Page 235

She turned back to her grandmother. “We still need you. I still need you.”

“Don’t ignore your heart, Iryana. I think I lost myself somewhere along the way, and I want more than that for you.”

She swallowed, but there was a lump caught in her throat.

“Grandmother…”

“Have I told you about Nikovek?” her grandmother asked.

Iryana blinked, trying to process the change in direction. “Grandfather? I’ve heard some.”

“He was a great man and a wonderful husband for a clan leader. You were barely a toddler when he died.” The First looked out at the sky wistfully. “I thought I would tell you both a few stories.”

It took a moment for her shock to wear off, for Iryana to realize this was her grandmother’s way of accepting Pyetar. She exchanged a look with Pyetar. There was a vulnerable, hopeful look in his eyes.

Iryana smiled. “I would love to hear them.”

“I would too,” Pyetar added.

The First smiled, looking off into the distance. “Nikovek had a gentle but fierce heart. One winter there was a fire in a village outside of Klees…”

She felt more at peace than she had in many years, even her magic seemed to have settled down for the time being. Iryana leaned into Pyetar’s side, a soft smile growing on her face as she listened.

They woke on the seventh day of the Lying Moon with just over a week left for Thelbiz and the others to stop Noshtiz. They packed up the alcove and headed out before the sun rose, hiking for hours.

Fog clung to the mountain that morning, slightly obscuring the ice caves. The entrances were dark gouges in the huge glacier that draped over the peak. But between them and those caves was the steep slope of a moraine field. They had to climb the unstable slope of boulders, loose rock, and sand to reach safety.

She tried to harness the strength she’d felt the night before, but in the face of how far they still had to go, it was hard.

It was a dangerous trek on the best of days, but it wasn’t a good morning for the climb. The sky was dark with clouds, the winds roared above them, and the air was a chorus of tinkling rocks as the shaking earth never fully calmed.

Iryana was in the rear guard with those keeping back the dakii climbing over the various ridges and through the passes, drawn to their magic. It was hard to believe so many of the beasts had flooded the mountains already. She worried about those in the Sky Valley, but she had to focus on her people here.

The lower slope was dotted with people trying to reach the top. The earth-forged led trails of people up the slope, zigzagging slowly, their earth magic helping guide their footing and solidifying the paths. The sled dogs slowly picked out other paths, trails of people following them. Iryana picked out her loved ones again. Uncle Dinhal and Major Tenar helped her grandmother, half carrying her up the steeper climbs. She picked out Misha helping Hadima, Vabihn helping his family, Tonhald and Teshya slowly passing Anara between them.

She winced as a climber triggered a small rockslide, knocking over those below them. No one had even reached the halfway point, and yet she saw many were helping limping climbers with twisted ankles or worse injuries. There were a few unmoving forms on the rocks too, people who had slipped and fallen. Perhaps hitting their heads.

A roar had her turning back to the scraggly pines below them and the dakii tearing through them.

She had no choice but to switch to her metal-forged bow, Pyetar jerking to watch her in alarm before having to focus back on the dakii. She aimed carefully, only shooting her arrow forgings when she was sure they would hit. Each one helped give those climbing the time they needed to do so safely.

The pain was worth it.

“I think it’s time we followed,” Pyetar called out to the few dozen guarding the slopes.

Vaneshta took over this part, having organized their climb last night. “Remember your groups! We alternate like any retreat. Group one, start climbing.”

Iryana let her bow dematerialize, her magics instantly thrashing, muted pain ripping through her from stomach to chest. It wasn’t as bad as it had been before, though Pyetar lunged to support her as she recovered.

“Don’t use your forgings,” he begged.

“We’re almost there,” she wheezed, catching her breath. “It’s fine.”

Once she was steady, she picked up her pack and the climbing sticks she’d made from branches earlier. She had also strapped a bundle of pine boughs to her pack, like everyone else. It was the only thing that would be between them and the ice and wet ground in the caves, assuming they made it there.

Pyetar could only sigh and nod at her, his own gear strapped to his back. “I know better than to argue with you.”

They moved up side by side. The unstable debris and rocks forced her to take small, purposeful steps on the balls of her feet. It was slow, exhausting progress, but Iryana tried to cover what ground she could before Vaneshta called for the groups to switch.