Towers [BOOK ONE]

Chapter Eleven

These mountains were so much bigger than the ones near our village--infinitely bigger. The higher we climbed, the colder it became. The snow deepened, swallowing my boots with each weary step.

"We can do this," Lily said, hugging herself. Her breath fogged the air. "We can...d-do this."

By noon, we were all exhausted. There was no strength left in my body. I watched, emotionless, as Emmy's legs failed her; she collapsed, curling up in the snow.

I longed to join her.

Caleb stopped and stared down at her. Her braids, eyelashes, and clothes were peppered with frost, and her skin was pale. "Emmy," he said, "you have to keep moving."

She just continued to shiver, eyes closed.

Caleb sighed and stepped over to Channing, prying the reins from his cold, stiff fingers. "Brother," he said. "Help me pick her up. Lily, Bird, onto the sled."

There was room for all three of us, and I felt a rush of thankfulness that the sled was so big. "You c-could fit too, Channing," I told him through chattering teeth.

He shook his head. "No, don't worry about me. I've dealt with worse weather before."

Emmy leaned her head against my shoulder, shuddering. If only we'd brought blankets. Winter was deepening. And if those dark clouds peeking over the mountain tops were any indication, a snow storm was on the way.

Caleb picked up the reins, slung them over his shoulder, and pulled the sled along behind him. If hauling our weight was difficult, he didn't show it. We huddled together and bore onward.

Night fell, seeming to come sooner than it should have. My perception of time was tilted, leaving me confused and lost. Unable to trust my senses, I curled up between Lily and Emmy and closed my eyes. This is a nightmare, I told myself. All of it. Any moment now, I'll wake up in my warm bed back home, and Dessa will never have been taken away. Yes, this is definitely a nightmare.

I knew that the words weren't true. But they comforted me, so I let them fill my mind like a soft, fluffy cloud, blotting out all other thoughts. This isn't real, this isn't real, this isn't real.

The wooded mountain slope grew swiftly darker, descending into a sea of shadows. Snowflakes began to drift sweetly from the deceitfully quiet sky. They fell in slow, lazy spirals, each one as bright as a shooting star.

Caleb left the four of us under a dead pine tree to search for shelter. I was half-asleep when he went away. He was there before I blinked, it seemed, and then he was suddenly gone. I registered his absence in the back of my head, not really understanding what it meant. It's so cold.

Each of us wanted to speak--to pierce the terrible silence that hung over us--but we were too frozen to force out the words. My voice had abandoned me, leaving me empty, lonely, and afraid.

Just when we had begun to think that Caleb would never return, Lily whispered, "There." We all strained to see what she was looking at. The snow fell in thick billows, and it took me a moment to spot the figure moving slowly towards us.

Caleb.

"Come," he said, appearing out of the storm. "Hurry. Channing, bring the sled."

We didn't question him, not even in our heads. We were too numb for doubt. Silently, I followed, with one arm around Emmy to keep her warm. Channing supported Lily, and she sank against him, her eyes fluttering shut.

The gloom parted like a misty white veil. A small cave materialized before us, as pale as a shadow.

"Inside," said Caleb. "A blizzard's coming."