Page 265 of Salt Between the Wolves

Kael exhaled. "You know what I hate most about this?"

Soren already suspected, but the younger man answered anyway.

"That if she were here, she'd force you to answer every question you've avoided for the last month."

The smile vanished entirely. Neither spoke as the mountains stretched endlessly around them—white, silent, unforgiving.

For reasons Soren preferred not to examine, hearing Eira mentioned still felt like discovering a wound that had never properly healed, not sharp or new, simply there, always there.

Kael noticed the reaction, of course he did, and his expression softened slightly.

"Still nothing?"

"No." There had been no letters, no messengers, no word, and the answer felt heavier than it should have.

Kael nodded once, then looked back toward the southern pass. "She's stubborn."

"Yes."

"You're worse."

"Probably."

A brief silence followed before Kael frowned. "Do you think she'll come back?"

The question landed differently, not because it was unexpected, but because Soren had stopped allowing himself to ask it.

For a long moment he watched snow drift through the valley below, then answered honestly. "I don't know."

The words surprised neither of them, because they were true.

Kael studied him. "That's progress."

Soren glanced at him. "How?"

"A month ago you would've said no."

Before Soren could answer, a shout rose from below—one of the scouts, urgent. Both men turned immediately.

A rider was already descending the southern slope at full speed, snow scattering beneath the horse's hooves. The camp reacted instantly as warriors stood and hands moved toward weapons.

The rider reached them moments later, breathing hard, his face pale from cold and haste. He dismounted before the horse fully stopped.

"Alpha."

Soren stepped forward. The scout swallowed once, then delivered the report.

"Frostvein crossed the eastern ridge at dawn."

The camp fell silent.

"Numbers?"

"More than we expected."

Soren nodded, not surprised, only disappointed.

The scout continued. "They're moving toward White Pass."