Every Glistening Night

Chapter Thirty

Ixek and I trek in silence for nearly two days. As we ascend higher, dry rock becomes coated in snow, first a fine, dusty layer, then voluminous fluff. Now I understand why Nal m'se insisted we take boots. Snow clings to the fur stretching from my feet to my knees. I'm especially grateful that I sewed sunlight beams into the boots. The cold barely penetrates my toes, and the boots are nearly as soaked as Ixek's. I suppose I never added the extra warmth to his pair.

A shiver racks Ixek's shoulders. He pulls his robe tighter around his shoulders.

I clear my throat. "Are you alright?" He grunts a 'yes.'

Kletasuah assured me that he was set for the journey, but I'm not convinced. He seems to shiver more than me, and sometimes, his feet drag through the snow while I get ahead of him. Still, he only agrees to rest when it's mealtime or growing dark.

"We're almost there." Ixek's voice is hoarse from disuse. The frosty air isn't doing him any favors, either.

I gaze up the mountainside. Three peaks rise in the distance, each taller than the previous.

"Which one are we climbing?" I ask.

"We aren't climbing any," Ixek says. "We're going around the base."

"Oh." Relief swirls inside me. The thought of more climbing makes me cringe internally.

We trudge up the snowy incline. My legs burn from the exertion. Honestly, even if Ixek feels fine, I wouldn't mind a break. Then again, frequent rests would delay our journey more.

Ixek stops at the mountain's base. He holds up a hand, motioning for me to stay back.

"Careful," he warns in a whisper. Slowly, he inches forward. His feet are silent on the snow, in contrast to slight crunching under mine. He glances back, annoyed. "Shh."

"Sorry," I whisper.

Up close, the distance between peaks is much further than when I'd surveyed it from afar. We keep traveling along the undulating snow. Ixek picks up momentum from the up and down topography while I slow down. I stop paying attention for a bit because the next time I look up, Ixek is nowhere in sight. I stumble to a stop, glancing around. Deciding that he probably continued straight ahead, I continue that way.

His thin frame returns to view. He stopped ahead, his expression hardened into the coldest stone.

"Come on," he hisses. He grabs my arm and pulls me along. My feet tramp noisily behind me, but I guess Ixek's given up on a silent approach.

Finally, the tallest mountain peak looms overhead. I spare a glance upward, and terror overwhelms me. Jagged rocks hang off the vertical slope, ready to impale whatever is in their path should they fall. I quickly avert my eyes to the rock arching overhead. The large peak forms almost a bridge crossing to a downward sloping cliff on the other side. Ixek pulls me behind the rock on either side of the gaping hole in the mountain.

Ixek pokes his head out, then quickly ducks back. "There are three Anderwres out there."

"Anderwres?" My brow wrinkles. The name sounds familiar, but I can't quite place it.

"We need a distraction while I retrieve the parcel." His eyes appraise me, and I feel warmth flooding my cheeks. His jaw shifts, gaze flickering to the snow. "Hmm. Maybe I should cause the distraction."

"I-I can cause a distraction," I say.

His eyes lock on mine again. "They might shoot you."

I pause, grappling for a response. "I... I can do what needs to be done. For Nal m'se." For the tribe.