Chapter Twenty-three

Ravi knew he should be concentrating on the climb, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Yaz. How many people had forced her into circumstances beyond her control? How many had ignored her?

How many had hurt her?

He could argue that Durga and the society had put the lives of every person before Yasmin’s when she coerced Yaz into taking him to Shaldorn. Durga could probably be excused for her part. But him? What he planned to do once they reached the top? That would be unforgivable. He would be worthy of Yaz’s vitriol then.

But did he have a choice? She was there specifically because she not only knew how to get into Shaldorn but also because she had knowledge of the compound few others did. That expertise would allow him to find the parties where the device would be handed off. And it was Yaz who would find them a way out of Shaldorn.

If they had more time, if Ravi had days to spend inside Shaldorn to learn the layout and the movements of those in charge, as well as the guards and guests, he wouldn’t consider bringing Yaz. But time wasn’t on his side. If he hadn’t fallen into the river, if the storm hadn’t hit yesterday, they might have reached Shaldorn sooner.

If. He had never liked that word. It was too indecisive. He was a doer, an elf of action. He didn’t sit around and dither. He saw a problem and got things done. ~If~ never factored into things. Yet, for this assignment, that seemed to be in all of his sentences.

From the valley, the wall had looked completely vertical. It wasn’t, and that was a good thing since most of it was snow and ice with rock protrusions. Still, it was steep enough that it felt like a vertical climb. He paused and shook out his hand, trying to get warmth into his fingers. Ravi had climbed the sheer walls of Shecrish’s plateau multiple times. It was one of his favorite hobbies. But scaling the Dangerous Peaks was another matter entirely. He was ready to wish the snow or ice a farewell forever.

Ravi glanced up at Yaz. She grunted as she kicked her foot into the snow for a firmer hold. Like everything she did, she kept a steady pace and made good progress. Whenever Yaz was near the stones, she set her hand on one for a heartbeat.

His gaze lingered on her for a second, his thoughts shifting to her elf parents and what they had done. He had called her a survivor before he knew about her past. Ravi tried to imagine her jumping from the compound and rushing into the mountains without a coat or supplies. A brisk breeze blew past him as he climbed, so frigid it stole his breath. How had she not frozen to death? Or gotten lost?

The sun rose into the sky, its rays shining so brightly off the snow that it nearly blinded Ravi. No amount of squinting helped, but he wouldn’t complain. He needed the sun. He soaked it up while he could, praying it would be enough when the time came to call on his magic. When his arms tired, he paused. When his legs cramped, he shifted his weight from one to the other to ease the muscles.

Ravi drank sparsely. He wanted to ensure he had enough water to get to the top. He noted that Yaz did the same. They paused long enough to dig out some dried meat when their hunger became too great. There wasn’t anywhere to sit, so they ate quickly to get back to climbing.

It would’ve been the perfect opportunity for Yaz to prolong their ascent, but he was learning that wasn’t who she was. She was doing everything she could to get him to Shaldorn in time for the buy. Despite her past. Despite her trepidation.

Despite everything.

Ravi gritted his teeth when his fingers took too long to grip a rock. He cupped his gloved hands around his mouth and blew. He didn’t know how Yaz was climbing without gloves. His fingers were frozen. Hers couldn’t be much better.

The sun inched past its zenith. It seemed to signal change everywhere as clouds drifted in. Not the big, fluffy kind, but the blue-gray ones that promised snow as the temperature plummeted. It wasn’t long before the clouds covered the sky in every direction, sealing out the sun. Ravi felt the loss both physically and magically.

Descending amid the storm the day before had been miserable. Going through that again on their current climb would be agonizing. Ravi noticed there was more distance between him and Yaz, so he pushed himself to move faster.

Yaz scanned above her before looking at him. Her scarf was tightened firmly around her lower face. “I see it,” she called, her voice muffled.

He didn’t need to ask what she saw. “How close are we?”

“Not close enough.”

That seemed to spur them both. Find a handhold, find a foothold, and pull up. Repeat, again and again. Sometimes, the snow gave under him. Ravi stiffened, waiting to fall, but as long as he followed Yaz’s path, he never did.

He had kept his eyes forward and up, but he chanced a glance down. The valley was so far below it seemed like another world. If either of them fell, they wouldn’t survive. Not in the time it would take the other to get to the bottom and administer the herbs.

Ravi drew in a deep breath of icy air and coughed as it stung the inside of his lungs. Sweat dripped down his forehead and into his eyes. The combination of freezing weather and sweating from the exertion was a horrible combination. Gods, he couldn’t wait to return to Rannora and the humidity that didn’t try to steal his every breath. The wind picked up, and the threatening clouds continued their trek across the sky, spilling neither snow nor rain.

The climb seemed endless. It would’ve been a good time to contemplate different means of obtaining the device, but he couldn’t. The ascent was too taxing, both mentally and physically. Ravi lost track of the sun behind the dense clouds. He thought it might be close to dusk, but he couldn’t be sure. He was lost without the sun amid all the ice and snow.

Ravi blinked against the fading light. They had to be near the ridge. He looked up, expecting to see Yaz, but there was nothing but unending white. Suddenly, her head peered over the ridgeline. She flashed him a tired smile and motioned him onward.

It gave him the extra push he needed to climb the last bit. Ravi nearly shouted with joy when he crested the ridge. He threw a leg up as Yaz grabbed his arm and helped him over before they huddled behind a grouping of boulders. He rolled onto his back, uncaring that his pack was still in place. He stared up at the darkening sky, wishing he could linger and rest. Ravi sighed and then got to his feet, his body protesting. He found Yaz sitting on the ground. He held out his hand, she accepted, and he pulled her up. They locked gazes, their bodies close, and their hands linked.

“Let’s never do that again,” he joked.

He couldn’t see her lips behind the scarf, but her eyes crinkled at the corners. “That might be difficult.”

“We’re going back the same way, aren’t we?”

Yaz shrugged and released his hand. “Not if we’re followed. They’d be able to pick us off easily.”

“You have another route?” He fisted the hand that had held hers so he wouldn’t reach for her.

“I will.”

Ravi wasn’t a man who trusted easily, but he believed her. She hadn’t led him wrong yet, and there had been plenty of opportunities. It was the first time in a long while that he had a partner he could trust.

He looked beyond her to the fortress that towered above them, fighting with the mountain peaks to reach the clouds. Shaldorn. It was still a short distance away. Trees dotted the way, but they would mostly be out in the open, making them easy to spot if anyone was looking.

Yaz slowly turned and faced the compound. He moved a half step closer when he saw her shiver, a movement that had nothing to do with the temperature. Ever since Durga had told him about the stronghold, Ravi hadn’t been able to get to Shaldorn quickly enough to complete his mission. However, now that he saw the structure through Yaz’s eyes, there was so much more at stake than just obtaining the device.

His gaze shifted to her. He wondered what was going through her mind. Was she frightened? Angry?

Worried?

It was difficult to tell with her face hidden as it was. She stood with her back straight, unbowed. Yaz could likely take on the entire realm alone, yet he wanted to be there to protect her and ensure that no one ever hurt her again. It was a new emotion, this need to safeguard another in such a way. It had no business filling his mind before such a daring operation. Ravi wished someone else were with him, someone who hadn’t suffered at the hands of those at Shaldorn. Someone who didn’t stir…things within him. Besides, Yaz had been through enough. She shouldn’t have to suffer further horrors.

Yet it was out of his hands now.

Or was it?

Yaz drew in a deep breath and glanced his way. “There are guards inside Shaldorn whose main purpose is to watch for anyone outside.”

“How are we going to get close without being seen?”

She pointed to the sky. “Both moons are at their lowest right now. We should be able to make it using the trees as cover and avoid being seen. Unless the guards are patrolling outside.”

“How often do they patrol?”

“Depends. I’ve been away for four years. I don’t know their routines now.”

He pointed to the thick snow. “What about the tracks we’ll leave?”

“Let’s hope they think ours are from other guards.”

“I’ll walk in your tracks, so we only leave one set.”

She nodded. “Good idea.”

He reached into his pack and pulled out the last of his food. He gave her some and took the rest for himself. He would worry about provisions for their return later. It had been a long day and wasn’t ending anytime soon. They needed to keep up their strength for what was ahead.

Yaz didn’t linger, preferring to eat as they walked. She charted a course to the first tree, moving quickly through the thick snow. He devoured the dried meat and finished off his water within moments. Ravi looked behind him and thought he saw movement. He paused and studied the area but couldn’t find anything. The mountains were causing him to imagine things. He shook his head and turned forward, putting his foot in Yaz’s tracks to the next tree.

He didn’t like being out in the open. He saw a dozen places he would put sentinels that could’ve spotted them the moment they crested the ridge. No alarms were sounded, and he didn’t hear any shouts to halt. That didn’t mean someone hadn’t seen them, though.

Ravi scanned the side of the compound with its many windows. Only a few were darkened. There were torches along the high outside wall. To unsuspecting visitors, it might seem inviting, welcoming even. The striking façade hid the ugly truth.

He wondered how Shaldorn had been kept a secret for so long. But he knew the answer. The wealth and power of individuals who wanted their playground kept away from prying eyes. The Dark Elves had known of it long before anyone at the DIA. Ravi probably still wouldn’t know about the fortress if it weren’t for the potential conflict with the dragons.

Yaz reached the next tree and stopped behind it. She turned to him. He thought she looked paler than before. He wanted to tug down her scarf and tell her that everything would be fine. But he didn’t dare. Something had shifted within her. It was like a wall had come down between them. He understood why, but that didn’t mean he liked it.

Ravi opened his mouth to speak, but she turned and made a beeline for the next evergreen. The looming structure grew closer. He heard the distant cords of music from within. Yaz didn’t pause at the next tree. Instead, she kept walking as if she couldn’t stop. He suspected that if she halted she might not move again. Ravi half-expected her to turn and bolt.

And he wouldn’t have blamed her if she did.

He glanced between the low branches of one of the evergreens heavy with snow and spotted a guard with his back to them. They needed to hide before they were spotted. He lunged for Yaz, but she had spotted the guard, too. They diverted to a tree to the left and plastered themselves behind it. They were so rough that the limbs moved, causing snow to fall from the branches.

They looked at each other, listening for movement. When none came, Ravi leaned around the branches and surveyed the building. He found the guard in the same location and realized he was pissing. The guard then righted himself and turned to look around. Ravi jerked back out of sight. When he looked again, the guard was gone.

He nodded at Yaz. She carefully checked her side before once again heading to the tree they had been on course for. They moved quickly in case another guard appeared. Ravi continued to look behind him, but there was no movement anywhere.

At the tree, Yaz blew out a breath. He noticed that she kept her back to Shaldorn. The flickering torch flames along the outer wall stretched their long fingers as if trying to reach them. Ravi remained behind the wide branches of the evergreen while getting a better look at Shaldorn. Someone had taken their time crafting the compound. The architecture was intimidating and flamboyant, its presence impenetrable and ominous.

Or maybe that was because he knew what went on within its stone walls.

“How do we get in?” he whispered, eyeing the building. When Yaz didn’t answer, he slid his gaze to her. She was breathing rapidly, her eyes wide with fear as she glanced around like a cornered animal ready to bolt.

“I can’t. It’s… There’s…”

He’d realized some time ago that he wouldn’t force her to enter Shaldorn. Even if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t now. She was in no state. Being this close to the place she had barely escaped was too much. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d entered somewhere and had to sort things out himself. He’d complete the mission. Like he always did.

Ravi tugged down his scarf and gently touched Yaz’s shoulder. Her wild eyes jerked to his. She was so good at hiding her trauma. If she hadn’t shared it with him, he never would’ve known. But she couldn’t hide it now. It stood between them.

When they left Rannora, he hadn’t cared about why she’d left Shaldorn. He had told himself everyone had something in their past, but it had been a lie so he wouldn’t feel anything. It was always better that way. Emotions got in the way.

Like now.

But he couldn’t change that. He wouldn’t.

He fought the impulse to pull Yaz into his arms and shield her from the world. He didn’t because he feared she would reject his embrace. She had proven that she didn’t need anyone. Especially him. Odd how that disappointed him so. He was the same. Life was easier alone.

It had been his mantra for years. Somehow, after a trek through the mountains, that no longer applied.

He glanced down and noticed that she gripped his arm tightly. He didn’t know if she held on to steady herself or to shove him away. It was enough that she touched him in any capacity.

“It’s okay,” Ravi said, keeping his voice soft to calm her. “Tell me how to get inside, then make your way back to the boulders and wait for my return. If I’m not back by dawn, leave.”

She blinked twice. Her gaze was directed toward him, but he didn’t think she saw him. She was lost in her memories. Bringing her to Shaldorn had allowed the past to rear its head. He should’ve expected this. He should’ve prepared. He’d heard the terror in her voice when she spoke of Shaldorn, and he had done nothing.

He stepped closer, bringing his face near hers. “Yaz? Did you hear me? You aren’t going inside. I just need the way in.”