Chapter Twenty-two

Yasmin opened her eyes, disturbed by the silence that greeted her. The wind must have stopped sometime while they slept. She stared at the side of the tent, trying to determine if Ravi was still asleep. She slowly rolled onto her back and found his side empty. Disappointment filled her.

It hadn’t been her intention to tell him about her past. Maybe it was because he’d opened up about his. She wished she hadn’t spilled so much, but what was done was done. There was no taking it back. Even after telling him, she couldn’t look at him. She merely lay down and turned her back to him. It wasn’t long after that he extinguished the light, but he didn’t reach for her, which hurt.

Her sleep had been riddled with dreams of him—or rather his body and all the things she wanted to do to it, mixed with the horrors of Shaldorn. It made for a restless night. But she was a light sleeper. How had she not heard him rise?

Yasmin rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up. She sighed and reached for her undergarments first. Once they were in place, she shoved off the blanket and tugged on her socks. Her undershirt came next, followed by her shirt. She stood and had just put her foot into one pant leg when Ravi returned. She froze as their gazes met. He quickly looked away and closed the flap behind him as she got her trousers on and buckled.

“The sky is clear,” he said. “It looks to be a beautiful day.”

That was too bad. She had been hoping for a massive storm that would keep them right where they were. Though she couldn’t decide if it was to stay away from Shaldorn or to be with Ravi. Naked and sharing covers.

He tugged off his gloves before rolling the blankets. “The climb will be intense. It’s nearly straight up.”

“It’s going to be tough.”

“Can we make the climb to Shaldorn today?”

“If the weather holds, maybe.” She took a moment to braid her hair again.

Ravi sat back on his haunches. His gaze landed on her, watching her. “About what you told me last night—”

“I don’t want your pity,” she said before he could continue. “I didn’t tell you my story so you’d feel sorry for me. I ended up at Shaldorn because of my decisions.”

“You were a child,” he stated in a clipped voice. “One, I might add, who had been homeless, starving, and alone. Anyone would’ve accepted the kindness shown to you.”

She shrugged and tugged on her boots. “It was too good to be true. I should’ve realized that.”

“You need to forgive yourself for being lured. There’s no embarrassment in that. They would’ve gotten you to Shaldorn one way or another.”

He was probably right, but that didn’t diminish the shame she had carried since. And now she was about to face that evil once more. At least she didn’t have to go inside. It was enough to face the stronghold, knowing what was happening within its high, thick walls.

She ate quickly. They took down the tent and packed it away in short order. And then she gazed across the valley to the wall they had to scale. She looked around for a rock so she could ask it which way was the easiest, but all she found was ice and more ice.

“What’s our direction?” Ravi asked as he came up beside her, settling his pack on his back.

Yasmin shook her head. It looked as if the snow was hanging onto the side of the mountain by sheer force of will alone. One wrong move could have it tumbling down, and them along with it. She needed to get her bearings before she killed them both.

“Yaz?”

She walked away from him, searching for a rock, any rock. She dropped to her knees and began clawing at the snow, hoping she could locate one. When she found nothing, she jumped up and walked to the side where the mountain rose. There was too much snow for her to find anything.

“Yaz.”

She spun around and started back at the mountain they had descended yesterday. There were rocks there. A hand wrapped around her arm, halting her. She jerked her head to the side, her eyes clashing with copper ones.

“What is it?” Ravi wore a deep frown, his concern clear.

Yasmin swallowed and searched his gaze. Could she tell him? Did she dare? It wasn’t as if they were friends. They were barely friendly. Though she could argue that sleeping naked with someone could bridge the two. She didn’t know what he would do if he learned her secret.

“What’s wrong?” he urged.

Ravi might be a good man. He might even keep her secret and never use it against her. But she couldn’t take that chance. She looked away and said, “I need a better view to determine which way we need to go.”

“Are you sure it isn’t a rock you need?”

Her head whipped to him as her heart skipped a beat. Did he know? That was impossible. He couldn’t. Or…did he? “What?”

“I see you touching them at every opportunity.”

“Do I?”

He gave her a flat look, all concern gone as irritation took its place. His fingers loosened, and he dropped his hand. “Do whatever you need to do, but hurry.”

“I’m trying to get you to Shaldorn as you want. If we go the wrong way, the snow might not hold us. I’d think you would rather I not hurry.”

His nostrils flared, but he didn’t reply. He turned his head away instead.

She dropped her pack and ran the short distance to the other mountain. Her breath came out in big puffs of white before her face. She kicked and scratched at the snow at its base, hoping and praying she’d find a stone so she didn’t have to waste time going back up. Why hadn’t she thought to ask yesterday? Why hadn’t she taken precautions on one of the many times they had rested?

Yasmin slapped at a mound of snow, releasing her fury.

~ ~ ~

Ravi watched Yaz in the soft gray light of the approaching dawn. She was distraught, and he didn’t think it had anything to do with their conversation about Shaldorn. The distress had tightened her face once he’d asked about their route. But it wasn’t until he’d brought up the stones that he had seen the flash of panic in her eyes.

What was she hiding?

He wanted to go to her and help her look for the rocks, but he didn’t think she would appreciate him nearby. The fact that she wouldn’t admit what she was doing was enough to make him keep his distance. Yet there was no denying she had a secret. But how did stones fit into it? Now, if she had magic, he could understand.

His thoughts skidded to a halt. Ravi looked at Yaz in a new light. As far as he knew, no humans had magic. If one did, surely they would’ve come forward. The implications would ripple out, not just with humans but also elves. No one would keep that to themselves. Especially no human.

Unless that human was Yaz.

She frantically searched the snow for a rock. Then, suddenly, she stilled. Her hands were covered with snow, but he knew she had found a stone. Her chin dipped to her chest. She stayed there for several moments before her shoulders moved in a deep breath.

Ravi wanted to continue watching her but forced himself to turn his back on her. He had to be wrong about the magic. It would irrevocably alter Yaz’s life. Her status would likely be elevated, and she would have no trouble finding a job, which would put a proper roof over her head for the children. Not to mention regular meals. If she had magic, she would’ve used it against those at Shaldorn. Or even to get away from Durga. And him.

That still didn’t answer the question of why she needed to touch the rocks. Maybe he was putting too much thought into it. She had spent years at Shaldorn. Perhaps it was something she’d been forced to do there and just couldn’t shake. Maybe it embarrassed her, which is why she tried to keep it a secret.

Aye. That made much more sense than it being magic.

The soft crunch of snow alerted him that she approached. She scooped up her pack as she reached him and kept walking. “This way.”

Ravi shook his head and fell into step with her. She glanced up the side of the mountain on their right. He studied it himself. It was the first place he’d looked when he emerged from the tent that morning. He’d been sure someone was there, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t locate anyone.

“We need to be on the lookout for guards,” Yaz said.

He nodded, but when he realized she wasn’t looking at him, he said, “Understood.”

~ ~ ~

“They didn’t use to spend a lot of time on this side of Shaldorn. There are easier ways to reach the compound.” Yasmin wasn’t sure why she’d blurted that. Ravi hadn’t said anything else about the stones.

“How far is the fortress once we reach the ridge?”

“Too close.”

Yasmin kept her chin up and her strides long as they hurried across the valley. They were more exposed here than anywhere else. She caught Ravi looking around, his unease evident. Even when they reached the edge of the valley, and Yasmin tested a section to begin the climb, he kept scanning the area. She looked at the mountains, again wondering if Manu was out there.

She glanced over to see Ravi still searching. “Ravi,” she called. When he looked at her, she said, “Once we start, there’s no stopping.”

“I’m ready,” he stated with a brief nod and pulled up his scarf.