Page 97 of The Blade in the Ashes
“Lucky us,” I muttered, my dark mood clear in my tone.
We’d been walking for what felt like an eternity, both mostly silent. There was nothing to say. No words would bring back Dimitri now. He had died, and we were here, so now all of our focus had to remain on conserving enough heat to stay alive. I would not allow him to die just so that I could freeze to death in the woods.
Part of my mind still lingered on the fact that I had used my powers.
It had been a tiny amount, in truth. A small spark compared to what I used to conjure. I’d continued to tug for it as we walked, but I didn’t seem to be able to bring it back to my fingertips.
But it was there.
The little magic that I had used was enough to prove that my powers weren’t gone completely.
And that was something.
Something to hang on to and hope for.
Nessira had severely depleted her own magic. She had spent too much of it burning down the castle to bring either of us very much warmth as we walked. It might have been a smarter decision to conserve her magic for our travels but watching that damned castle light up in brilliant plumes of smoke and flame had been worth it.
Even now I could smell the scent of ash in the air.
Nessira cleared her throat, glancing at me as snowflakes lingered on her dark lashes. “Where are we going?”
My footsteps slowed.
Eagirton. To Clay.
Only, that was a multiple-day trek, and it was already well into the night. I was exhausted, as was she. My broken wrist was still screaming in agony. And the temperature was still dropping.
We needed to rest and find shelter.
“How well do you know your geography?” I asked her.
A look of unease settled across her features, and she sighed, pointing ahead of us with slumped shoulders. “Nearest town is that way.”
Then that’s where we would be going.
I turned to resume walking, stopping only when her icy fingers wrapped around my forearm.
She sucked on her gums, releasing my arm. “Another eight miles that way.”
I muttered an expletive under my breath that had her head jerking towards me in surprise.
Eight miles would take us hours, if not an entire day.
We didn’t have that kind of time.
I should have thought of this. I should have planned to steal horses. I should have accounted for the weather and the distance to the next town.
But I hadn’t.
I’d been impulsive. Again.
Dimitri had died, and Nessira and I were going to freeze, all because I hadn’t thought the plan through enough.
Desperately I spun in a circle, searching for some kind of idea, but my thoughts were too muddled. I was too cold to think clearly. My head throbbed from the icy gusts of air as the snow came down harder around us.
Nessira looked to me, waiting for my orders, as she hugged herself, crouched over and shivering.
I didn’t know what to do.
