Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87193 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87193 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Nadia jerked. “You’re not waiting here for us?”
“No. Shift into wolf form when you’re back and run together.” Solomon smiled. “I missed that part in the earlier translations and just figured it out today. You’re supposed to be in wolf form together during some part of each challenge. Probably just to make sure your spirits are aligned. Maybe?” He turned and walked away, boots crunching over snow, already losing interest.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
The river roared below them, the sound filling every gap in thought. Snow dusted the boards, and the ropes creaked under the wind.
Isaac broke the silence, his blue eyes burning through the dusk. “I’ll go first and test it?”
“Okay. I’ll be right behind you the entire time.”
He hesitated, then nodded. “Stay close.” He stepped carefully onto the bridge.
Nadia said a quiet prayer and followed him. The boards dipped immediately, the whole structure swaying as if offended by their weight. Her fingers tightened around the ropes, her gloves already damp. The cold cut straight through them.
“Eyes forward,” Isaac said quietly. “Not down.”
“I know,” she muttered. “I really know.”
They moved one step at a time, syncing their pace without talking about it. The wind shoved at them, hard enough that Nadia had to lean into the rope to keep her balance. Below, the river smashed through a narrow chute, foam glowing faintly in the dying light.
Halfway across, the bridge lurched.
Nadia gasped as one board shifted under her boot, tilting sharply. Her heart slammed into her throat.
“I’ve got you,” Isaac said instantly, turning back.
His hand closed around her wrist, firm and steady. He planted his feet wide, absorbing the movement until the bridge settled into a slower sway. “Okay,” he said. “You’re good. Take a breath.”
She sucked in air. “Thank you.”
He turned and picked his way gingerly forward. Snow thickened as they went, flakes sticking to their lashes, melting against their skin. Nadia’s arms burned from gripping the ropes. Her shoulders ached from fighting the wind.
“How are you doing?” Isaac called back, his voice faint in the blowing wind.
“Still alive,” she said. “Ask me again in a minute.”
He huffed a quiet laugh. “Fair.”
They reached the far side just as the light dropped another notch and shadows took over the world. Nadia stepped off the bridge and nearly sagged with relief, her legs trembling.
Isaac stayed close until both of them were on solid rock.
“Okay,” he said. “No dying so far.”
She glanced back at the bridge. It swayed emptily behind them, the boards knocking together like teeth. “Let’s not tempt fate by admiring it.”
The slate deposit sat against the mountain wall, a dark, glossy sheet half-buried in snow. It shimmered faintly, almost like it was holding onto the last of the light. Okay, it might be magical.
“There,” Isaac said. “That’s got to be it.” He brushed snow away with his fingers and pulled the tools out of his pocket. “This is the shiniest slate I’ve ever seen.”
“I know,” Nadia whispered, happy her feet were on solid ground again. Icy, snowy ground, but good enough. She tilted her head and looked up the sheer rock wall. “We must be halfway up the mountain?” She’d love to see it in the daylight.
Isaac crouched, studying the slate. “It seems like it. This slate is curved. Can you see that?” His voice turned thoughtful.
She crouched to better see the striations in the rock. “Yeah.” They looked like they were moving, and she could see shapes. “There’s a wolf.”
He peered closer. “Cool.” As he began to chip at the slate, the sound rang sharp and bright, echoing off the stone walls. Nadia positioned herself beside him, one shoulder pressed to the rock, eyes flicking between his work and the bridge behind them.
The wind howled, carrying the smell of water and snow. Her fingers were numb now, aching deeply, but she stayed still.
“I’m sorry about the tunnel collapse earlier,” he said, working away. “I didn’t set those explosives.”
She studied him. That sounded like the truth, but she didn’t really know the guy. “Okay.”
“Not my style.” He leaned closer to the rock.
She wanted to believe him. He was the guy who’d been modern enough to deny the trophy and apologize on behalf of all males. “If it wasn’t you, and it wasn’t Caidrik—considering he rescued me—that leaves Luca.”
“Maybe. It could be anyone from the pack. You can’t tell me everyone liked discovering Philip Nightsom’s unknown daughter.”
Huh. That was a point she hadn’t considered. “Everyone has been so nice.”
“Humph.” The wolf shape slowly emerged from the slate, sharp lines forming under Isaac’s careful strikes. The stone resisted, then yielded, glowing faintly where it broke free. “Plus, don’t discard Caidrik so easily just because he saved you. Maybe he had a plan to kill his brother and then rescue you. As a strategy, it wasn’t bad.” Isaac leaned back, breathing hard. “Done.”