Page 79 of Salt Between the Wolves

Far behind her, hidden among distant mountains, lay Ironfang, while ahead stretched unfamiliar land.

For a long moment she remained motionless as the wind tugged at her cloak and the bond stirred once more with nothing more than a quiet ache.

Eira looked back one final time before turning forward again.

By the following morning, winter had returned, and Eira noticed the change before she even opened her eyes.

The wind had strengthened during the night, rattling the branches above her shelter and carrying a deeper cold through the mountains, while snow had begun falling sometime before dawn, covering the ground in a thin white layer that softened the landscape and concealed the trail she had followed the day before.

For several moments she remained wrapped in her blanket, listening to the storm gathering strength beyond the trees, and the temptation to stay where she was lingered longer than she cared to admit.

Eventually she forced herself upright, knowing that the day would not become any easier simply because she delayed facing it.

Her horse greeted her with a low snort from beneath the pines where she had tethered it the night before, and both of them were dusted with fresh snow.

After rubbing warmth back into her hands, Eira began preparing for the road.

The mountains looked different beneath the storm, as the smaller details vanished first and distant peaks disappeared behind shifting curtains of snow. Valleys faded into whiteness, and familiar landmarks became increasingly difficult to distinguish.

By midday visibility had fallen considerably, while the wind arrived in sudden bursts strong enough to force her to lower her head and narrow her eyes against the blowing snow.

Although she considered stopping early more than once, she continued onward each time.

The road had become little more than a narrow path winding along the side of a steep slope, where loose stones hid beneath the snow and every step demanded careful attention.

The mountains seemed determined to remind her that they belonged to no one—not Ironfang, not Frostvein, and certainly not her.

The accident happened so quickly that she barely had time to understand what was happening.

One moment the mare was moving carefully across a rocky stretch of trail, and the next a hidden stone shifted beneath her hoof, causing the horse to stumble violently.

Eira barely had time to react before the world lurched sideways and vanished beneath her.

She hit the ground hard, and pain exploded through her left arm as she slid several feet across snow and loose rock before finally coming to a stop.

For several seconds she couldn't breathe as the sky spun above her and the wind roared somewhere in the distance, until the pain arrived in full force, sharp and immediate enough to make her squeeze her eyes shut while a curse escaped her lips.

The mare stood several yards away, frightened but unharmed, which meant that at least one of them had escaped the fall intact.

Slowly and carefully, Eira pushed herself upright, though the movement sent another wave of pain through her arm.

After several tentative movements she concluded that nothing was broken, though the arm was badly bruised and bleeding.

Looking down, she saw that a jagged rock had torn through her sleeve and left a long cut along her forearm.

The sight of blood against snow felt unpleasantly familiar.

For a brief moment she simply sat there while the wind tugged at her cloak, snow gathered in her hair, and the mountains remained entirely indifferent to her discomfort.

The thought that nobody was coming arrived with startling clarity.

If she wanted help, she would have to provide it herself.

Strangely, that realization steadied her.

Eira exhaled slowly, reached for her satchel, and found the healer's supplies exactly where she had packed them: bandages, salve, and clean cloth. They were simple, ordinary things, yet at that moment they felt invaluable.

Her hands shook slightly as she cleaned the wound, while the cold made every task more difficult and the wind seemed determined to slow her down.