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“I thought there would be a way to fix it before it mattered.” She took a steadying breath. “And I have a duty to my people! I will not squander my life, but I will not safeguard it at their expense.”

Pyetar just stared until Iryana finally met his eyes. Those ice-blue depths burned.

“If we can learn anything, anything at all, even if we can’t change Thelbiz’s mind, that would be the best thing for the brigades, yes?” She swallowed, trying to hide her desperation. “I’m going regardless, but I could use your help. So… are you coming with me, or am I going alone?”

“Let me talk to the major.” Pyetar sighed. “I would never risk your life like this. If it’s in my power, I will always be there to protect you.”

Iryana sagged with relief.

Thankfully, Major Tenar was more than happy to take over Pyetar’s preparations. She understood why Vaneshta didn’t like it, but the gods’ war was so far above them. And she needed Pyetar.

Iryana led them through the snow-covered forest, pulled by the god’s mark on her chest. It was slow and gradual, but she could feel the tug growing stronger as they grew closer to Thelbiz.

The Endless Moon, the first month of the new year, was, as its name suggested, a month where the cold dragged on endlessly. Despite all their fire-imbued gear and the imbued lantern to ward off the worst of the cold at night, Iryana hadn’t felt truly warm since they’d left the fortress.

The snow was deep and dry, and the winds were nearly constant, blowing snow even when the sky was clear. They had brought their largest snowshoes, shaped more like long ovals than the teardrops she would use on denser snow or packed trails. The dry snow was fluffier, and the larger snowshoes let them stay afloat instead of sinking deep into the drifts. The howling wind snatched away the sound anytime they tried to talk.

Movement was tremendously slow.

There’d been a part of her that worried the forests were too dangerous to enter. They’d managed to avoid being sensed by several dakii packs, and they’d only had to fight the occasional lone dakya when it got a good enough whiff of their metal magic. The fox-serpents watched them curiously, and the bears didn’t even look at them. It was like they were waiting, a tension to the icy landscape that scared her more than anything else. It felt like they were running out of time.

The farther they walked, the clearer it became that the world was morphing before their eyes.

Strange water lilies, encased in ice, dotted the banks of some of the rivers they passed. Where there once stood pine forests, dense thickets forced them to go around. They’d even come across a bubbling hot spot in the middle of a meadow that hadn’t been there before. She was sure the thickets and water lilies were dangerous, just like the poppies and the hot springs. A side effect of the gods creating their armies and spies.

Pyetar marched dutifully at her side, constantly on alert. They slept tightly entwined, conserving body heat, though it was too cold to do much else. Still, Iryana would cherish it while she could. Like her sisters had recommended.

Two days before the full moon, Iryana and Pyetar had to pass through one of the open areas the massive packs of dakii frequently roamed.

Iryana looked out at the expanse of snow that separated them from more forest. It was little more than a flat field, but the snow wasn’t a clean blanket of white with how many times large paws had torn it up. The closest thing to cover was a few boulders.

“That will take forever to cross,” she pointed out, paling. “What if a pack comes?”

“You’re sure the mark is pulling you to the other side?”

She nodded. There was no denying it.

“We just don’t let them see us,” Pyetar said, as if it were that simple. She could see how tense he was, though, and that undid the comfort of his words.

They listened for a few minutes, trying to pick out any possible sounds of approaching packs.

“It’s clear,” Pyetar told her, his voice quieter than it probably needed to be, and led her out into the field.

All she could hear was the howl of the wind and the crunch of snow beneath her snowshoes, but she still stayed silent as they crossed.

They were so exposed and it felt like she was being watched from the trees. They moved at a brisk but steady pace, not fast enough to really strain them, but she could already feel her skin breaking out in sweat. She was so nervous.

At least she didn’t have to do it alone.

She looked back. Fortunately their tracks were hard to pick out from how disturbed the snow already was.

As they neared one of the jutting rocks, about a quarter of the way across, Iryana noticed a figure entering the clearing across from them. They were darting quickly across the field. A black belt was tied around their middle.

“Is that one of your—”

Pyetar’s hand clamped around her mouth as he yanked her down in the snow beside the boulder. There was a small overhang and he shoved her under it, crouching down beside her. Iryana thrashed, not understanding as he piled snow up to shield them with his free hand.

“Stop moving,” he growled with a whisper.