21. Chapter Twenty-One #2
The others feed their magic into the stone, and we're moving into position, readjusting and tightening our packs against our bodies to minimize any resistance.
"Jes, H, you're up front, then you four in the middle where it's safest." Cayzenn points to the twins, Djalira, and me.
"I'll anchor at the back in case I need to sever the connection. "
Jeska steps up to the edge, spinning before she leaves the relative safety of the recess to start the trek across the dark line slicing the mountain peak, already dotted with white where the wind has knocked snow loose from above.
"It's going to get loud as soon as we're out there, so we won't be able to talk.
If you need to, tap the person you're following on the shoulder to get their attention. "
Even now, she's practically shouting to be heard over the wind wailing through the valley. "Remember to keep your steps small, stay close to the sheltered side of the path, and try not to look down." She grins with a hint of wicked delight, looking straight at me. "Good luck."
The temperature warms significantly, and a faint silvery light streaked with orange, green, and blue flows around us, spilling from the Commander's hands and the stone, both tucked safely inside his jacket pockets.
As soon as it seals above us, the pressure of the wind drops, only easing my nerves the tiniest bit. What if I fall?
My heart thumps so hard, it's almost painful when I wince at the steep drop mere feet away.
Thank the stars there's no snow fall right now, so we're walking on the easier to grip rough rock.
The shield makes a huge difference; I can't imagine trying to cross without it.
Even so, it's not easy to keep upright with the slamming wind.
It still feels like resistance training just to put one foot in front of the other.
Inhaling deeply through my nose and blowing the air out through pursed lips, I drop my focus to my feet, keeping my eyes fixed on the point between Felix's shoulder blades in front of me so I don't look down.
Do not fall. Do not fall. Do not fall. I repeat the mantra, determined to wrangle my thoughts or the fear will drag me over the edge.
Once I find a rhythm with the shuffle steps and learn to anticipate the gusting southerly, I find myself keeping up with the squad relatively easily as we cross the quarter mark.
My center of gravity stays engaged, and I manage to keep my balance, even when the wind crashes against the shield and the entire mountain seems to shake.
Am I crazy, or is this a little easier than I expected?
Even without the tether of magic anchoring me to the sloping rock face on my right.
My biggest concern is Aven disrupting my concentration. "You should have listened to what Varistia had to say. It was obviously important," he chastises me like a disappointed parent.
"I'm a little busy right now. Can you tell me about the things I'm doing wrong once we make it to camp instead?"
Unsurprisingly, he ignores my request. "So what, you're just not going to hear her out? You're not remotely curious what she meant about running out of time?"
"I think I'm entitled to a little processing time, given what she told me about the Ritual.
" I can't begin to come up with a reason why she would block me from getting my magic and then reach out after all this time to confess.
"Please don't tell me you actually think I should go to Envenar?
What could she possibly say to defend her actions? "
"I don't know. That's the whole point of listening," he snarks, emphasizing the last word, as if to prove I don't understand the concept.
"She was there for your Ritual. She interfered and has been trying to make contact with you since.
Don't you think whatever it is must be important?
I'm surprised at your lack of curiosity and interest in learning.
" He sounds more disappointed than surprised, and I realize he's already become someone I can't bear to let down.
"I'm surprised you want to go to the most heavily guarded place in all of Atafye.
Besides, even if I did decide to hear her out, how would I make contact?
Wait, you don't know what she wants to tell me, do you?
" I'd much prefer to hear it from him. Having a conversation with the reflection of a pair of eyes felt even more stupid than talking to a horse.
I lift my foot the tiniest bit, clearing an uneven section of the path, and spare a quick glance ahead of me to see we're two thirds of the way across.
Good thing, too, because the grey light is fading and darkening at the edges.
We have to be completely across before the sun sets, or we're screwed.
I'm tempted to turn and check on Djalira and the others behind me, just to make sure they're ok, since we can't hear each other.
Turning feels like it might lead to falling, though, so I keep my eyes fixed firmly ahead.
"I do not. She said something about you allowing a connection, so I'm assuming you do have the ability to contact her.
And I'm going to take an educated guess and say a large body of water might be a helpful conduit.
So you'll need to decide and take the opportunity to reach out when you get it.
I imagine where you're headed, most of it will be frozen solid. "
"Ok, fair point. I'll give it some thought.
I'm not promising anything." She ruined my life, so I'm not exactly worried about being fair or hearing her out, and I doubt I'll have anything pleasant to say for a good long while.
Why should I care about whatever she wants to tell me?
She didn't seem inclined to explain earlier, and I'm sure as hell not going to Envenar.
I have no interest in seeing the cursed, ashen lands up close.
I'm still remembering the barren wasteland the Sage showed me when we make it to the last thirty feet and instinctively pick up the pace, more than ready to find shelter and collapse around the fire.
The far side of the pass looms, a stretch of untouched snow where our path ends in a short jump down.
The curve of the mountain joining the next peak now offers a little protection.
I look to the front, where the leaders are very nearly safely across.
Almost in slow motion, Xaavi's right ankle buckles, and he drops to his knees, terrifyingly close to sliding off the edge of the ridge, pulling Willa and Hendrix with him.
A scream tears from my throat, so loud, Jeska hears and spins in the same moment she's tugged to the slippery ground, grappling to find purchase as the tether drags Felix down next.
I lunge for his pack, but an invisible wall slams into me, forcing me to take a step backward and throw my arms out to keep from falling too. Cayzenn must have dropped the citrilode connection so they're no longer at risk of all going over the edge if the worst happens and one does fall.
Wind stings my eyes and rips at my hair, stealing the sounds of panicked shouting as, one by one, the squad manage to scramble up and sit on the wet stone.
They're all still here, Nobody fell. Adrenaline pumps through my veins at the thought of what almost happened and how lucky we just were.
Leaning against the rock face at my side and ignoring the cold, I twist to make sure the three behind me are safe too.
Nav and Djalira are on their knees, gripping each other tightly, still wide-eyed with terror at how close they must have come to going over the edge.
My stare locks with Cayzenn over their heads.
He's still standing—we both are. We're the only two who weren't knocked off balance by Xaavi's weight dragging on the magical tether.
His eyes blaze with curiosity, holding mine for an eternity before I feel the shield go back up.
and he bellows. "Everyone get clear, now! "