Pyre clung to the reigns of his horse with gloved, numb hands. The incline was steep as they followed Resen’s lead down into the valley. Pyre prayed they would find shelter soon. His entire being ached with exhaustion and cold. Above the stars were out. The moon had yet to rise. Due to the harsh winds, they had made slow progress down the side of the valley. Slipping was always an issue. If only Appocca had seen fit to give them mules. A mule was a far better transport than a horse in the mountains. In the distance the dark forms of the mountains loomed large. Pyre shivered as the cold grew more intense. Frost bite nipped at his nose. He covered his nose with his gloved hand. Something was pricking at his mind. He did not know what it was, but he felt someone or something tugging at his thoughts, pulling them somewhere he could not quite reach.

From the east a light began to shine. It looked like the moon only it was too small. Closer and closer the light came. Resen reigned in his horse and motioned for the others to do the same. As the light came nearer Pyre’s heart leapt into his throat. The shape of the light looked like a woman! A winged woman! Was it Fand? Keeper let it be!

The female form lit upon the snow. Her entire being was glowing. The glow obscured her features and any recognizable details. Suddenly, she went dark. It was if she had not been there at all. No one moved. The only sound was that of the wind. They waited, nothing happened. What was this apparition?

Loren was the first to speak. He asked, “Is there any one there?“

Foot steps crunched in the snow toward them. The steps halted just beyond their field of vision. A female voice asked, “Why are you here?

It was not Fand. Desolation filled Pyre. She was not all right. She was not here. Where was she? Keeper where was she?

Resen asked, “Audra, is that you?“

The women’s tone was harsh when she said, “Yes, Pathfinder it is. And you have loosed hell this time. When will you learn?“

In a penitent voice Resen said, “I fear I have once again learned too late.”

Audra said, “At least you are learning. There is some hope in that. According to my best intel Fand is indeed in the mountain. You are on the right path. I have been seeking an entrance. Down at the base of this valley you will find what remains of a road. Follow it to its end. If I can get inside the mountain, and that is a huge if, I will bring Fand and the baby to you there. I will give Loren the child and take Fand with me. Understand?”

“Yes,” said Resen.

The sound of beating wings filled the darkness. A dim shadow hovered over them before it zoomed toward the mountain.

In a shaky voice Rufus said, “I’ll be damned.”

Bitterly Resen said, “We all may be before this is over. We best camp here for the night. Its getting too cold to travel on and the horses need to rest.” He goaded Donner’s sides and lead the horse to a thicket of cedars. The others followed him. They dismounted and blanketed the horses. It was going to be a tough night.

Lighting a fire would attract attention they did not need or want. So Resen said, “We will have to share our heat with each other tonight. We best get used to getting cozy.” Though Pyre didn’t protest, he was not fond of being squashed beside people. They piled up cedar boughs and then laid their bedrolls over the boughs. Resen fixed a second tarp to three stakes. It would shelter them from snow. First Resen, then Pyre, then Loren climbed into their bedrolls. Rufus had first watch. Being wedged between Resen and Loren was more than uncomfortable for Pyre, it was terrifying. The tension between these two men was like sparks of fire just waiting to catch. They huddled together praying their shared heat would keep them all alive during the night. The trees offered some shelter but not much. At least they reduced the wind. Rufus was wrapped in his bedroll with his back against a tree. His eyes scanned the surrounding area. Pyre prayed for their safety.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

*

Clouds obscured the moon. It was Pyre’s watch. He had taken Rufus place, but unlike Rufus, he kept dropping off. This was not good for anyone.He shook his head hard. He must stay awake. Beneath the tarp, Resen and Rufus snored. Restless and unable to sleep Loren tossed back and forth. Finally he gave up and joined Pyre.

Pyre asked, “Can’t sleep?”

“No. I can’t stop thinking about Audra and my mother. I wish we could have gotten a look at Audra, but the winged folk shun human eyes. My mother had some contact with them, though I don’t know why or how. There is so much I don’t know about my mother. She never said where she came from, never told me whom my father was, though I have long known.”

Curiosity pricked at Pyre. He wanted to ask who, but he knew it was not polite or any of his business.

To his surprise, Loren asked, “Can you guess who my father was?”

Though he did not want to guess out of fear of offending Loren, he turned and met his eyes. Fortunately it was too dark to see what ever was in them. Then, Loren smiled. Even in the dark, Pyre could see his even white teeth. He noticed the line of his brows and he knew who Loren’s father was. His mind raced backwards to that night before the Purge when everyone was wearing their hoods and a single figure had strode before them. Pyre had thought the person beneath the hood was Jerue, but it wasn’t. It had been Loren. Was Loren, Jerue’s son? If he was it explained much. It explained Loren’s powers and the way Jerue had always treated him. Pyre found he could not say the name.

Quietly Loren spoke, “You don’t have to say speak that name. I know you know. And honestly, with all I have so recently lost I am thankful you know, my friend. Together we will get my sister and Fand to safety.”

Pyre nodded. His hope was fragile at this late hour. He didn’t know what to say. Silence passed between them.Clouds broke away from the moon. The light turned Loren’s face and hair to silver. He looked other worldly.

Loren returned to the topic of his mother. “If only Mother had sent for me, instead of you.” This was not a statement that hurt Pyre. He understood Loren’s reasoning. He continued, “I was so distracted by patients I didn’t even notice you were missing, until Rube asked me where you were. Then I knew Mother had gotten you. If only she had stayed in the city. I could have helped her if she had stayed…” His voice trailed off.

Both men knew that because of Fand’s condition, Renate had chosen the only course there was. Pyre felt his bitterness toward reason begin to rise. He was certain, Loren was struggling with his own bitterness.

“I know you did well delivering the baby, Pyre, but I can’t help thinking that if I had been there, perhaps I could have saved her.”

Gently Pyre said, “Perhaps. We will never know. What is done is done. I think she knew she wasn’t going to survive the birth and that is why she called on me.”

Loren’s voice caught as he said, “I am sure that is why she did what she did. She had the gift of knowing. She had so many gifts. If she had been born where angels reside, or if she had been born a man in our world, she would have exceeded even Appocca’s power. But she was not born among or born a man. She was cursed with being born female.”

Pyre asked, “Was the curse being born female? Or was the curse men’s fear of women who have power?“

The clouds once again covered the moon. Loren became a shadow again. In the darkness he stood and said, “Pyre, you have just spoken a truth I have not considered. He clamped his hand on Pyre’s shoulder. “I best let you get back to your watch and I will try to get some sleep.” Loren left him.

Pyre walked along the line of cedars. His eyes focused on the mountain. Fand was there. Audra, was on her way to her. He could watch and he could pray. It was all he could do for Fand right now. Time passed slowly. The eastern sky began to grow light. It was the sun, not Audra. He went to the sleeping men and roused them. It was time to find that road, and by the Keeper's grace it would lead them to Fand. He would see her one last time before she flew out of his life forever. The thought of never seeing her again, was one he could not bear, nor entertain. He pushed it away from him. What mattered most was that she was alive, that she was alive somewhere even if it was never where he was.