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That was the only thing she was sure of right now

The trees looked denser up ahead, although it was hard to tell anything for sure through the snow A crowded line of trees like that, naled a settlement or a stream If it were the former, then they’d have shelter If the latter, then they could follow its frozen pathit would lead thee

She reached the edge of the trees and found a deer trail, still visible because the snow h the trees Was that s but a wish fled like an to snow harder If they didn’t find shelter soon, they would die

The path cut around a corner She glih a curtain of branches

"Wait!" cried one of the young lords behind her

Too late she remembered caution The shadow elves weren’t the only eneh of a step Her calf caught on a trip wire, and she flew headlong, hit a slope tu, and slid and rolled down until she came to rest, dizzy and shaken, on her back in the snow under a cold, hard sky It had, abruptly, stopped snowing

The spear point cae of her nose With an effort, eyes alht but deadly pressure So and very solid, not a shade at all but quite horribly real

The hideous andiron wings and no face, only a flat iron-gray visor with eyeholes

With soh, he twisted off his helrip on the spear Glossy black hair spilled over his shoulders like silk Still stupefied, Hanna stared up into the face of the handsomest man she’d ever laid eyes on:

A Quriffin

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