Soul Seeker

24: Practice

To Ciara's relief, her ice powers seemed to have retreated behind whatever wall had been keeping them hidden before the encounter with Ask. She couldn't stop thinking about the blue light, and checking her hands to see if it had returned. There was something unknown within her now. It was terrifying.

As they sledded through a rocky area, Ciara noticed puddles of melted water among the snow. This was confusing until they found a couple of hot springs, shallow blue pools emitting curls of steam. Isa gave a screech of delight which quickly turned into a groan when they realised they weren't deep enough to bathe in.

"I haven't had a decent bath in what feels like years," she moaned.

"Eurgh." Ciara wrinkled her nose.

"And neither have you, Hall, judging by your smell."

"Excuse me? Do you want a knife buried in your eye?"

"Knives? Pathetic. Be a little more creative with your insults. I've heard that one too many times."

"If you'll stop arguing for a minute," Fell interrupted, "we can stay here to wash, and clean our clothes."

Thank the guardians. Her skin and hair were coated in a permanent layer of grime.

They built igloos by fashioning blocks of snow and stacking them together, as there were no compact drifts for snow caves nearby. When they had set up a makeshift camp they bundled all their travel-stained clothes together and soaked them in the water, which was as blue as the markings at the stone circle.

As midday approached, Ciara walled herself in one of the igloos to change into soft, clean layers, which had been dried by the fire. She had pulled on trousers and a thin, sleeveless thermal top when she heard a voice.

"Fell and Isa are being really cranky and refusing to speak much but I think I've finally got them to tell us more about Blackwolf." Before she could warn him away, Sebastian had stuck his head inside the igloo.

Heat flooded her from head to toe. None of them had ever seen her in such sparse clothing before.

"Hey! Avert your eyes!" She folded my arms over her chest and hunched in the opposite direction.

"Oh, guardians – I'm sorry. I... Where did you get those muscles?"

She craned her neck to look at him: his face was turning red.

"I've been hunting, foraging and butchering for as long as I can remember. Carrying elk home builds up some strength, I guess," she said, squirming with a mixture of embarrassment and... pride.

"Right. I'll leave you to, uh..." He disappeared.

When Ciara emerged from the igloo, suitably dressed, Sebastian was stood with his arms folded, frowning.

"What?"

"I bet you couldn't lift Tonraq."

Giving him a rude hand gesture over her shoulder, Ciara walked right up to Tonraq, who was stoking the fire, wrapped her arms around his middle, and hoisted him at least a foot into the air.

"Argh! Put me down!"

"You're just... embarrassed because... I'm so strong," Ciara panted, shooting Sebastian a triumphant look.

"Right. Okay. I didn't think you could do that," Sebastian said.

"Do I detect a hint of... grudging approval? Are you impressed with me, Sebastian?"

Fell stomped towards us. "What are you – you know what, I don't care. Put him down and stop messing around. Now."

"What do you want, Fell?"