I’d lean on it all the time.”
“I don’t want to put them in danger.”
“It’s not selfish if they want to help you.” He held out his hand again. “Iwant to help you. And I can’t exactly get hurt helping you over a rock.”
Eirwen sighed, seizing his arm. “Fine.”
They stumbled onwards for a few more hours, Eirwen growing slower and more unsteady. She would almost certainly snap at him if he suggested a break, but they’d need to stop soon to pick at the handful of seeds they still had. At least water here wasn’t an issue, although the cavern didn’t stretch on much further. Soon they would be plunged into darkness once more.
Steam rose ahead of them, and Cole caught a scent of something unknown and familiar at the same time, almost like mint.
“What is that?” he sniffed.
“An underground hot spring,”Eirwen said matter-of-factly. “The minerals have a vaguely healing property; it smells slightly herbal, for some reason.”
“Healing?” He looked at her.
“No,” she said. “We’re not stopping to take abath.”
“Why not? We could do with a rest, and if it helps you–”
“I’mfine.”
“Of course you are.” He sighed, and clutched his shoulder. “Oh, ow! The pain! Woe is me!”
“What are you doing?”
“Exaggerating with humorous intent whilst playing on your innate kindness in an attempt to guilt you into resting in a hot spring. Is it working?”
“Not at all.”
“Come on, Snow. It’ll be good for us. And fun. Remember last night? You want me to be happy, right?”
“We can’t stop here. It’s indefensible. If shades attack–”
“We’re still in the path of daylight. We’ll be fine.”
Eirwen growled. She probably didn’t mean for the noise to be as delightful as it sounded. Cole did his best not to smile.
“If we die because we stopped to take a restin a hot springI’m going to be so annoyed with you,” she hissed.
“If I get to see you naked, it will be totally worth it.”
“There are easier ways to see me naked.”
“Oh really?” Cole arched an eyebrow. “Would you care to share them?”
She glared. “You turn your back whilst I change. And don’t swim too close.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
