Chapter 36
Stella
The rocky terrain of the mountain pass made burial a difficult thing, though not impossible, but that’s not what Fergus wanted anyway.
“Doesn’t feel right, him being stuck in just the one place,” Fergus said when he decided against burial. “Let him be ash, scattered about, like he was in life.”
So the day after Dougal died, Boden, Leandro, Edie, and I helped Fergus build a pyre outside the limits of Xwechtáal.
When it was ready, we laid Dougal atop it with care, wrapping him in a blanket and tucking wildflowers at his side. As the sky darkened, Fergus took the torch and lit the edges. The flames slowly climbed the wood and cast flickering shadows.
As the fire burned, Dougal began singing an Irish folk song, “The Parting Glass,” in a mournful, breathy tenor.
We slept another night at the Foxglove, since we all needed the rest. Boden took the floor, so Fergus could share a bed with Leandro, while Edie, Fae, and I bunked up in the other one.
In the morning, after we’d all woken up, Boden cleared his throat to get our attention. “So, a lot has changed recently, and I think that we ought to consider our plans again.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, and my heart tightened as my fears seemed to be coming true.
“With all of the losses and dangers, and given that Remy might not even be at Cold Shore, I think we should consider turning back.” Boden’s voice sounded confident but he wouldn’t meet my gaze as he spoke.
“Maybe it’s changed for you, but it’s no different to me,” Fergus countered. “If anything, I’ve more cause to go now. To put Dougal’s ashes to rest in the sea.”
“Ditto. I mean, not about Dougal’s ashes, although, more power to you with that.
” Leandro gave Fergus a supportive pat on the arm.
“But with Ryder and Alphie and Dougal’s sacrifice, it’s even more important to me now that I make it to Glacier Valley to get the medicine that Cole and the other people need back at the Barbarabelle. ”
“And I still want to find Remy,” I added.
“So you all still want to go then?” Boden asked. “Nobody wants to turn back, even though it’s another few weeks before we reach the Valley at least?”
“It’s still closer than going back to the boat,” Edie reasoned. “And we’ve come this far. Why go back now?”
Boden rubbed the back of his neck and stared off out the window. “I just wanted to be sure.”
After his moment of hesitation faded, we began packing up our bags. Boden helped me with Fae, while Fergus tucked Dougal’s ashes safely away. Once everyone was ready, we said goodbye to Jannifer at the front desk and gave her the key.
It was a brisk morning when we set out of Xwechtáal. Just beyond the fence, the trail immediately pitched upward. Both Lazlo and Jannifer had warned us that we had a grueling uphill hike for the next few days, and then everything would be downhill toward Glacier Valley.