page167 (1/2)

He wanted her to ride with him into the storm? Was that it?

She shuddered out of the vision Her hand slipped frorabbed the Rider’s wrist Beryl was shivering, or was it she herself who shivered?

I am lost, and it will be the death of us

Beryl remained mute and had allowed herself to be led aian reainst the snoing into her eyes Her surroundings were indistinguishable from any other part of the small mountain She strained to hear sounds of pursuit, but only the wind sheared past her ears

A shape looray ahead of her, and before she could move herself or Beryl, it tripped over them

“What the—?” he said as he fell

Karigan let go of Beryl, and before the an launched herself on hi her stiff, sore hands on hiray world darkened and closed in

T he black stallion still waited for her on the snowy expanse of the plains He gazed at her, waited for her to make some sort of decision

“Whad you want?” she demanded of him Her mouth felt full of cotton

“What is she saying?” someone asked from afar

“Don’t know Hold her still until I finish”

Sohed her down She could not move toward the stallion or walk away

Prick

“Ow!” The piercing of flesh seared through confusion

“Don’t ot a few o”

Ty? Ty was there on the plains with her? Yes His hands were busy above her head Ty sewing Of course Ty was excellent at sewing He always carried needles and thread with hi He was Rider Perfect

Prick, tug The drawing of thread through her skin

The stallion stood and shook his ainst the white landscape was like an opento the heavens She saw the stars within him, celestial bodies in brilliant colors with dust clouds swirling in storms around them

“You’re pulling me in!” she cried

The snow held her down She kicked and flung out her hands

“Keep her still!” Ty said

“I’ll sit on her legs,” someone, a third someone, offered

“I don’t want to go,” Karigan said “Salvistar wants o to the heavens”

“For gods’ sakes,” Ty said, “you’re not dying It’s the shock,” he told the others

It was too hard to fight; too hard to fight the heavens, to keep fro sucked into the blackness a dust Where would she end up? Would she be allowed to return home?

“So many stars,” she murmured