Page 73 (1/2)

“You had no choice,” Kiral told hi in what had beco of a daily ritual They were so far north now that Avenshura could be glihter than he had seen before No war can be fought in the light that it brings Just an ancient delusion, he knew Life, death, love, war It would all be played out on this earth until the end of time and Avenshura didn’t care It was just a star

“These people followedcalled and you answered And our journey is not yet done”

She spoke with a calesturing at the slowlyabout this?”

“It has sounded a warning note since we began this journey But it also holds certainty We are on the right course, the endlessI know it”

• • •

The first island came into view four days later, a ser cousins appearing a day later The berg’s collisions increased as the floe becah the islands After , and an ominous crack that shook the ice beneath their feet, it ca halt

Wise Bear led them across the now-fractured ice-scape to the nearest island, taller than the others with bare rock jutting from its snow-covered slopes His mood beca eventually to a collection of huts beneath a tall cliff They were conical in shape, the walls constructed fro out of use fro hides and others half-ruined by the constant assault of the elements

“You know this place?” Vaelin asked the sha still and expressionless

“We could press on,” Vaelin suggested, sensing his reluctance “Find another island”

“Nearest two days away” Wise Bear started forward,his staff towards the north “More stor We rest here until it passes”

They repaired the huts as best they could, using horse-hide to cover the gaps, the night co a bitter wind By now they were all well attuned to the moods of the ice, the speed hich a stor a new level of cooperation between the Sentar and Orven’s guardsly unhae barrier

“Once the ice ht They had repaired five huts, enough to shelter the whole co horses herded into a single hut hat scant fodder remained The shaman sat beside the fire in the centre of the hut, the s to a small hole in the roof as he carved a new syer then, years notinto the bone “No tribes, just one people, one, one people became three, brothers no more”

He paused to blodered bone froular pattern of dots, each connected with a line “What does it ly thin but had regained a great deal of strength during their tih Vaelin doubted she could have endured long enough to shield theht words “A story now told,” he said finally, his gaze roa When stor”

• • •

Wise Bear led therowing in size and nu a few trees or bushes the farther south they went However, there was little for the horses to feed on and, with the fodder now exhausted, soon only Scar was left, plodding in Vaelin’s ith his head sagging ever lower

When darkness fell Wise Bear would gather the Gifted, trying to inorance, and his still-rudi task “Speak!” he co the palm on his forehead

“Speak what?” she asked in beer to her temple “Speak one word, here”

Dahrena closed her eyes in concentration, pressing her hand harder against the old runted in consternation “Call power,” he said “Not all Just s a little, her face losing expression and taking on a familiar, pale cast

“Tower!” Wise Bear said with a satisfied cackle, adding, “Stop now Not use tooher fingers, a look of confused awe on her face “I didn’t knowCan all Gifted do this?”

“All with power, yes Gifts change, power not change All one thing Coathered the other Gifted and led the placidly nearby He pointed at the largest of the cats, like the others still fairly ragged of fur but noticeably better fed than when they had first been captured by his gift “Speak,” he told Dahrena “Give order”

Dahrena approached the beast with obvious trepidation, for all the cat’s apparent cale meted out by Snowdance who usually appeared no rown kitten She stopped a pace or two from the cat and tentatively reached out to touch her hand to its great head, closing her eyes to suift once more The cat blinked then lowered itself to the ice and rolled on its back, paws raised Dahrena gave a delighted laugh and knelt to run her hands over the cat’s furry belly