Page 92 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
“I’ll tell the Commander. Maybe there are more guests up there, apart fromher.” She suddenly sounded serious. “Too many strange things have been happening lately. I swear I can sometimes hear a strange hum rattling my shop.”
So I hadn’t imagined it. She didn’t mention the strange lights, but maybe that was a common occurrence here. My skin still pricked–that jagged line of light hadn’t wanted me to reach the market.
“The wells have been drying out, too,” she went on, now almost whispering. “And it hasn’t snowed as much as it should have.”
“You have toomuchsnow,” the courier said and cooed at his horse, who still neighed up a storm, as if trying to warn him they were stowing an intruder.
“Never too much, only too little. Our rivers and forests need it.” She sighed. “Thank you for your help.”
“No worries. Same time tomorrow?”
They finished exchanging pleasantries and I felt the carriage dip as he got on in the front. The horse neighed louder.
“Don’t worry, the fire’s out,” he cooed. It warmed my heart and made me feel even lousier for using him. “We’ll be home by midnight and I’ll get you some barley, how about that?”
I listened to the muffled movements of the reins, heart curling with dread.
Any moment now, my plan could be foiled.
The wagon flap would be whipped to the side and the Commander would stand there in all his glory, narrowing his disappointed eyes at me. Or worse, taking away all of my roaming privileges. I’d never get back to my Clan then.
I waited, every breath coming out staggered, as the courier readjusted his seat, the wood groaning around me.
Then finally, the carriage began to roll.
The horse’s hoofs smacked the pavement.
The jars clinked.
And instead of rejoicing my plan had worked against all odds, an unnerving dread settled in my bones.
I’d gotten so far, but a bigger obstacle waited before me.
I had no clue where I was heading or when I needed to jump out of the carriage.
But nothing and no one would stop me from reuniting with my Clan.
Not the wilderness I’d most certainly have to face.
Not the Blood Brotherhood warriors who will be scouting the entire city after they discovered I’d left.
And certainly not the sudden guilt and remorse at leaving this place behind.
My Clan needed me–and I had to doanythingto save it.
Chapter
Seventeen
ALLIE
The smell of sheep clung to my nose hairs and had seared so deep inside my brain, even thinking about eating mutton again made me retch.
Despite the cold beating against the wagon’s shell, a sliver of sunlight snuck through a crack in the wood and canvas, hitting me right in the face and heating me up. With the limited space, no matter which way I moved my head, the sunlight still stung a long gash across my cheek and forehead.
It also offered a much needed view to the outside. I only had that and faith in my own abilities to guide me.
Once the sky turned dark and the stars glittered, I could use them.
