“No,” Simus said, taking a step toward her, shaking his head in denial. “No, it isn’t.”
“I never thought...” Her voice trailed off. “I did not think...”
Simus shifted the dagger hilt toward her. “Accept my surrender, Snowfall. Accept my heart.”
“I think we should be cautious.” Snowfall didn’t move any closer, but she didn’t back away.
“I think we should be bold,” Simus countered, stepping around the baskets.
“We may end up killing each other,” Snowfall said.
“Or not,” Simus said, and took another step.
“We will hurt each other,” Snowfall murmured, eyeing the dagger hilt.
“Or not,” Simus said. He started to smile.
“We will regret of this haste,” Snowfall said.
“Or not,” Simus said.
Snowfall tilted her head at him. He was so close, she could feel the heat of his body, see the spark in his eyes. “And that would be the arrogance?” she asked dryly.
Simus laughed and then leaned closer. “Kiss me, or kill me, Snowfall.”
Snowfall hesitated, then reached for the dagger hilt.
A child’s horn called out, a rude bleating noise jarring both of them.
“Pive.” Simus swung his head around, growling at the interruption.
The children, scattered through the herd, were all pointing north.
Both she and Simus turned, squinting into the morning sun to see a cloud of black high above, stretching over the horizon to the north.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“A storm?” Snowfall asked.
“Odd sort of storm,” Simus said slowly, watching as the line seemed to grow larger. It pulsed with movement. He sheathed his dagger.
“Birds?” Snowfall asked, shading her eyes.
“They’re coming too fast,” Simus said. He watched for a moment, uneasy. “Those are no birds.”
“They—” Snowfall bit her lip. “They glow.”
“What?” Simus asked, watching the line with growing unease.
“As if they use magic.” Snowfall seemed confused by her own words.
The herd around him stirred, gurtle heads coming up and looking north. The horses, too, his and Snowfall’s, stopped grazing and lifted their heads, ears flicking nervously.
“Secure your mount,” Simus ordered. Snowfall moved to obey.
The line was larger now, something large and winged, and coming fast. The numbers were massive, uncountable to his eye.
“That dread.” Snowfall pressed her hand to her chest. “It’s—”
