Page 69 of Winter's Echo
I blinked as he watched me. “This is my home.”
“No, it isn’t.”
I felt like I was under attack from them both, and I gripped my staff a little tighter. “Yes, it is. I live here.”
“Where?” Nicco shrugged, unperturbed that he was making me uncomfortable. “Which part of thisbarrenland do you call home?”
“All of it,” I snapped back.
He smiled. “Exactly. And for some reason I can't understand, there's a whole nation like you that looks at this land of snow and ice, where nothing grows, and only monsters walk in comfort, and they call it home.”
I licked my lips as I looked around, seeing them all watching me. “So? What do you want me to say? We’re all mentally impaired. The freezing winds have altered our brains.”
I heard a few chuckles and almost relaxed.
“Since we’ve met, you’ve been remarkably self-sufficient, and apart from one inn owner, well-liked among your kind.”
“My kind?”
Nicco ignored my question.
Baxley was shaking his head. “You are well-known, Amarya. When we were looking for a trailfinder, yours was the name most recommended.”
Well, that was both flattering and unfortunate.
“What he’s trying to say,” Nicco spoke up, “is that in this frozen waste, there seems to be more of you than we expect. Crystallese has named towns and a city, but there are far more people in this kingdom than you let us see.”
“I don’t understand.” I looked over at Captain Marson, hoping for some help.
“There’s a settlement near here,” Nicco said bluntly. “I’d bet my life on it. Why are you keeping us from it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The blade was at my neck before I could blink, and as he looked down at me, I felt a frisson of fear as I looked into his eyes. Even with all my layers, he’d found flesh with no effort at all.
“Who are you protecting?” he asked quietly.
“What do you care, even if I was?” I challenged, leaning into the blade, ignoring the bite of pain as the tip speared my skin. “You were all for splitting his rations up and leaving him to die.”
Nicco smirked. “I still am. But I also want to know who else is out here. I don’t like ambushes, bunny.”
“Ambushes?” I watched him, then threw back my head, and my laughter echoed through the cold morning air. “Who the fuck do you think is out here who’s interested in Darysian soldiers and three mercenaries? You have nothing of value to anyone.”
“You said I was stupid rich,” Baxley reminded me.
I rolled my eyes. “Youcarry around a pack full of weapons, metal is valuable, but you can alsouseyour weapons, and trust me” —I was back to glaring at Nicco— “ifand it’s a huge if, if I knew anyone out here, anyone who lived beyond Skallfen, they sure as shades wouldn’t be stupid enough toambusheleven soldiers for a bag of weapons.” He let me go, and I stepped back. “A caravan of food? Well, I couldn’t say what your chances are ofsurviving that, but as I told you,clearlythere is no way a wagon can clear this snow at this time of year.”
I refused to check the mark on my neck even though I could feel the blood trickling down my throat.
“There’s nothing between Skallfen and Iskaeld?” Baxley asked, his eyes narrowed as if he didn’t believe me.
“Yes.” I pulled my hood over my hair and gave them all my haughtiest stare. “It’s called snow and ice.”
I looked over at the captain. “Your man is too far gone. He’ll be dead in an hour, maybe two.” I ignored the look of surprise and the sighs of distress. “Do him a favor. Make it quick.”
I walked away from them.
Nicco’s cold voice echoed behind me. “Where are you going?”
