Chapter Twenty-Nine
They left their den behind the next morning, kicking at the snow walls and doing what they could to disguise their interference with nature. There were still signs, of course, because several days of human habitation were hard to erase. But it was less obvious than it had been.
Theos kissed Finnvid at the edge of the clearing, and even though they were leaving together, it felt like good-bye.
They moved slowly and carefully, always quiet, and Finnvid could feel his shoulders tightening from the tension.
It had been one thing to travel the difficult mountain trail when the only enemy was nature; but now, with the possibility of men out there who would kill Theos and might kill Finnvid, everything was even more daunting.
They’d decided to stay on the main trail in order to make better time.
Theos had asked questions about the land, about alternate paths, and Finnvid had been ashamed to realize that, though he’d been a member of the family that claimed sovereignty over this territory his whole life, he knew less about the terrain than Theos had picked up in his one trip through.
Theos believed there were several places where the main path was the only way to travel, unless they were to use ropes and mountain climbing tools, which they didn’t have, to ascend the peaks.
Finnvid had been forced to accept Theos’s decision when he said, “There’s no point mucking about in the woods, breaking our own trail, when we’ll have to come out on the main trail in some places anyway.
If the Elkati are still out there . . .” He’d shaken his head in frustration.
“We’ll have to watch for signs, and hope for wind to blow our tracks away.
We shouldn’t wear the snow flats; we’ve only got one pair anyway, and if they see those tracks, they’ll know for sure they’re ours.
Our best hope is that they found Andros’s path up through the mountains and followed it; if they’re all up there, we can skip right past them and take the valley route. ”
“And if they didn’t? If they’re on the same trail we’re taking, marching back toward us?”
Theos had made a face. “That would be bad. But I watched your men on the way here. They weren’t good in the mountains, not good in snow. Right?”
It had felt strangely disloyal to agree with Theos’s assessment, but it would have been even more disloyal to deny a truth that might be important. “We stay in the valley during winter. We consider it foolhardy to go into the mountains.”
“That’s good. So whoever is out there will be unhappy.
Trudging along like you and the other Elkati did on the way here, with your eyes on the feet of the person in front of you.
And if the person in front of the parade is just as disheartened, he won’t be looking for anything too intently either.
But we’ll be paying attention, and we’ll know they’re coming before they know we’re there.
We’ll slip into the woods and let them march right by, and if we’re lucky, they won’t notice our tracks. ”
“And if we’re unlucky?”
Theos had smiled sadly and pulled a looped strip of leather out of his pack.
“If we’re unlucky, you stretch this around your wrists and then yank it tight with your teeth.
” He’d demonstrated, with the loop catching one hand only, and Finnvid had seen how the knot was cleverly constructed to tighten with a jerk, and then not loosen.
“I attack, you stay behind. When they’re done with me they find you, and you show them your bound hands and tell them your tale of kidnapping and violence. ”
When they’re done with me. Those words echoed in Finnvid’s head as he trudged along the snowy trail.
After Theos had said that, Finnvid had resolved to stay just as alert as Theos, to be the guardian who would keep them out of trouble.
He’d keep the Elkati away from Theos, and then they would never be done with him.
But as he’d walked, the cold and the effort had drained the energy from him, and by the time they stopped for a midday break, he knew he was just as numb to his surroundings as the other Elkati on the mountain.
“We can get off the trail here, where the rock is windswept so they won’t see our tracks, and make a little den,” Theos said.
He’d been walking in front all morning, breaking the path.
“They could walk right by us and never notice. We can rest for a couple hours, then see how we feel. If we’re strong, we’ll walk some more, then make a better den for the night. ”
Finnvid nodded. He wasn’t going to argue with any plan that involved the word “rest.” He followed Theos off the trail and into the trees, and together they burrowed out a two-person sleep tunnel and crawled inside, their packs at their feet to shut out most of the wind.
“I think I’ll miss this,” Finnvid whispered. “When I get back to sleeping in a regular bed. I’ll have too much space, and not be cozy enough.”
“You think you’re going to be sleeping in a bed when we get to Windthorn? I was planning for you to be on my floor again.”
“I’ll fight you for the bed.”
“You will? I’d better get in shape.”
They smiled at each other, and kissed, and then drifted off into a peaceful doze.
Finnvid woke when he felt Theos’s finger on his lips.
The touch wasn’t sensual, for a change, and Finnvid opened his eyes cautiously and looked at Theos, waiting for an explanation.
Theos just looked back at him, and put the finger to his own lips.
That was when the booted foot broke through the ceiling of their den and dangled for a moment between their shocked faces. A grunted Elkati oath followed, and in that instant, Finnvid saw the expression on Theos’s face turn from surprise to fierce determination.
“The cord,” he mouthed to Finnvid. He already had a knife in one hand, and Finnvid knew his sword would be drawn as soon as there was room. And as soon as the sword was drawn, there would be blood.
“No,” Finnvid mouthed back.
Theos stared at him in disbelief, then frowned and nodded vigorously. “The cord!” he mouthed again.
No. Finnvid knew he was right. He didn’t want Theos to fight Elkati soldiers, didn’t want to see injuries or death on either side.
But if Theos was fighting, no matter who his enemy was, Finnvid would be part of it.
Even if he wasn’t much use, he would not sit idly by and watch Theos killed.
So he shook his head, and Theos glared a little more, and then something dripped down the sides of the rough hole left by the Elkati boot.
Something yellow, and warm enough that it was melting the snow around the top of the hole.
Finnvid and Theos both drew away in disgust, watching the urine fall to the snow between them. Then they lay there, still as ice, as the man above them crunched off.
Finnvid exhaled, then scrabbled lightly at the snow by their shoulders, covering the yellow stain. As if that was all he needed to be worrying about. But it was the only thing he could do anything about, and Theos didn’t tell him to stop.
When he was done, they kept still for a while, and Finnvid could hear more sounds.
Nothing too loud, just the squeak of boots against cold snow, the snap of an occasional tree branch and, more comfortingly, a few casual words here and there.
The men outside had no idea how close they were to their quarry, or they never would have been so relaxed.
Theos was listening too, his eyes squinted as if that improved his hearing.
When the noises stopped, Finnvid opened his mouth to speak, but Theos shook his head firmly.
So they stayed there, silent, for so long Finnvid felt as if his chest might explode with all the unspoken words, until finally Theos shrugged.
“I guess they’re gone,” he whispered. “But still be quiet.”
Finnvid resisted the urge to roll his eyes. As if he’d been about to start yelling. “What were they doing?” he whispered. “Why weren’t they on the track?”
“They must have figured we’d stayed behind,” Theos said.
“Maybe they found Andros’s tracks and saw that it was only one man traveling.
” His eyes focused somewhere over Finnvid’s shoulder as he added, “Maybe they caught him. Made him talk. He could have told them we’d denned up off the trail, but it would be hard for him to give them a precise location. ”
Finnvid shook his head. He wouldn’t let himself believe that Andros had been captured and tortured. “Probably just his tracks. Or else it’s like you said: they know you were hurt, so they’re guessing maybe we denned up somewhere.”
Theos nodded tentatively, and Finnvid felt a wave of affection for the man. Theos cared about his friend, and he was worried about him, and it made him seem a little vulnerable. Finnvid cared about Theos, and wanted to comfort him. It was all so pure.
Then Finnvid glanced down and saw the long knife still gripped in Theos’s hand, and the complications of the world crashed in on him again.
“I won’t sit back while you fight,” he whispered.
He squirmed until he found the leather cord and pushed it over toward Theos.
“I’ll fight with you, or run with you. I won’t be a coward. ”
Theos opened his mouth to argue, but Finnvid was already there, kissing him quickly, then pulling away as if the decision had been made. “Is it safe to leave, do you think? I don’t really want to stay in that man’s latrine for longer than I have to.”
“We should go,” Theos agreed. “And we’ll have to move fast. If they’re searching off the path, they’ll probably find our old den, so they’ll know they’re right, and they’ll have a good idea of how long ago we left it. They’ll probably turn around and chase after us.”
Finnvid nodded. “Let’s go, then.”