Page 55 of Full Moon
"Hey..." Easton squeezes my biceps. "Where did you go just now? Your eyes went pale blue like your wolf's before she uses her weapon."
"I was thinking about all the research my father has on what I am." I motion to the sweatshirt and jeans I'm wearing with my hiking boots. "For example, I'm comfortable wearing what most would wear in the fall. The cold has never bothered me. If Dad's research is correct, it never will."
Diaval cants his head, and I see his serpentine slits rise in his eyes. "Makes sense. I've seen winter wolves before—they are magnificent war beasts and extremely hard to defeat in battle." Pride floods his tone.
"I wouldn't be so battle-ready if it weren't for the four of you training me to fight. Some of it is my wolf's instinct, but a good part of it is what you have taught me. Thank you, everyone." Silence stretches out, and the only sound is the crunching of snow beneath our feet.
We take a short break so Torben can eat some snow. I move alongside him, resting a hand on his broad back as I adjust hisharness straps. My wolf could easily pull this cart, but I was outvoted. They need me to be able to shift and fight if necessary, and being attached to the cart would make that difficult if we're attacked.
The mountain range we need is in sight. Less than a mile away. About twenty minutes ago, we bundled Easton into some blankets on the sled. He was stubborn about admitting he was cold, his pride almost costing him dearly.
"We should reach the cavern soon," I yell back to the others, moving up alongside Alec.
"This has been too easy." Alec stops walking, his wolven head turning to me. The words send ice through my veins—a different kind of cold than the wind. He's right. It has been too easy.
"Go back to the pack. I have a feeling it's going to get very dangerous once we get to the cavern." He raises his hackles at me, a low growl rumbling in his throat.
"I am not going to stand here and argue with you. Head back and protect the others. A blizzard is coming, and they need both betas to guide them." His eyes dart to Torben, then back to me.
"He's not going to side with you," I add, just as Torben sits down, refusing to move.
Alec lowers his head and starts heading back to the pack, his silhouette merging with the snow-covered landscape.
"What made you send him back, Precious?" Khal moves closer, lowering the scarf from his face.
"Something is waiting for us. Either in the cavern or just on the other side." A shiver runs down my spine—not from the cold, butfrom the sense of impending danger that grows stronger with every step.
Then I see it. "Hey Diaval, what lays what looks like ice eggs?" I steer us behind the nearest rock formation, heart pounding in my chest.
"Blizzard dragons, frost worms, or ice serpents. Why?" Diaval steps beside me as I point toward a haphazardly constructed nest with four shimmering eggs.
His face goes pale. "Frost worms," he mutters. "They use their eggs as bait."
The words hang in the air like a death sentence. Frost worms. I've read about them. Massive creatures that burrow through ice and snow, drawn by vibration and body heat. They can sense prey from hundreds of feet away. Their bodies generate intense cold—cold enough to freeze a full-grown man solid in seconds. And they explode when they die.
"I can almost hear his silent conversation with his dragon," I murmur, watching Diaval's eyes flicker. "They both know I'm no match for a frost worm."
But I have an idea. "Khal? How close do you need to be to turn someone to stone?"
He blinks at me, startled. "Within thirty feet. Why?"
"I'm not liking where this is going," Diaval growls.
"Well, here's my plan." I position myself in front of my mates, their eyes fixed on me with varying degrees of horror. "That rock grouping should be big enough for Khal to hide behind, coiled up in his basilisk form."
I gesture toward the cavern. "I'll lure the worm out and get it to chase me, leading it straight to Khal. Once I'm close enough, I'll signal him, then hit the ground as soon as I hear him move."
"You want to use yourself as bait." Torben's voice is flat in my head through the bond. It's not a question.
"I'm the fastest. I'm immune to the cold. And I'm the one it won't be able to freeze."
Silence.
Then Khal nods slowly. "I'll slide my tail out and grab you while I turn the worm to stone."
"Just in case, I'll be ready to shift and torch it," Easton adds.
"Make sure to take off that heavy coat. Goose down doesn't do well with fire," I warn. Then I turn to Diaval. "If it's stone, will it still explode?"
