‘The prince is getting seriously pissed now,’ Benny points out unnecessarily.
The cold chunks of ice that seep down the back of my top tip me over the edge. It is late, I am tired, I am cranky, and I amnotgoing to sleep while I’m battered with hailstones.
‘ENOUGH!’
A blast of pure cold erupts from me, freezing the ground in a ten-foot radius and sending the men flying upwards into the air, limbs flailing until they land with a thud on opposite drifts, panting. Thankfully, neither of them moves to continue the brawl.
My ears ring as I stare at the mess I made, ice and snow stretching out before me. ‘Fuck,’ I mutter, rubbing my forehead in despair. Thisshit is why I left Wrohelm post-haste, but even here – still so close to its rings – it’s dangerous.
‘Awesome power, Rose.’ Ruben looks at Kyor. ‘I won, right?’ Ruben’s eye is already swelling shut, and blood is dripping from his mouth. He spits out a tooth, a flash of red against the pristine white of the snow.
Kyor snarls, ‘Touch her again and I will tear your spine out through your arsehole.’
Ruben snorts. ‘Mate, I hate to be the one to tell you, but she’s not yours to threaten people over.’
I drop my head into my hands and groan.
This is a nightmare.
A violent, stupid, beautifully muscled nightmare that is probably going to work its way into some pretty indecent dreams.
While the menwere busy trying to incapacitate one another, Elska was off catching a deer. Kyor gutted and roasted the deer while he took watch, so we started our day with more meat than we could comfortably eat.
‘This is more like it,’ Benny says, patting his flat stomach. ‘I needed that. Just a little more seasoning next time.’
Caz throws a water canteen at his head, which he catches effortlessly. ‘Thanks, I was thirsty.’
As we pack the leftovers, I feel decidedly better about our decision to give away our food. After all, with Elska hunting for us, we should be fine.
‘Anyone need a hug?’ Ruben offers the same way he did the morning before, yet somehow we know the offer excludes Kyor.
Once again, Benny is the first to take him up on it. Kyor glares fiercely the entire time I’m getting my dose of warmth but manages to remain quiet, which feels like progress.
‘We need to decide which way we’re heading now,’ Caz announces as she pores over her maps. ‘Do we want to go straight up to Rowell or detour to Galreck? Or we could just cut through Afaven Forest if we’re feeling brave?’
‘Forest is a no,’ Kyor replies instantly.
‘Okay …’ Caz nods. ‘Then it’s a choice between pushing on to Rowell or heading to Galreck. It will add a couple of days to the journey, but Benny’s going that way anyway, and it’ll give us some rest and a chance to stock up on food, which seems sensible.’
‘We should go straight up to Rowell,’ Ruben asserts. ‘It means we’re going to have to stretch our supplies, but it’s safer going through there. The terrain is supposed to be far easier for the horses.’
‘We should go through Galreck,’ Kyor instantly fires back.
I wonder if Ruben had suggested Galreck, whether Kyor would currently be touting for us to go via Rowell.
‘I don’t mind going back to Galreck alone after Rowell,’ Benny throws in. ‘If you’d prefer to go to Rowell first rather than Galreck.’
‘From what I’ve heard, the routes direct to Galreck aren’t nearly as good,’ Ruben counters. ‘Not this time of year.’
‘Elska and I can scout ahead.’ Kyor rolls up his sleeves as he speaks. ‘We can find the best routes for the horses to take. Food is plentiful here, but it’ll get sparse as we go on. We have to restock in Galreck or we won’t make it to Rowell, let alone to the Issen.’
Kyor speaks with utter certainty. It’s the voice of experience, the voice of a commander. I wish to hell I didn’t find it as sexy as I do, but it’s hard not to imagine him ordering me around in different ways.
Heleftyou, I remind myself.
Despite Kyor’s clear knowledge, Ruben begins to argue again and this time Benny wades in to mediate, though I don’t listen to which option he’s sided with. I don’t want to listen to this anymore.
I move away, trying to clear my thoughts, but their voices continue around and around my head, each speaking over one another, louder and louder, so that I can barely hear.
