Chapter 16
It was obvious that Yasmin was sore, but she wouldn’t admit it.
Not that Ravi was much better about his head.
At least the descent into the valley below would be an easy one.
Though he wouldn’t actually call it much of a valley.
The walls were short and curved, leading to a shallow bowl-shaped gorge—perfect to hold melting snow to form the lake.
A partially frozen waterfall toppled from a mountain to his left. It dropped down to meet rock thrice more before plunging into a small pool that fed a stream. The view of the waterfall from his vantage point was breathtaking with its icy blue and white colors.
Ravi drew in a deep breath. The high elevation meant thinner air.
It also meant he tired quicker than usual.
Each time he thought his headache was lessening, it came roaring back.
He hoped the effects of the altitude would wear off before they reached Shaldorn.
He had to be in top form both mentally and physically.
He bit into the dried meat and chewed as his thoughts returned to Yasmin. When he first mentioned her not entering the fortress with him, he hadn’t realized the sheer size of the place. Now that she had explained more of it to him, he knew he would need her.
Unfortunately, he had only made that task more difficult by opening his mouth before.
If Durga were here, she’d tell him he had been without a partner for too long and was used to doing things alone.
She was right. He had been and was. It was why he had first told Yaz she didn’t have to enter the stronghold.
He had until they reached the Shaldorn to change her mind.
The problem with that was that he understood why she was so against it.
It had been a place of agony, suffering, and torment for her.
He could force her hand by making threats against the children or her—those tactics weren’t new to him.
He’d always used whatever was required to get those he needed to cooperate.
He knew the right words and inflections to use in his tone. It always worked.
And yet, he wasn’t sure he could do any of that with Yaz.
By the time he finished eating, Ravi was no closer to figuring things out.
He looked at the descent, wondering which way they would travel.
He had depleted his water again, but there was more in the valley.
He slid his gaze to Yasmin. She was on her feet, standing a little way from him with her hand on a rock, and her face turned to the sunlight.
She wasn’t the only one taking advantage of the sun. The Dangerous Peaks with their near-constant cloud cover played havoc with his magic. He would need to save what he had for when he reached Shaldorn—he would need every bit of magic then.
While he basked in the sun’s rays, his gaze lingered on Yasmin.
There was something to how she always had a hand on a rock with her eyes closed before she told him which direction they should take.
If he didn’t know better, he would think she had magic.
Mountain Elves took their power from the rocks.
But Yasmin’s curved ears confirmed her status as a magicless human.
He stared at her profile. High cheekbones, slim nose, perfect pouty lips.
Strands of black hair had fallen from the confines of her cap to tease her sharp jawline.
She had a graceful beauty about her, one that would catch others’ eyes.
Once more, he wondered what had happened during her time in Shaldorn.
How many males had lusted after her? How many had forced themselves on her?
A flare of anger, sharp and fiery, cut through him when he imagined a male choosing her for his companion.
Had she gone willingly? Yaz was a fighter, but more than that, she was a survivor.
He could see her enduring whatever she had to in order to flee Shaldorn.
But whatever had been done to her, and whatever she’d willingly done at the stronghold, it hadn’t broken her.
It had strengthened her spirit and toughened her before spitting her back out into a world where she still fought and scraped by.
Her eyes opened, and her gaze met his. For a heartbeat, they stared.
Even from the distance, he could see the blue of her irises.
But when he had towered over her earlier, he had gotten an up-close look.
They were a dark, vivid blue like the vast sea.
Strands of pale silver mixed with the cobalt like whitecaps on a windy day, while a band of navy encircled the iris.
Her eyes were like her. Intense. Astute.
Mysterious.
She was the first to look away. “We should attempt to make it through the valley before the sun sets.”
Ravi forced his gaze from her and stood to look down at the river and the trees so heavily covered in snow their limbs sagged.
Night came quicker in the mountains once the sun set behind them.
Shorter days meant less time to travel. He took another look at the sky.
Clouds were beginning to close in. “What do you suggest?”
“We could make it to the other side, but I doubt we’d make the climb before night fell.”
“That was my thought, as well. Let’s see how far we can get.”
She bent to get her pack and slung it onto her back. “Watch your footing on the way down. There are some loose rocks hidden by the snow.”
“Understood,” he said, readying himself.
The descent looked easy, but it took longer because of the loose stones.
Both he and Yasmin hit a couple of areas but were able to right themselves before falling.
If they hadn’t been taking their time, they would’ve been caught up in the rock and snow and would have possibly taken a tumble down the slope, which could have resulted in broken bones.
He had the herbs, but after seeing how Yaz had reacted to just a pinch of them, he didn’t want to give her more.
The basin was spectacular. The gently curved area was thick with evergreen milkbark trees known for their thick, rough bark and cones that encased their seeds. Snow and ice glistened in the fading sunlight, giving the area a mystical feel.
The snow was deeper in the valley, coming up to his calves as they plodded through it toward the stream. It wasn’t until he entered the forest that he heard the familiar sounds of animals. He wondered if he could catch something for dinner.
As if reading his mind, Yasmin looked at him with a smile. “Don’t bother. The animals will hide the moment they hear us.”
Almost on cue, the sounds stopped. Ravi did pick up a few bird calls, but he couldn’t pinpoint where they were.
They wove through the woods where the snow wasn’t quite as high.
He found himself touching the trees. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed them until he was with them once more.
There were few places he could go around Shecrish that wasn’t covered in trees.
Even the cities and villages were created around them instead of removing them.
Ravi grinned when he realized his headache was abating slightly. It no longer throbbed and was only a dull ache now. He didn’t even care that the clouds were quickly covering the sun. He felt better than he had since they’d begun their climb into the mountains. Even Yasmin seemed more relaxed.
They had climbed the cliff face and crossed the frozen lake without incident.
By his calculations, they were more than halfway to Shaldorn.
If they kept up their pace, they would reach it with time for him to scout the area—and convince Yaz to accompany him within the walls.
He would succeed, and then she’d be back in Rannora with the children.
He suddenly frowned, a thought taking root. Did she have a lover? Were they scouring the city for her? Had the children gone to them for help? “We never asked if someone would be missing you.”
“The children. But you knew that.”
“There’s…no one else?” he pressed.
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Would it have made a difference?”
“Probably not.”
“Then you don’t need to worry about it.”
Now that he’d asked the question, he wanted to know the answer. He parted his lips to ask again when her voice reached him.
“Tell me something about yourself,” she said. “You know a lot about me.”
“I know very little about you.”
She chuckled without turning around. “You know more than most.”
“Why are you so private?”
“I asked about you,” she said, turning her head to the side.
Ravi flattened his lips in annoyance. He didn’t talk about himself.
Those who knew him already knew most of his history.
He spent his time going from one assignment to another.
There weren’t opportunities to meet others, and when he did, he didn’t form attachments.
Not when he would soon leave for another mission.
“Ravi?”
Her voice jerked him from his musings. It was the first time she had called him by his name. And he liked it. “There isn’t much to tell.”
“Tell me how you became a spy.”
He adjusted the straps of his pack and closed the distance between them so less than two steps separated them. “I had an affinity for picking pockets. I found it amusing how easy it was. I never kept what I stole. I returned it to the owners and advised them how to keep their items more secure.”
“Of course, you did,” she said with a shake of her head.
He heard the smile in her voice. “I was bored, and that occupied my time. I attempted to pick Durga’s pocket one day. She was an operative at the time. Instead of turning me in or reprimanding me, she offered me coin if I’d go into a building and eavesdrop.”
“I assume you took her offer.”
Ravi grinned as he remembered. “I did. I got the information she needed, which helped to close her mission. A few days later, she found me again and offered me another opportunity.”
“How old were you?”
“Thirteen autumns.”
“She was training you.”
He laughed. “I enjoyed every moment of it, and I’ve been working for her ever since. The better I became, the more assignments I got.”
“You don’t regret any of it?”
“None.”
Yasmin glanced at him. “And your parents? They didn’t mind?”
“They were pleased I had something to do.”
The sound of water reached them. Ravi looked around Yasmin and spotted the river. The edges of it were frozen, the ice trying to connect in the middle, but it flowed too quickly in places and wouldn’t freeze entirely.
“There’s a story there,” Yasmin said as she halted beside the river and looked at him.
Ravi faced her. “Tell me about your family, and I’ll share it.”
“I didn’t say I wanted to hear it,” she replied, turning her attention to the river. “I merely said there was one.”
He grinned, exchanging a look with her. They both knew she wanted the story.
He also wanted to know about the couple who’d raised her.
How had she ended up at Shaldorn? Had they taken her there?
Had she been kidnapped? If so, were they searching for her still?
There were so many questions, and he doubted he would get anything out of Yaz.
She dropped her pack and dug out the water flask.
Ravi’s mouth was dry and he realized how thirsty he was.
He removed his bag and found his own canteen.
He tested the ground near the river’s edge to make sure the ice would hold, then removed his gloves and leaned over, dipping the flask into the water to fill it.
He hissed as the frigid liquid splashed his hands and fingers.
They were practically frozen by the time the container was full.
He took a long drink to soothe his parched mouth and throat, then refilled what he had taken and looked over at Yasmin, who was filling her own flask.
Her eyes met his right before he heard the crack of ice.
“Yaz!” he bellowed.
Ravi was on his feet and diving for her in an instant. She moved but wasn’t fast enough. Magic filled his hands as he shot it toward her, grabbing her and tossing her aside. She landed on his side where she had been moments before.
Just as the ice broke, and he plunged into the river.