offended.
“It was a jest, Inardle.”
“Well, then,” she said.
“Well, then,” he echoed, kissing her again, then once again, more deeply now.
Stars in heaven, Axis thought, how had I left it so long before I made love to a woman
again?
And how, in stars” name, would he ever be able to make love to any woman other than
Inardle after this night?
It had been extraordinary. On the one hand Inardle was extremely reserved—to the point
of prudery at times, which drove Axis to the heights of frustration—yet her body clearly revealed
just how much his touch affected her. She could feign diffidence all she liked, yet when he
trailed his fingers down her body rivers of frost traced in their path. When he ran his tongue
about her breast, and caught gently at her nipple with his teeth, he could feel a starburst of frost
explode deep inside her flesh.
When he entered her, he could sense the waves of frosted pleasure wash through her with
every stroke.
Her hand was running up and down his back now, and he hoped very much that she
wanted to make love again.
“No one else makes my frost rise like you,” she said, and Axis wondered how much that
admission had cost her.
“Thank you,” he said, meaning to thank her for far more than just that acknowledgment,
and she smiled and moved against him and frost rimed her jawline where he ran his mouth.
Ravenna sat at the camp table for hours after Armat and Lister went to bed. She was cold
to the bone, shivering now and again in sudden, painful bouts, but she knew she could not sleep,
and could not bear the idea of being confined under canvas until the sun finally rose.
You’re a nasty enough little piece for any man to take to his bed, eh?
That had hurt so deeply she could barely breathe for the pain. The last thing Ravenna
wanted was to betray Maximilian, and to think of him dead…but she knew it had to be done if he
could not be persuaded from Ishbel. She hoped quite desperately that somehow Axis had
managed to convince Maximilian to stay away from Ishbel, but knew within her heart that he
would not have been able to do so.
Maximilian would eventually take Ishbel back to his bed, if he had not done so already,
and then they would curse this world to extinction.
Ravenna could feel whatever it was south of the FarReach Mountains. It was cold—in
spirit, rather than flesh—and it was angry, and it had plotted revenge for thousands of years. It
knew its enemies, had taken flesh from them, and if Maximilian thought that the battle with the
beast was in the future then he was infinitely wrong.
The battle had already been fought, and lost.
Maximilian would need to die.
Ravenna closed her eyes, a single tear sliding down one cheek.
Maximilian would need to die.
Her hand slid over her belly. “You are this land”s only hope, now,” she whispered.
Elsewhere in Armat”s camp three men sat, equally sleepless. They did not “sit” so much
as hunch nervously under the canvas of a small tent, hoping that their two fellows standing guard
outside would warn them of any danger approaching.
“Well, here”s a fine thing,” said Insharah, somewhat bitterly. “I remember someone
saying to me, „What in all the gods” names are we doing trudging along this slushy trail toward
some mountain called Elcho Falling when our families are dying down south?” So we deserted
Maximilian Persimius, and now…what? Why, we”re trudging along the very same sludgy trail toward some mountain called—”
“Enough,” said Rimmert. “How were we to know that Armat was going to abandon any
concern for Isembaard, and for our families, to trail after Maximilian?”
Insharah looked between Rimmert and Olam. “If I was set on a path to Elcho Falling no
matter what,” he said, “I know which among Maximilian and Armat I”d prefer to serve.”
“We made a mistake,” Olam said. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”
Insharah sighed. “I”ve heard that Kezial is driving north as well, meaning to meet with
Armat at this mountain called Elcho Falling.”
“Lamiah?” asked Olam.
“Heading down south through the Salamaan Pass,” Insharah said. “One of Armat”s
guards heard him talking about it to Ravenna and this man Lister.”
“Then he, at least, can hold his head high,” Rimmert said.
“Until it gets lopped off by whatever waits at the other end of the pass,” said Insharah.
They sat in silence for a little while.
“What are we going to do?” Olam asked, eventually.
Axis finally rose just before dawn, hating to leave Inardle, who was finally sleeping, but
so stiff and sore from the camp bed that he needed to stretch his back and limbs.
Yysell was already up and had a mug of tea ready for him.
Axis sipped it gratefully, stamping his feet in the frosty air and thinking that he vastly
preferred the frost of Inardle”s body to this biting ground ice, and talked quietly with Yysell
about procuring a slightly more commodious bed.
Then, as Yysell moved off, he sent a quiet call out into the dawn.
StarHeaven.
She was with him within half an hour, apologizing for the delay.
“StarHeaven, Maximilian and I need some eyes and ears down south. We have no idea
what is happening. Listen to me, StarHeaven, anywhere south of the northern approaches of the
Salamaan Pass is off limits. You are not to enter the pass—whatever is down there is too
dangerous—but if you could report to me directly from the northern exit of the pass, then you
have no idea how grateful I will be. You have enough to power to reach me from that distance?”
“I think so, StarMan. I am growing better at filtering out the Star Dance from the ether
every day.”
Axis smiled. “Good. Take several companions—I”ve already discussed this with
BroadWing.”
Then, as StarHeaven was about to lift off, Axis added, “StarHeaven, do be careful. Good
luck, and keep in touch.”
Later that day, toward dusk, Isaiah and Hereward entered the Salamaan Pass from the
south.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
On the Road to Serpent’s Nest
BroadWing?”
He turned about. “Inardle.”
“BroadWing, I would like to learn about the Strike Force. What you did to save us when
we were pursued by Armat”s men…I have never seen anything like it. I would like to learn.”
“I don”t have much time, Inardle, and you can”t fly. I can”t afford to be earthbound right
now.”
“I”m sorry, I just wanted to learn something of tactics, and your history.” And I need to
use your dislike of me to cement my hold over Axis. “From the gossip about camp, I”d have to say that you are sleeping with the man who can teach you far more than I.”
Inardle managed to pale with embarrassment, hoping BroadWing would not see through
the ruse. He was going to be easier to manipulate than she had thought.
Her stomach knotted with self-hatred at what she was doing, but she tried to ignore it as
best she could.
“Get on your horse, Inardle,” BroadWing said, “and rejoin the column. Surely Axis can
find you something to do.”
Now Inardle allowed her face to flame with humiliation. “Where is the Strike Force
training?” she asked.
“In the air to the north,” BroadWing replied. “Where I need to rejoin them.”
“BroadWing, I would like to learn, and I would like to learn from you.”
BroadWing half turned as if he were about to launch into the air, then paused, and looked
back at Inardle. “Do you have any archery skills?”
“Yes. All the Lealfast train with the bow.”
BroadWing stood considering Inardle silently for a long moment, then gave a nod, as if
arriving at a decision.
“Some units of the Strike Force are practicing their archery close by today.” Now he
nodded in a northeasterly direction. “About fifteen minutes” ride that way. Why don”t you join
us, and we can see how skilled you are.”
Camp had been pitched for about an hour, but Axis had still not seen Inardle. He”d not
glimpsed her all day, but had not been worried as one of the Emerald Guardsmen told him he”d
seen her speaking with BroadWing. Axis had assumed she”d spent the day with the Strike Force.
But he”d expected her back well before now.
“Yysell?” he said to his body servant. “Have you seen Inardle?”
“No, my lord,” Yysell said, laying out fresh clothes for Axis across the newly acquired
and far more commodious bed. Axis had no idea where Yysell had found it, but he was
profoundly grateful. He didn”t want to spend another night like the last.
He stripped off his dirty shirt and washed his face and upper body. “If you see her, tell
her to come to dinner in Maximilian”s command tent.”