Chapter Thirteen

Gray clouds snuffed out the sunlight and any speck of the blue sky, but Yasmin could do nothing about the impending storm. She glanced over her shoulder to find Ravi behind her. Her lungs burned from the cold air, and her legs wobbled, threatening to buckle with every step. Still, somehow, she kept going.

It was either that or get caught in the storm.

Yasmin flattened her hand on a stone as she passed. There was no warning sound from it, so she continued on her course. She waited for Ravi to ask how she knew which direction to go. He was too caught up in staying on his feet at the moment to think of it, but he would eventually.

What should she say?

What ~could~ she say?

The truth would be the easiest, but he wouldn’t believe her. She had never told a single soul. For many years when she was young, she had thought it was all in her mind. She had realized the truth during her time at Shaldorn. The rocks were the main reason she’d escaped and made it off the mountains. They told her where to go. Just as they did now.

It felt like an eternity before they reached their destination. Each ridge took them higher on the mountain. But this was just one of several they had to climb and descend before reaching Shaldorn.

Yasmin stood at the ridgeline and turned to look behind her. All she could see of the rainwood was the canopy of trees. Rannora was somewhere to her left, and Belanore to her right on the opposite end of the plateau. Straight ahead past the border was Idrias—dragon land. If only she could fly. She would take to the skies and travel around the realm until she found the perfect place to settle. It would be far, far from Shecrish and Shaldorn.

Something touched her arm. She looked over to find Ravi holding out his refilled water flask for her. She took it and drank, letting the frigid water fill her stomach. He dug out her canteen and went to replenish it from the water that trickled between the rocks to fall far below. Yasmin watched him. Sweat beaded his brow while the white cap covered his golden-brown hair and pointed ears.

“How do you feel?” she asked.

He tapped his temple. “Head aches a bit.”

“It’s the altitude. I’m feeling it, too. Keep hydrated. It’ll help.”

His breath billowed around him as he stood beside her to gaze over Shecrish. “I’ve never seen it like this before.”

“Have you ever been outside of Shecrish?”

“Never had a need.”

“You’re about to.”

“The Dangerous Peaks are still part of our land.”

Yasmin took another drink before putting the water away. “You’re not going to think so for long.”

One more section to go. It was the toughest of them all. She placed her hand on a boulder to check the direction one last time.

Yasmin could see the course plotted in her mind. She didn’t understand how it worked, but she didn’t question it. There was a slight incline to walk before they reached the cliff. She would’ve steered clear of this area if the rocks hadn’t told her which way to go. Climbing with cold, stiff fingers was a recipe for disaster. The other ways she could’ve gone were even more hazardous. So, they ascended.

“Follow where I’m going,” Yasmin told Ravi. “Move quickly but carefully.”

She hadn’t needed to say anything. He did it instinctively. At least he didn’t have an issue with a human taking charge. Perhaps it wasn’t as obvious now. Or maybe he hid it better. Yasmin cleared her thoughts as she got her first toehold and reached above her for a handhold.

~“To the left.”~

The stones continued to guide her, directing her where each foot and hand should go. The rocks were freezing, and the wind was bitter as it whipped around her. She shot quick looks down at Ravi when she could.

“There’s a good hold right here,” she called when she moved past it.

A moment later, he said, “Got it.”

Minutes stretched endlessly as they inched their way upward. The temperature began to plummet, signaling that the storm was almost upon them. Yasmin didn’t hurry herself or Ravi. This kind of climb took complete concentration.

She reached the top as the first snow flurries started to drift around her. She threw her leg over the edge and pulled herself up to roll onto her stomach. Then she scrambled back to the ledge and looked over. She watched Ravi as he held himself with both feet and one hand while flexing his other.

“You’re almost there,” she called.

If he replied, the wind took it. He had pulled his scarf up to cover his mouth and nose so only his eyes were visible. She pushed to her feet and saw the rock overhang behind her. That, along with the tent, would have to do for shelter. At least they would be out of the falling snow. A grunt sounded behind her. Yasmin spun to find Ravi pulling himself to the top.

“Fuck,” he murmured.

She started toward the overhang. “We can rest inside once the tent is up.”

Yasmin rubbed her cold, aching hands together as Ravi slipped his pack off and tugged out the tent. They put it up together, working as swiftly as they could with stiff fingers. Finally, it was up, and they slipped inside.

“I know you don’t like to be touched, but all we have is body heat,” he said.

She nodded and slipped out of her pack. It felt so good to be sitting down to rest her legs. “Too bad we can’t have a fire.”

Ravi poked his head outside. “The snow is falling rapidly already. We just made it.”

He fastened the flap entrance and sat beside her. They both scooted closer to the other. He was right. All they had was body heat, and she knew better than to snub that. Especially in this weather.

“How are you doing?” she asked.

Ravi grunted and took out his water flask. They sat shoulder to shoulder, staring at nothing while the wind howled outside. Every once in a while, the sides of the tent bowed inward from a gust.

“Is the sun always hidden?”

Yasmin startled at his deep voice. She blinked, shocked to find that she had begun to drift off to sleep. She was so exhausted. “It does come out, but it’s rare. The clouds keep it hidden for the most part. You’re thinking about your magic, aren’t you?”

“A Sun Elf needs the sun,” he said with a half-hearted shrug.

Each elf species could do certain kinds of magic, but all elves could do what they called simple magic, which consisted of fire and light. A Sun Elf, who took their power from the sun, crafted fire more easily than a Dark Elf. Ravi drew his magic from the sun, and being without it could mean trouble. Unless he’d been smart enough to bring an amulet filled with sunlight.

“I brought an amulet, just in case,” he said as if reading her mind. “I’ve never had to use one before since I’ve never been without sunlight for long.”

Yasmin brought her legs up to her chest, attempting to get warmer. “How long can you go without the sun and still use your magic?”

“I’ve never had to find out.”

“You will soon.”

He took out his blanket and spread it over their legs. “That I will. How long did you live here?”

Yasmin stretched out her legs before getting her blanket and using it to cover their torsos. She held it up to her chin. “Eleven summers.”

“That’s a long time.”

“Any time is too long in that place.”

Ravi was silent for a moment. “Tell me more about Shaldorn. I need to know the layout.”

“There’s a road in and out of the mountains. That’s the easiest way to travel, but it also has its perils. If you come down the lane, guards will spot you well before you reach the stronghold. Then there’s a gate so they can check everyone. If you get through it, you’ll proceed to the next area. There’s another, larger gate there, but to get to it, you have to disembark from the carriage and walk through a two-story house. There are guards everywhere. Each person is checked against a list of who has been invited and who hasn’t. Guests are allowed to bring someone, but they have to be on the list.”

“Then they get into Shaldorn?”

Yasmin shook her head. “After the second gate, there is a path that leads to Shaldorn, but with the intermittent weather, they are brought to an underground tunnel. The trek is long enough that guests climb into carriages driven by guards supplied by Shaldorn. The tunnel comes out the side of the mountain, where the carriage then delivers the guests to the front door. From there, they are welcomed inside for food, drink, and entertainment.”

“No wonder our agent was killed,” Ravi muttered.

Yasmin pulled out some food and bit into a piece of dried meat from her bag. “The stronghold is built atop a mountain surrounded by towering peaks on either side. The structure itself has four floors, though one is hidden belowground. That’s where the staff is kept.”

“Let me guess. There are no exits there.”

“No windows or doors to the outside. Four doors besides those to the bedrooms. Those connect to stairwells with guards at each entrance.”

He turned his head to her. “How in the world did you escape?”

“I jumped from a window on the second floor.”

Ravi’s brows furrowed. “You jumped?”

“A possibility of death versus certain death. Which would you choose?”

“The possibility. Still, that took courage.”

She scoffed. “I wouldn’t go that far. I was scared of dying in Shaldorn. I knew what was coming for me, and that terrified me more than freezing to death.”

“What was coming for you?”

“I caught the attention of someone. He…he isn’t a nice person. No one he chooses lives through the night.”

Ravi looked toward the fire. “Do you know his name?”

“Aye.”

“Tell me.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone else.”

Yasmin didn’t know how to feel about that statement. No one had ever stood up for her like that before. “He isn’t your mission.”

“I can take care of two things at once.”

“If I see him, I’m going to kill him.”

Ravi jerked his chin to her feet. “You’re going to need more than that little dagger in your boot.”

“It’ll get the job done.”

Yasmin licked her lips and turned her thoughts back to Shaldorn. “The first floor is where people mingle. There will be hallways with benches set into alcoves. There is food everywhere—set on tables and carried around on trays by staff. The drinks are only handed out by the staff. The first floor has some rooms. Most of them are kept open so people can come and go to participate as they wish.”

“And what is in these rooms?”

“At least two of the rooms are for gambling. Sometimes, it’s one of the staff naked on a table covered in food. The elite eat off them before they pass them around for sex. The first floor is for fun. The second is the market. Buyers peruse the booths to see if anything catches their eye. The rooms on that side are private. Guards will be at every door. Once one is occupied, no one is allowed in unless granted by someone within.”

Ravi rubbed his hands together. “That’s likely to be where the exchange happens.”

“I think it’ll be on the third floor. The security there is triple what it is anywhere else in Shaldorn.”

“Can you get us up there?”

Yasmin looked at Ravi, their gazes meeting. “It’s going to be tricky.”

“We can do it.”