Page 210 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
“Then let’s hope he does it soon.” Ryker reached out behind him and produced a beautiful dagger. Steel blade that didn’t look like it had sliced through anything yet, but sharp enough that it would slash through bone. Its pommel had been sculpted out of deer antler, sleek and curved.
But it looked almost ridiculously small in Ryker’s palm.
“I know you prefer arrows, but a blade never hurts when used properly,” he said, uncertain. “I had it made for you.”
“Me?” I asked, voice shaky, like a youngling presented with a flower from the first boy she fancied.
“Don’t know any other Huntress.” A corner of his mouth ticked up, even if it looked tense. “To replace the knife you sharpened on the balcony.”
My eyes widened. “You heard that?”
“I was waiting for you to swallow your pride and ask for a proper weapon. I hadn’t quite understood your pride back then.”
He handed me the dagger and I took it gingerly, like the grand gift it was. The pommel fit perfectly in my right palm. I balanced it on my pointer finger–it didn’t sway an inch.
“Thank you.” I gave him the first real smile of the day, though small and weary. “Now to find a place to hide it.”
“I’m sure that beautiful mind of yours can concoct a place nobody would think to check.”
I nodded at his baldric, still devoid of weapons. “Where do you keep yours?”
“You’re not the only one with secrets, Huntress.” A muscle twitched in his face; a smirk, but not quite. “Best get ready, today will be a long journey.”
My shoulders quaked as a shiver raced up my spine. I remembered the journey all too well. “I doubt even war horses could make the trip twice in a day.”
The honey cart hadn’t exactly moved at a wind’s pace, but the distance was a full day.
Ryker raised one of his brows at me as the entrance to the fortress crowded with the warriors setting off on the journey with us. “We don’t use horses in Solkar’s Reach.”
He tensed his lips and pressed two fingers against them, whistling hard enough to shake the snow off the closest pines.
A second later, heavy paws thundered against the pavement. On instinct, I pressed closer to Ryker, watching in amazement as packs of those wild hounds rushed toward us, tongues wagging.
Each dozen of them were harnessed to long sleds covered in furs and supplies.
They all halted in the same row, right by the stairs, wagging their tails as if their brethren hadn’t hunted me and Nadya down the streets weeks ago.
“You’re kidding,” I dead-panned. “These vicious beasts are taking us there?”
“Thesevicious beasts are so well trained, not even Nadya fears them.”
Judging by the way Nadya’s gaze was throwing daggers at their wagging tails, I seriously doubted it. Ryker must have sensed it, because he flicked his fingers and all the wolf-hounds sat down on their bellies in perfect synchronization.
That eased some of the apprehension, but not all of it.
“At least you’ll be on the same sled as me,” I said, then quickly looked up at him. “I mean, I assume–”
“Don’t worry,” he said gently. “And no, I’m leading you by foot.”
Right. Becausehecould move as fast as the wind.
“I can’t drive a sled.” I’d be better off jumping on one of the wolves’ backs and taking my chances with the gods of death.
“Luckily, Nadya can,” he said. “Best way to tackle a fear is to face it.”
I gulped. “You sure do love your tough love in this crater.”
“It’s worked for centuries. And don’t worry, all you need to do is lounge around among the furs and try not to fall off.”
