‘Do you know where they might be?’ she asked. ‘They went missing in the World of the Woods.’
He ignored her question and stood up in one swift moment. Without a word, he began to stride back down the path and away from the hut. She rose to follow him, but one look of warning from a glacie halted her to the spot.
‘Rhyn?’ she shouted after him, but he didn’t turn to her. She was left there, standing in the snow, watching him leave. She didn’t know if he was hiding Ash from her, but he was definitely hiding something.
CHAPTER NINE
Sloane was in bed when she heard Rhyn arrive later that night. She immediately sat up when she heard the deep sound of his voice in the other room. All remnants of sleep faded as she swung her legs off the bed and crept over to the doorway to peek through the curtain at him. He was rubbing his face tiredly as he talked quietly with Orelle. They both spoke in their alien language, so Sloane couldn’t understand a word they said.
As she listened to them, she found there was something she liked about hearing them talk. She couldn’t for the life of her understand why though, especially considering how much she disliked Rhyn. She reasoned it was because she enjoyed listening to their words, and attempting to decipher their language. She kept hearing the word, ‘brakys,’ and was almost certain it meant enemy. Rhyn seemed to spit the word out faster and more passionately than the others he said. She also heard her own name thrown in there several times. She didn’t have to use her imagination to work out who or what they were talking about.
When Rhyn finally left, she silently returned to bed. She found it difficult to fall asleep though. Her mind was busy analysing the things she knew about the world she was in, and she spent more than a little time chewing over what Rhyn had wanted with Orelle tonight. Given his late night visit, she suspected their conversation must have been important.
The next morning, Sloane staggered from her bedroom, tired and still half asleep. Orelle was already awake and humming as she stoked the fire. She smiled as Sloane entered. ‘There’s some rashi on the table for you.’
‘Thanks,’ Sloane replied, trying to keep herself from cringing at the thought. She didn’t want to be ungrateful, but she really missed meat. Hell, she even missed the protein bars they tried to pass off as food on the Explorer. Didn’t these people have anything else to eat?
She sat down at the table and pulled the bowl of rashi towards her. She stared at the glowing plant, trying to convince herself to eat it.
‘How did you sleep?’ Orelle asked, coming to sit beside her.
‘Fine,’ Sloane replied. ‘Though, I heard you with Rhyn last night.’ She snuck a glance at Orelle.
Orelle’s face dropped a little. ‘Oh, I hope we didn’t keep you awake.’
Sloane let out a small laugh, slowly shaking her head. Of course that’s what she was concerned about. ‘No, I couldn’t sleep anyway. What did he want?’
Orelle went to respond, but was cut off by the sounds of the glacies clacking cheerfully from outside. A moment later, Rhyn entered the hut. The blinding white light from outside shone into the room from behind him. When the pelt dropped shut, it took a minute for Sloane’s eyes to readjust as the darkness of the hut returned.
He stood there awkwardly in the doorway, his arms folded across his chest. ‘Mother,’ he said, by way of greeting.
She smiled up at him and waved her hand at the seat opposite her. ‘Won’t you sit?’
He hesitated, his eyes darting to Sloane before he looked at the chair.
‘Just take a seat Rhyn. I promise I won’t bite,’ Sloane said, leaning back in her own chair.
His eyes flashed and he frowned, clearly annoyed by the suggestion that he might be scared of Sloane’s bite. He slowly took a seat, looking decidedly uncomfortable.
Orelle’s eyes darted between Rhyn and Sloane, like she was waiting for something. ‘Rhyn…’ she prompted.
‘Yes…’ he replied.
‘Don’t you having something to tell Sloane…’
He shrugged and looked down at the table. He looked so sullen that Sloane wanted to laugh.
‘Rhyn!’ Orelle snapped.
His scowl darkened and he shot a glare at his mother. He sighed and then looked at Sloane. ‘You may go to the village.’
‘Really?’ Sloane replied, jumping up from her seat and nearly knocking her bowl of rashi over. She glanced towards the doorway. ‘Can I go now?’ She was so excited to be leaving the hut; she didn’t care if Rhyn could see it.
‘No, you require an escort,’ Rhyn replied.
‘Well, let’s go.’
He stood, towering over her. ‘I have better things to do than babysit you.’
He sounded appalled, but Sloane didn’t let that ruffle her. ‘Orelle?’ She turned to the woman, hopeful.
‘My older brother, Kai, will escort you,’ Rhyn replied for her. ‘Do not even think about attempting to escape, as there is nowhere for you to run. If I hear about you giving Kai any trouble, I will not extend this privilege again.’
Sloane nodded, but struggled to appear serious. She wasn’t thinking of escape, or even considering causing any trouble. Right now she was just so happy to be leaving the hut she’d been stuck in for days. She could feel her grin reaching from ear to ear.
Rhyn turned to his mother. ‘If something happens, I’m blaming it on you,’ he said, pointing his finger at her, before stalking from the hut.
Sloane lifted an eyebrow at Orelle. ‘Why would he blame you?’
‘There may have been threats involved in our conversation last night,’ she said, almost embarrassed. ‘But I couldn’t let you stay confined here any longer.’
Sloane smiled gratefully at the woman, and stored the piece of information away for later. Orelle had influence over her son, which may prove useful in her escape.
‘Our world may feel very alien to you, but you’ll never feel comfortable here if we continue to keep you caged,’ Orelle continued. Her eyes glistened and Sloane could see the depths of her emotion shining through them. She truly seemed to care about Sloane. She had no idea why though. She was prickly and ill tempered, and she hadn’t exactly returned Orelle’s kindness. Orelle wasn’t the enemy though; it was Rhyn holding her prisoner. Maybe she should go a little easier on the woman.
‘Thank you,’ Sloane replied, her eyes dropping to look at the floor. Orelle had truly looked after her since she arrived, and she couldn’t remember the last time someone had spoken up for her.
‘It’s no problem.’ Orelle smiled brightly. She leaned over to clear Sloane’s bowl away. ‘I should warn you; Kai can be slightly eccentric. Although, I suppose you find us all as strange as we find you.’
Sloane didn’t care if Kai had a second head, as long as she got out of the hut. Ever since the moment Rhyn had announced she could visit the village, the walls of the place felt like they were closing in on her and she couldn’t wait to leave.
Orelle put the bowl away and picked up another one filled with food for the glacies. She headed for the front door, pausing just inside. ‘I really do want you to feel at home here,’ she said, before disappearing outside.
Sloane’s tight smile dropped as soon as Orelle was gone. She couldn’t imagine this place ever feeling like home. But, when she thought about it, she’d forgotten what a home should feel like. It had been years since she’d felt safe in one place. Almost a lifetime since she’d felt the warmth and security a home is supposed to provide. All she knew was, she could never feel at home in a place without Rowe.
As she waited for Kai to arrive, Sloane started to plan. She didn’t dare to consider the possibility of escape today, but she intended to learn us much as she could about the world she was in. The only chance she had of getting back to her crew would be if she found the rift she came through. She had no intention of attempting to escape until she knew exactly where it was. The world she was in was bitterly cold, and she believed Orelle’s warnings that she could freeze to death if she escaped
to search for it. Now that she’d had time to think about it, Sloane realised she’d be crazy to run with no plan in place.
Once she found the rift it shouldn’t be too hard to escape—she hoped. But finding it wasn’t her only objective. Rhyn had behaved so strangely when she asked him about Ash and his team. She would bet her favourite set of daggers he was hiding something—something that could lead her to Ash or help her find him. She wanted nothing more than to escape this place, but could she really leave if there was a chance Rhyn knew what had happened to Ash? How could she look Rowe in the eyes when she returned and tell her that by escaping this world she’d lost her chance at finding their brother?
When Orelle returned, a man followed her in through the entrance to the hut. For a moment she mistook the man for Rhyn, but on getting a clear look at his face she realised he must be his brother, Kai. He was tall and incredibly handsome, with the same square jaw as Rhyn. The dark hair and piercing ice blue eyes must run in the family she figured. Unlike his brother though, Kai didn’t have the build of a fighter, and he had the same gentleness in his expression as Orelle. He didn’t look much older than Rhyn, and Sloane was surprised by how similar in age he looked to his mother.
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you,’ Kai said, as he approached her. He genuinely looked happy to meet her. Sloane had been expecting an older, equally insufferable, version of Rhyn. She wasn’t prepared for someone who was actually nice.
‘Hi,’ Sloane said, extending her hand to shake his. He looked down at her hand and stepped back, a look of panic overwhelming his face. Orelle rushed forwards and grabbed Sloane’s arm to guide her towards the entrance. Sloane glanced back over her shoulder at Kai, who stood cemented to the same spot, looking completely shaken.
‘Did I do something wrong?’ Sloane asked.
‘No dear, just try to avoid touching Kai.’
Sloane glanced over her shoulder again. They had given her a guard who wouldn’t even touch her. Was this some sort of joke? Either way, she felt slightly offended. Was it because she was human?
Orelle walked with Sloane outside. The sky overhead was an intense shade of cobalt blue and the snow-covered valley glittered as the suns’ rays danced across the ice. Despite the clear skies, it was a frosty morning and Sloane wrapped her arms around herself to try and ward against the chill. She may have despised the dress she wore, but the thick material did provide some measure of warmth against the cold. It completely covered her arms and fell to her feet, and she was grateful she wasn’t out there in her flimsy jumpsuit.
The glacies were both lying in the sunshine by the front of the house. They didn’t bother looking over as she walked past them and along the path that cut through the snow banks. They almost disappeared when they lay in the snow like that. If Sloane hadn’t been searching for the creatures, she may have missed them altogether. She walked quickly to get past them. They didn’t scare her exactly, but Sloane had a healthy respect for anything that could end her with one chomp of its jaw. Especially when she was unarmed.
Kai met her and Orelle at the end of the short pathway that led away from the hut. They were just at the point where the path met the main thoroughfare that wound through the snowdrifts to connect the other huts in the valley. It stretched from the far end of the village to the dark ravine that Sloane had noticed on the first day. The snow that had built up on either side of the path was taller than Sloane, and it cast a deep blue shadow across the trail, making the air cooler.
When Orelle saw Kai approaching them, she gave Sloane a warm smile. ‘Enjoy the village,’ she said. ‘And try to stay out of trouble,’ she added, before returning up the pathway to her house.
Sloane didn’t want to make any promises she couldn’t keep to Orelle, so she stayed silent and waited for Kai to reach her.
‘Apologies for my behaviour,’ Kai said, when he caught up with her. He looked uncomfortable for a moment before continuing on. ‘Are you ready for your tour?’
Sloane nodded and fell in beside him as they headed towards the village. She was curious why he would act such a way, but it wasn’t her place to ask. She would be gone soon and his strange behaviour would only be a distant memory.
They walked in silence, as Sloane took everything in. The more of the village she saw, the more the place seemed like something out of a fairy tale to her. Each stone hut was nestled within large snow banks. They were only accessible via the icy pathways that cut through the thick blanket of snow that lay over the valley. Their rooftops were all covered in heavy layers of snow and most huts had a plume of smoke wafting from their stone chimneys.
Kai kept stealing glances at her as they walked. Sloane could see he was curious about her, though he couldn’t seem to work up the courage to ask her whatever it was he was wondering. Instead, he studied her as if he were mentally cataloguing her features.
As they got closer to the centre of the village, the walkway began to widen and they entered a large, open square that was bordered by buildings made entirely of ice. Sunlight glistened on the frozen surfaces, making the buildings almost glimmer in the light. There was the sparkling refraction of sunlight in the centre of the square as well, where an imposing ice sculpture depicting one of the glacies stood. The creature was rearing back, its wings spread wide and its head tilted up to the sky.
The square was much busier than the empty pathway to town had been and appeared to be a meeting point for the villagers. Groups of men and women sat in animated conversations on long ice benches that lined the square. The people there looked similar to Rhyn, Orelle and Kai. They were all very tall and had dark hair that contrasted strikingly against their fair skin. Their eyes were all unnaturally light, though there were various shades of colour from the palest of greens to faint hues of amber.
In the background, Sloane could hear the sound of some sort of woodwind instrument, playing a light and melodic tune. It made her think of a summer’s day rather than the dark and icy depths of winter, but it seemed fitting for the lively square they were in.
As she entered the square, she noticed several glacies perched up on the icy rooftops. They appeared alert and almost watchful of the villagers below. Sloane wasn’t exactly certain of the relationship between the glacies and the Unfaih. She’d thought they were simply vicious pets. But looking at them now, she decided it must be something more than that.
‘This is the main square,’ Kai explained. His voice was gentle, yet it held a quiet confidence to it. ‘The buildings that surround it are communal areas, used for recreational activities, and when the weather is good our people will meet here in the square.’
‘There are no shops or markets?’ she asked, looking at the buildings closely.
‘No. We have no use for such things. We share our skills freely amongst one another. Everyone plays their part.’
Sloane nodded as she listened to his explanation, her eyes still captivated by the scene around her. This place was picturesque in a way she had never seen before, but it felt like there was something missing. Only, she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.
Kai began to lead her across the square, and Sloane received several furtive glances in her direction as they walked. She wondered whether the villagers knew about her. They could clearly tell she was a stranger, but did they know where she came from?
Those looks weren’t the only ones she noticed as they walked. She also spotted several appreciative glances in Kai’s direction by some of the women, but he appeared to be totally oblivious. She couldn’t understand him. Most men she knew would relish such looks from so many women. She guessed the hormonal boys she’d been with at the Academy were hardly a good comparison though.
When they reached the other end of the square, Kai led her under an icy archway and down a path that cut between two of the buildings. Sloane looked through the walls and into the frozen structures beside her as she followed Kai. The ice was thick and it was difficult to see anything clearly, but there were blurry outlines of obje
cts and shadows of people moving from within.
The path only took them a few minutes to wander down and they emerged on the other side of the village. There were no more huts or frozen buildings ahead; instead they had made it to the edge of the valley. A stretch of flat ground lay in front of her, before sharply falling away. The village was nestled into the side of a mountain, atop a set of sheer cliffs, and there was a long drop down to a frozen ocean below.
Sloane paused to appreciate the beauty of what she was seeing. The frozen sea seemed to extend forever out to the horizon and the sun danced along the icy surface. Where the sea met the cliffs, giant waves had been frozen in action as they roared and tumbled towards the shore. Some of the waves were large frozen barrels, while others had huge frozen claws that were flexed back in the air, with sharp and jagged fingernails that curled around.
Kai pointed to a circular balcony made from ice that jutted out over the edge of the cliff. ‘The view’s best from over there,’ he said, finally breaking the silence.
Sloane nodded and followed him over.
Stepping out onto the icy deck made Sloane’s stomach drop. She could see down the sheer cliff face, and all that was between her and the icy waves far below was air. Kai boldly walked to the edge and lent against the intricate ice railing.
As Sloane stepped next to him, she took a deep breath in and then out again.
‘You’re right. It is best from here,’ she said to Kai.
He smiled at her and then looked back out over the ocean. ‘I’m impressed you came out here on the first go. There are still some people in our village who are too afraid to venture out over the cliffs.’ He slapped his hand on the railing. ‘It’s like they believe the balcony is made from something as fragile as ice.’
Sloane caught his grin as he said this and smiled. ‘Heights aren’t so bad, and I figured you wouldn’t be out here if it wasn’t safe.’
In Ice We Burn (The Liftsal Guardians Book 1) Page 9