13. A Risk
Astra takes a chance to give them a chance...
Escape from Ice Mountain marks the start of an epic fantasy, one where a middle-aged fish-out-of-water librarian (and necromancer!) navigates love, betrayal, and the complexities of power as she struggles to embrace her destiny and uncover the mysteries of her own origins. Yes, there are dragons too! And also magical dogs. It’s gonna be awesome!
Previously: Astra realized that a gift brought to her also brought destruction with it...
Dzrezor's party had already opened the plain wooden door marking the end of the Golden Inkstone Steps and the entrance to the retreat compound. Exhausted and off balance, Astra stumbled as she moved out of the tunnel into the darkness. There was a full moon, but it was fading on the horizon, signaling that it was close to dawn, despite the night sky. They had walked through the late afternoon into the night and out into morning. Knowing that for a fact made Astra's feet hurt even more.
The retreat compound beyond the highest point of the monastery itself was a vast cliff side filled with shallow caves used for meditation and prayer. Aside from the sculptures carved into their walls and the paintings that adorned them, they were empty except for a few of the lower ones, which contained old braziers for warmth, popular with nuns who were elderly or in poor health. While the compound was a full two bell's walk from the summit, it shared the bitterly cold weather and the thin air. Nuns worked constantly, year round, to shovel ice and know from the ancient paths. People could not live at such heights, not for long stretches of time, so the compound, though often busy, was far more sparse than any other part of Qordashi.
“Too open, too easy for snow dragons to spot us here,” the soldier said, and Astra noted yet again that she still had not asked him name.
As they stood there with Dzrezor's entourage milling about, she turned to him. “What is your name?”
He looked surprised, as if he thought she had already known. “Xevai a-Koloh of the Hi-Ahat.”
Not that it was helpful, because it wasn't, since she did not know the significance of having two names or a place name, so could not figure out what to call him. “Xavai?” She hazarded.
He smiled. “Yes, Sorcerer.”
“Oh, no. Not a sorcerer, I told you that. I'm Astra.”
He tilted his head. “What is an astrha?”
“It's my name,” she said, fearful that maybe he was too beautiful to be very smart. Not that she cared too much, of course. There were more important issues at stake than a pointless fancy on her part.
He smiled at her, his grin broad and honest and far too handsome. Astra felt herself blushing and looked away, only to spot Traz striding over to them, a grim expression on his face.
“I do not like this,” he stated flatly.
“I am allowed to talk to him!” Astra snapped, waving a hand at Xavai, who had started glowering as soon as Traz appeared.
“What? Him? No, I mean the compound. It's not so far removed, and I hear fighting and death below us. Why are the Yosoi not here? Wouldn't they at least send a scouting party?”
“I agree,” Zochur said, coming over with one long arm still wrapped around the stocky Am-Ayat general, who was pale and clearly in pain. “That is not like the Yosoi. They would not remain here long, but they would come to check for valuables, and to make sure no one stepped out of this very obvious doorway.” They waved their free hand at the large wooden door to the Golden Inkstone Steps.
Astra thought back to Naboch's earlier comment to Zochur, “you would know.” It seemed that, in fact, Zochur would know, and that combined with trust in Traz's sixth sense led her to looking around more carefully.
“Dzrezor is not even pretending to head for the remote caves in the back,” she commented, pitching her voice low.
“By the damned, you're right,” Traz whispered.
“He's waiting.” Zochur stood up straight, unsettling the general. Astra took a moment to explain their thoughts to Hiloh and Xavai, who both nodded gravely in agreement.
“You and Traz and your soldier must go hide. The rangers are not paying attention to any of us, we are dispensable to them,” Zochur continued. “Hiloh and I will stay here, and lie if needed to cover your tracks.”
It took a moment for Astra to realize that “your soldier” was directed at her, but then Zochur's words sunk in. She reached out and grabbed the older nun's smock. “No! We will not leave you!”
“He is weak from injury, and I am but an old, worthless cook.” Zochur smiled, although it was a grim expression.
“We need to go, Ashtrakur,” Traz said, pulling her away from Zochur.
“If the Yosoi come here, they will kill you,” Astra argued.
Zochur shrugged. “They will try.”
Traz looked around. “Let us go singly, so as not to arouse suspicion. You first,” he nodded at Astra.
She turned to Xavai and explained what was going on. He nodded in agreement. “Tell the thief he is right.” He gave a pained look at the general, whom Zochur had gently settled on a rock so he could sit for a moment. “I must go pay my respect.” He turned and strolled casually over to Hiloh, as if simply to check on his well-being. A few rangers glanced their way, but returned to staring out at the majestic view beneath the cliff.
Astra turned to Traz. “What is your game?”
He looked shifty for a moment, then surprised, then hurt. “What do you mean?”
“You did not even want us to come here. Now you are eager to go run to the caves. Don't think I do not see through you, Trazkhor. You were no better at hiding your intent when you were trying to steal sweets as a baby!”
He glanced over at the others, then slung an arm over Astra's shoulders, pulling her close. “Our pack is up here. The dragon and I came up here last night, after I saw you, and hid it here. I'm sure it was trying to grab you and hide you as well, when it broke into the temple.”
“Grab me?”
“It knows the things I believe are precious to me,” he said, looking shifty again. “It is why it carries the pack and protects the fire horn.”
Astra almost told him the truth about the “horn” then, but remembered the caution of the temple dogs. She missed them, oddly, but quickly brought her mind back to the present. “You could have just said so!”
He shook his head. “My life of late has not been one where I can trust people. You, I trust with my life; but Zochur is not as they have appeared to me in the past, and the Am-Ayat soldiers…they are from a terrible and violent kingdom. They do not brand thieves there, Astra; they cut off hands and feet.” He shuddered.
Astra had read many such accounts of violent kingdoms throughout her library, and knew he was right to be wary of the soldiers. It was not as if she was being entirely honest with him, either, so she simply nodded.
“I do not know which cave the dragon would have stashed the pack, though. So I want you and me to go first, so we can look.” He glanced at Xavai. “I'm not sure how long he will even last this high up on the mountain; Am-Ayat is a desert country on a low plateau.”
Astra realized that it was one reason Hiloh was looking so wane. The altitude would surely be a second blow to someone who was already weeping blood from a recent wound. She grimaced. “You go first, then. You are the sneaky one.”
“If that is your kind way of saying that I am a thief, then you are right.” He smirked a little, a bit like he used to as a child before running away with ill-gotten sweets from Zochur's pantry, then walked over to where the rangers were standing, moving through them with purpose, as if he had somewhere to be. They ignored him.
Astra went over to Zochur. “He's going first to test their suspicions.”
“And because he is the sneaky one between you,” Zochur added dryly.
Astra shrugged. It could not be argued.
“Where did the thief go?” Xavai asked quietly, his hand still firmly on Hiloh's shoulder.
“He is going first, to see if the rangers are paying attention.” She glanced around. “It looks as if they are not. He's long gone.”
“You must go next, Tor Astra,” Xavai said. “It will be too obvious when I leave. We stand out with our lowland complexions and bronze armor.”
She suspected that he also wanted to delay his goodbyes with Hiloh, and for the first time noticed what could be a family resemblance between the men, if a couple of generations apart. With a curt nod, she gave him straightforward directions on where the higher, remote caves were, and how to get there unobserved. She wondered if it would impolite to convey her prayers for his safety, but instead, her tongue tricked her with, “It will be hard for you, the air here is thin.”
“I feel it already and have since we entered the tunnels. But I will temper my efforts and get to you.” He gazed into her eyes and she held back a shudder at the intensity of it, the way his bright amber eyes took her in. “I will find you, Tor Astra. I swear to Olah’ah, upon my mother's grave.”
Speechless at such a proclamation, Astra nodded awkwardly and then turned to Zochur, who was, much as Traz had earlier, glaring at Xavai. But then they blinked and focused on Astra.
Zochur reached out and clasped her hand, squeezing it tightly. It might be their final goodbye, but they could not make it obvious under the eyes of the rangers. “Hold your magic tightly, Ashtrakur, do not let it overwhelm you again.”
“I shall try,” Astra said softly.
“Be as pure as the heart of Mamum, sharp as Bu's talons, fierce as Jaga's teeth, and wise as the mind of Tema. May the four winds speed you on your path, and the four compass points guide your way.”
Astra accepted the prayer quietly, squeezing Zochur's hand once more before turning and walking slowly away. In the distance, she could hear the trilling calls of the snow dragons below, and she wondered just how much time she, Traz and Xavai would have to escape off the mountain…if it was even possible.
NEXT: Hiding Out
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