"You know," Nyx says lowly, drawing eyes from everyone. "I heard legends of enormous creatures who hide in the NorthernCrest. You think we might run into them?" He winks at me and my chest warms. I'm not the only one missing the others.
Kamari's brows pinch, deep in thought. She points her spoon at him. "What kind of beasts are you referring to?"
"There is more than one kind out here?" I swallow hard, hoping we don't cross paths with any of them.
"Of course," Kamari nods, once again turning towards Nyx. "So, which beast do you speak of?"
"According to my cousin they're called Wildlings. It walks like a man, but is nine feet tall with fur covering its entire body." Nyx hunches forward, using his performative voice to draw Kamari in. "Ronan said the few who have laid eyes on the creature claimed it had horns and claws too."
Thrane chuckles, not lifting his gaze from his soup. "Your cousin has quite the imagination."
"Are you implying Ronan is a liar?" Nyx shoots him a look that's more teasing than challenging.
"Not at all," Thrane drawls. "I don't think the Wildlings would appreciate your description too much."
Nyx and Kamari's mouths fall open.
"Wait," Nyx plops his spoon into his now-empty bowl. "Are you saying the Wildlings are real?"
"Oh, they are very real," Thrane nods, downing another spoonful, taking his time before expounding. "Fortunately for you," he smirks, "the Wildlings stay clear of dragons and their riders. You shouldn't be seeing any of them tonight."
"Have you seen them?" I ask, fascinated by what these creatures actually look like.
Thrane side-eyes me. "Once. A very long time ago."
With the seriousness of which Thrane glares at me, I know better than to press further. Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to ask him about the Wildlings, but it's not tonight.
I tear my gaze from my cousin's to glance across to the other mountaintop where our dragons are fast asleep. Or rather, almost all of them. Seraxes is on high alert, her neck craned, her eyes shifting, her body taut. I squint but find she's not looking at us at all. She's staring in the distance, into the depths of darkness. Although my heart is galloping in my chest, I dare a look in the same direction but all I see is snow and shadowed outlines of the rest of the mountain range.
The hair on my arms stand at attention and shivers crawl up my spine. She hasn't relinquished her stare which makes me nervous. What does she sense is out there?
A hand clamps down on my shoulder startling me.
"Sorry," Nyx catches my bowl before it hits the ground. "Didn't mean to scare you, Kitarni."
"It's all right," I stammer, looking back at Seraxes whose focus has not drifted to our mountain. She's not relaxing or preparing for sleep. She's still standing at attention. Even from across the expanse dividing us, I can pick up on the low growls rumbling in her chest.
"Something's wrong," I whisper and fear grips my heart.
My mother approaches, wide-eyed in concern. "Aurelia, what – "
Seraxes stomps her feet and lowers her head, baring her teeth. "Something's wrong," I interrupt my mother and lunge for my weapons.
"What's wrong?" Kamari tenses, gliding closer to me and my mother.
My eyes dart back to Seraxes but this time, all the dragons are alert and ready for battle. The ground beneath us rumbles.
Nyx curses. When I whip around, he's stomping his boot into the snow like a madman.
"What are you doing?"
"Spiders," he says with a deceptively calm demeanor.
Dozens of spiders are crawling around our camp. Nyx continues his one-man assault on them. Each time he steps on one, a glass-like shatter sounds.
I kneel to examine them and gasp.
They're made entirely of ice.
