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As he speaks, the raindrops increase—now they are the size of eyeballs The protective gear keeps h the fabric, and the sheer aher ground, and it’s rock Maybe we can find a cave”

We scramble up the hill for what seees Khrys

I’s It’s all I can do to draga thick root and pulling, inch by excruciating inch

“You got it” Khrys grabs my hand to help

Then the hail starts At first, the individual crystals are tiny and thin like paper Within seconds, they’ve grown bigger than my pinkie nail, each icy shard has sharp claws

A particularly hard hail puncturesred blood that iround “The gear is not holding up! We need safety!” I gasp

“Veck, this storm will kill us,” mutters Khrys “I’ve never seen hail like this” He pullsour surroundings “Come on, I think I see a cave” He keeps uidesfew oes deep into the cliff and has a thick overhang at the entrance

“Back here, away from the wind” He pulls me further back into the cave to the dry dust out of reach of the swirling nightmare outside

“Whew” I collapse to the ground, breathing hard The cave s else; thankfully, we’re the only beings using it for shelter

“We’re safe from the ice balls” Khrys points They’re now the size of round and shatter into ice frag an inch or two deep into the soil before breaking apart

“Stars, this storm is more powerful than most weapons” Khrys turns to me “Are you hurt? Take off the jacket, so I can see” He helps arment “The tunic, too You’re soaked”

The circumstances preventhalf naked in front of hies free in my mind My nipples peak in the cold air, and my cheeks flush

Khrys takes my arm Now that we’re out of the downpour, the blood is more evident “We need to wrap this”

“It’s just a scratch I can’t even feel pain” I look with curiosity at the wound, then at hiht?”

“Yes” His voice is hoarse I think he’s looking at my nipples, but then he turns away “My skin is thicker than yours The hail didn’t hurt ency supplies” He pulls out a cloth which he wraps around my cut “There That should close the wound”