Chapter 72 - A Rite of Passage part 1

The gentle back-and-forth motion of the rocking chair creaked softly through the night. Hollis, who had fallen asleep sideways on the bed around two in the morning, still slept soundly as Nova watched the flames lick up the sides of the log.

She'd never felt more ashamed.

Here she was, claiming to be a Valkyrie - a warrior that earned her title…and then dared to say she didn't deserve to participate in the Blood Rite. Never before had she felt so hypocritical of herself that, for once, she realized…perhaps Nesta had been right. Not right in the secrets she'd kept, but right in the fact that Nova wasn't ready.

Yes, she'd earned her title by accomplishing the tasks they'd given her. She'd found peace in her meditations, but her stance wasn't as firm as she'd once thought. A disciplined mind and body were not the same as the spirit, which needed to move and be moved. It could hold steady, but know when to give. Of which she had not mastered.

Hollis stirred and his eyes slowly blinked open, red from exhaustion, but soft as they settled on Nova. He watched her for a long moment, frowning at the grave expression she wore. "How are you feeling?"

Still rocking, Nova turned to look at him, but she did not smile.

Nodding with understanding, Hollis sat up and stretched his shoulders. His head of hair was a pillowy mess, and the right side of his face was now laced with creasing lines from where the textured blanket had stayed pressed for too long. He didn't hesitate to kneel in front of her chair and rub his thumbs with light pressure against her knees.

"Do you want to do the Blood Rite?" He asked, his voice still a bit scratched from waking.

Knuckles against her mouth, she nodded and then shrugged, "I do…I mean, I did. I hadn't hesitated to request joining them when they'd first mentioned it, but now," Nova swallowed, "things are different."

Watching her with a glimmer in his eyes, he truly hadn't wanted to be the reason she declined something she wanted to do.

"What if something happens?" She whispered. "What if I don't come back?"

Hollis squeezed her calves and frowned, "We could both take our last breaths tomorrow. We could fall asleep and never wake again. There is always the danger that something could happen to one of us. Or both of us. But to not do the things that bring us joy because of the fear of the unknown is to forfeit ourselves to a life of complacency. I lived that, every day, Nova. Trapped in my own fear and my parents' fear within the guarded palace walls, because something might happen," he dropped his voice a little lower, "I didn't get to start living until you. You and your wonder of recklessness that thrills me and makes me sick all at once."

Reckless, she wondered. She hadn't felt reckless for a long time. She had followed a rigid routine strictly—the same habitual notions for years. Perhaps that was the problem.

He caught a stray tear from her cheek and ran his thumb along the angle of her jaw. "What does the Blood Rite mean to you?"

Blinking, she wasn't sure she had an answer, but then it came out without thinking, "Honor, with the understanding that I fight for everything that I love. For the same reasons that those in the past did."

Hollis smiled softly, "That sounds like a pretty good reason to me."

A light laugh, bubbled with emotion, leaked from her throat. She shook her head and rubbed the back of his hand with a feather-like touch. "You're really okay with me doing this?"

Smiling, he leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss against her lips, "You're my star. I always want to watch you shine."

A flood of relief tingled down her spine, or was that arousal? Either way, she returned his sensual kiss. "I won't be gone long…" She murmured, already unbuttoning his pants as he slid hers down. Hooking her legs through the holes of the armrests, she opened herself to him. Soft and dripping with need, she could already feel herself throbbing from within.

"I'll count the minutes." Hollis breathed against her lips as he aligned the head of his cock with her entrance and thrust forward steadily, in no hurry to reach his end. He savored her warmth. Earning a whimpering moan from Nova, her head fell back against the headrest, and her fingers curled around the armrests as he filled her to his hilt.

The rest of the night, soft sighs and the creak of the rocking chair sated the cabin.

Nova had showered well before the dawn and, after sharing one last goodbye kiss with Hollis, left their cabin in her Valkyrie leather. She entered the palace and found Bran, Finch, and Kyra in the foyer with her uncles and parents, along with Kallias. She wondered why he was in attendance.

Rather than tongue-lashing for calling her out (rightfully so), she stood at the doorway a bit awkwardly as she met their stares. Her gaze landed on Bran, who watched her hesitantly, before she said, "Thanks for pulling my head out of my ass. I needed it."

A grin stretched his mouth, and he nodded. He didn't say a word, and he didn't need to. They stood together, the four of them, as Cassian reminded them of the rules of the Blood Rite.

"No magic," he looked at Nova, then strayed his eyes to the others, "no supplies, and wings are to stay bound."

For once, Nova felt proud she'd gone so long without flying. She knew other ways to survive without them, and maybe she could teach them to her counterparts.

"Remember, your goal is to reach the mountain top, but whether you do or not does not make you any less in the eyes of us. Simply attempting this task makes you a warrior with a brave heart, and that in itself is commendable. You will be taken to separate areas of the Illyrian Steppes. You may work together, should you find each other. In the past, death among warriors was glossed over as though anyone who perished during the Rite deserved their fate. That won't happen any longer. Should you need assistance, if you believe yourself to be in peril that you will not survive without aid," Cassian held up four stringed necklaces, "you will hold this, tight in your fist. Speak your name into it, and we will find you."

Attached to the black twine was a tiny golden conchshell. Nova wondered if it came from the Summer Court.

"Are you ready?" Azriel asked, to which everyone nodded as they tightened their shells around their necks.

Azriel took Kyra into a wall of shadows, while her father was gone with Finch in a blink. Nova smiled as she took her mother's outstretched hand. Just before they winnowed away, Kallias held Bran's arm before disappearing with him, too.

"Good luck. I love you," her mother whispered in her ear, setting loose a parade of nerves through her belly.

She could do this. All those years of training, cutting her ribbon, had led to this moment. Closing her eyes, she reopened them to find she was alone in the dense, frozen forest of the Night Court.

Turning in a slow circle, she took in her surroundings, which were unfamiliar to her. Far past where she'd ever dared to venture outside of the camps, she was in the heart of the steppes. On all sides were tall birch and oak trees, twisted and gnarled from the loss of their leaves, scraping the morning sky as dawn approached.

It was the same view on all sides – snow and ice across a flat land of peeling bark, and while she knew her first task needed to be finding her companions, she also couldn't pass the opportunity to scavenge for supplies offered to her by the forest. She'd carry light, she thought as she stepped through the snow.

She'd worn warm fleece beneath her armor, and while the temperature here wasn't as severe as the Winter Court, she could feel the cold starting to seep through her boots. Wet or not, they were not as well insulated as she'd like. Tilting her head back, she stared into the trees, then down to the ground. She couldn't afford to get wet; even damp clothes could lead to far worse problems than chilled toes. So, rather than rolling through the snow to find something useful beneath, she approached a tree. Without her dagger to assist her, she bit the finger of her glove and pulled it off so she could dig the frozen moss off the tree. Bit by bit, she took handfuls of moss and stuffed them into her armor where she would need the most warmth. Later, she could replace it with fresh wood and use the old as a fire starter when night fell and the temperature inevitably dropped.

Now, she thought, looking around, where is that mountain? While the thicket was dense, she knew she had to reach higher ground to find her direction. Suddenly, she wished she'd studied the Illyrian forests for longer than a few pages on one bored evening on her Island. She imagined the others would do the same and make their way toward the mountains. Their paths would eventually converge. The question was, how long before that? A day? Two?

Would they find each other before something else found them?

Lifting her chin, she stared up at the tree she'd just taken moss from. Reaching up, she gripped the thicker branch above her and pulled herself up. She continued this, climbing with amble dexterity despite her size. Careful to test each branch before putting her weight on it, she sighed as she made it to the top and peered over the seemingly endless expanse of woodland.

There, in the far distant North-West, was a vague outline of mountain peaks. The ridge was so faint, in fact, it could have been mistaken for a whisper of fog and a trick of the eyes. Still, she'd trust the instinct that she would need to remain on the path of North-West. She was hundreds of miles away, as far as she could tell, and it was going to take some time cutting across land to reach it. She checked the position of the sun and climbed back down, ready to embark on a new journey.

Nova grinned, and elated with adrenaline, she stepped forward.

The breakfast table was quiet with the absence of the others, mostly Finch, and all Hollis could do was occasionally glance at the chair Nova usually sat in. He hadn't been able to go back to sleep after she'd left the cabin a few hours ago. Honestly, he wasn't so sure he'd sleep until she returned. Not knowing where she was, or if she was alright… of course, she was.

It was Nova.

Cassian had already shown him the conch shell that connected to hers. In the parlor, where Rhysand and Feyre were now, each shell sat on the coffee table. If someone were in danger, they'd speak through the shell, and it would rattle and glow. At least, according to Tarquin.

It had taken his father's firm hand and gentle guidance to pull him and Kole away from the room to eat something. He was right, of course, otherwise they'd sit on the couch for every moment, keeping a constant watch. They'd drive themselves insane waiting for a shell to glow.

Feyre and Rhysand would spend the first few hours keeping an eye on the shells, should they need to intervene. Followed by his parents, Cassian and Azriel, and then Nesta and Emerie (who Hollis tried to avoid as much as possible). The rest of Nova's family was cordial toward him, even caring. And Emerie was alright, though, similar to Cassian and Azriel with their protective tendencies.

But Nesta?

He was reasonably certain she hated him.

Hollis knew hate was a strong word, but there was no denying the chill in his blood whenever they crossed paths. The way her leering gaze lingered on his throat for a little too long, as if she might lash out at him. Nevertheless, Nesta was Nova's family. While she was still sore at her for the past, he could tell she cared a great deal for her, and he wouldn't stand in the way of that.

"Where's Nova?" Eira frowned as she held her half-full glass of milk, careful as she sipped from the lip, spilling just a little down her chin as she smacked her lips.

Taking a napkin, Ana carefully wiped the excess and offered a warm smile. "She's training in the mountains for a while, but she'll return." After helping her get some fruit on her plate, she turned to Hollis. "What are your plans for the day?"

Hollis looked up and exchanged a glance with Kole, but it was his mother who said, "You should both find something constructive to do. Sitting around with worry will only make the waiting worse." She knew that life well and wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

Sighing softly, he nodded. "I've been meaning to harvest from the mine."

Nova loved her pearl ring, but she wanted to have something she could wear while training. She feared she'd lose or break the setting, and Hollis had suggested creating matching bands for both of them. The only issue was that the flexible rubber needed to develop the bands was a very long trip underground through the Winter Court mines. It came with dangers, of course, but it was simply time-consuming, and they'd been a bit busy lately.

"I'll go with you." Kole offered.

Ana glanced curiously at Azriel for only a moment before returning to attention to Eira, who had spilled more of her milk in a splashing splatter on the floor.

A small smile curved Az's lips as he asked, "Would you like any help?" Cassian glanced at him and raised a brow as Azriel continued. "We'd be back before our shift, I imagine?"

Cas asked, "We?"

"It shouldn't take long," Kallias nodded. "The cave cats have been cleared out."

"And the scorpians?" Hollis asked, inwardly cringing.

Cassian asked, "The what now?"

"Yes, they were relocated as well, but you'd still be mindful to take a torch and extra fuel."

Hollis nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. He could avoid cave cats easily enough, but scorpions were a different story, and he didn't intend to come into contact with them again anytime soon.

"I want a sorpian," Eira said.

Cassian quickly rebutted, "I don't think that you do." he shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "Why are there scorpions in the Winter Court? It's…cold."

Smiling, Viviane nodded, "There are caverns beneath us, not quite so cold, but not structurally sound enough for anyone to reside there safely."

With a frown, Ana glanced at them. "It is safe where they'll be going, won't it?"

Hollis nodded. "The path we'll take has a support system. I've been through it a few times. We can leave after breakfast, if that's alright." He didn't want to spend too much time there, especially if Nova called through her shell.

Agreeing for them both, Azriel nodded, "We'll be ready."

With the sun just past the zenith, Nova let herself take a break from her trek. She stopped and she listened, observing her surroundings. So far, she'd yet to come across anything more dangerous than an irritated chipmunk. As she'd traveled, she gathered random edible items along the way, careful to avoid the white berries dangling in the shrubs as she picked others, smelling them to test before stuffing them into her pocket. Now, sitting at the base of a tree where she had dusted a bit of snow and ice from the roots, she stretched her legs out and dined on cold berries, pine nuts (after shelling away the cone), and plenty of frozen oyster mushrooms.

Food alone wouldn't keep her alive; she needed water.

While melting snow might not yield much water at a time, some water was better than no water. But what would she use to boil it?

"Dammit!" Finch's familiar voice called out from somewhere to the East.

Nova stood to her feet instantly and tucked away the uneaten bits of her food. Gravitating toward the sound, she called out in a small voice, so as not to envoke any nearby predators.

"Finch?"

Silence stretched for a long minute before a response echoed, "Nova?"

She could hear the crunch of snow under boots before she saw him through the treeline. Smiling, she stalked forward, but frowned when she noticed he limped toward her, favoring his left leg.

"Hey, Starfish." Finch grinned in greeting.

"What happened?"

Grimacing, he glanced down at his leg and nodded, "Twisted it in a hole. Didn't see it with the snow."

Any injury out here spelled bad news, but an ankle was worse. The weight he'd be putting on it was not ideal.

"We need to ice it before it can swell too much." She said as they were finally within touching distance. "Here," she leaned into him, "put your weight on me." They had until the week's end to reach the mountain top. They could spare some time to rest, especially if it meant bettering his chance to make the climb.

"I'm alright."

"I'm sure you are," Nova nodded as she scanned the area, "but are you alright enough to evade a bear?" There was something particularly interesting about the tree a few paces ahead. It pillowed out, like a ballgown skirt.

Holding half his weight on her, Nova started toward the tree. She stopped just before it, looked it up and down, and stuck her toe between the 'skirt'. Pushing it to the side, she peered behind and smiled. It was such a massive and oddly shaped evergreen that Nova wondered if it had been created by something.

Frowning, she looked around the space. Had something created it?

There were no other tracks around aside from theirs; perhaps it was just a fluke of nature. "We'll need to keep our guard up. A place like this could be home to something else." It was sheltered enough to keep the snow from falling onto them, but not sufficient to retain their heat. They'd still need a fire to stay warm, aside from boiling their water.

Nova had planned to walk a few more miles before settling, but with Finch and his ankle, this would do for the night. Pushing through the hanging branches, there was enough room for them to cocoon together beneath. Which was fine by her, they'd need to retain their body heat anyway.

As Finch moved to his knees and scooped away some of the snow to make a patch for them, Nova broke off a few soft-needled branches to let Finch's ankle stay propped. As he pivoted and settled against the tree, she untied his boot.

"You seem like you've been doing well," Finch said, watching her.

"I'm starving, I'm thirsty, and I'm cold," Nova offered with a small smile, glancing at him as she peeked under the edge of his sock.

Finch chuckled, "You're not tired?"

"I'm always tired." She skimmed her fingertip along his ankle, and he jumped, sucking air in through his teeth. "It's not too bad," she assured him, "I'll gather some things for you." Digging into her pocket, she laid out the remnants of her meal on his lap. "That's all I have for now."

Finch blinked with surprise. "Nova, you don't have to share your food supply with me." He sheepishly added, "I should have been doing that myself, and I…I didn't even think to look for this type of food."

Frowning, Nova tilted her head as she studied him. "Of course I don't have to. And I wouldn't…if I were a selfish person. If my goal were only to reach the mountain top, I wouldn't have stopped when I heard you. I want to help. So please, let me."

He searched her eyes for a moment before nodding, and she smiled gently. Patting his knee, she nodded. "I'll be back." Nova parted the bows of the tree and disappeared into the snow.

It was a long, quiet walk to the mountain pass that would allow them entrance into the mines. Hollis and Kole walked ahead, leading the Illyrians. There was a part of him that would have preferred they hadn't offered to go. During training, they were able to discuss skills and techniques that he could improve. With nothing to buffer a conversation, the silence was a little awkward.

They were all relieved when Kole gestured to the opening. "It's separate from what Klaus uses for the war bears. Their enclosure expands out while the mines go down. Just watch your step, the ice isn't melted closer to the surface, but don't rely on the walls. They're slick, too."

"It's why the boots have spikes," Hollis added as they approached the wide, cavernous opening. From afar, it looked relatively small, but closer, it was the size of one of the palace walls.

They entered, and just as Kole had said, it was a steady downward climb from there. As Cassian followed behind Hollis and Azriel behind Kole, Cas asked, "Why don't you just winnow to where it is?"

"These caverns are a maze," Hollis nodded, but didn't look over his shoulder, so he didn't misplace his step. "It's happened before where someone tried to winnow in and out, but end up a part of the walls instead."

Cas cringed, but continued. The further down they went, the darker it became, but at least the ground eventually evened out. When they were all planted on the same level, Hollis nodded at the torches in their pockets. "Only use fire if you come across any scorpions. Use only the light crystal to see. It won't cast far, but it will be enough that you won't fall off a ledge."

Nodding, Azriel asked, "How far will we travel?"

"It's a little less than two miles down," Hollis answered, "it won't take long to collect."

As he turned to lead the way, Cassian chimed, "What are we looking for exactly?"

"There's a special tree down here. The sap leaks into a pool that turns into a rubber-like substance. It's malleable, but firm enough to keep a shape."

Cas nodded, "What is it used for exactly? Armor?"

"Oh, no," Hollis shook his head and held his crystal in his palm to help it glow now that it was difficult to see in front of him, "I'm actually collecting it to make a ring for Nova. She's afraid to damage the one she has, but with this, it would be safe to train in. Even if something caught underneath, it would tear off and not damage her finger."

Blinking with surprise, Cassian managed a small smile, "Good thinking…"

The turns taken on the descent were minimal, but even a simple curve could be difficult to navigate, as it was sometimes challenging to avoid stepping on the heels of the person ahead. But the further they went, the warmer it felt and the less they had to rely on the spikes under their boots. Soon, what was ice turned to limestone, and they could walk a little quicker.

"Remember when I convinced you to come down here with me?" Kole snickered. "I thought Kallias would exile me from the Court. He was pissed."

How could he forget? It was one of the first and only times he'd broken one of his parents' rules. He wasn't a rule breaker by nature, but Kole was. He tested boundaries like Nova did when she was young. He'd grown from it, but not before he stretched his parents' patience a little too thinly.

Hollis chuckled, "I had to beg my father not to. I don't think he actually would have, but I remember not being allowed to see you for a couple of weeks after that."

"Good times," Kole grinned and glanced over his shoulder at Azriel, but when he didn't smile, he turned back and cleared his throat. "Won't be long now…"

It was long.

It was a terribly, awfully long time of walking in almost silence into the depths of the caverns in search of the tree. Soon, though, Hollis's mood brightened as the familiar entrance came into view.

"It's just up there," he said, happy to break the silence among them. Sure, they'd have to make the trek back in the quiet, but at least after that, they could get away from each other. Hollis was beginning to get the feeling they would have rather done anything else today.

Carved from the lime stone was an opening, and beyond that, a natural light. One might think there were holes above to bring in the sun, but they were a couple of miles below the surface.

"What is that?" Cassian asked as they entered the circular cave. It was flat all around, but in its center was a circular pool of water, and within the water grew a tree. The foliage from its delicate limbs held an iridescent glow, sparkling as though each leaf were carved from the light crystals they held.

"It's the tree that supplies the material. There are stories of its origin, but nothing concrete. We know what it offers and try to use it sparingly." Hollis said as he moved close to the edge, in search of a good spot to gather some without entering the pool. If it had been just Kole with him, he'd have stripped down.

Kole frowned as he neared the edge. "Hollis, I can help with that." The thought of him not reaching far enough or, worse, reaching too far, had him a bit panicked.

"I've almost got it," he said, reaching forward. The pool itself was clear enough that he could see the stone at the bottom, but it was the gelatinous putty that clung to the trunk he wanted. He planted his knees on the edge and reached further, extending himself over the pool.

His fingertips grazed the milky-looking substance when something from above shook. The walls around them trembled, and though Hollis gripped the edge of the pool and tried to lean back, he fell into the water with a splash. Resurfacing immediately, he gasped a breath of air. "What was that?"

Kole shook his head with wide eyes and furrowed brows, "I don't know." He leaned over the edge and grabbed Hollis by the arms, hoisting him onto the cold stone floor. The water itself had been pleasantly warm, but now, out of it, Hollis shuddered.

"Shit…" Cassian frowned. "We need to get you back before you get too cold."

Hollis agreed as he stood and stuffed his pockets with the rubber putty. "If we go now, we'll be there before the temperatures drop too much."

"Let's hurry." Kole nodded and led the way up this time, and everyone fell into line after him.

With each step in the direction of the outside world, it got colder, and Hollis's shivers were more pronounced. He willed himself to lock against the cold, and it helped a little. He couldn't control the snow and ice as well as his father, but he could keep the crystals on his skin from penetrating deeper, creating a sort of shell for himself to retain his heat.

It was about halfway up that Hollis could feel the strain in his legs from the climb that Kole stopped. Colliding against Cassian, Hollis frowned. "Hey-" He started, but Kole cut him off.

"Do you hear that?"

What started as a soft rumble grew steadily louder. Hollis knew that sound. He'd heard it before when he watched the mountains give way under a heavy pile of snow.

"An avalanche…" Hollis breathed.

Kole spun on his heels and roared, "GO!"

Before they could gain enough traction to turn their bodies in the right direction, a wall of snow came hurling at them. It slammed against them like a brick wall, launching them back down where they'd come…and beyond. The snow traveled everywhere, including other passageways they hadn't taken, to places unknown.

Hauling a fallen log back to their temporary campsite for the night, Nova set it down at the foot of the canopy that shrouded Finch. She unloaded her pockets of rocks, twigs, and more moss. At this point, she'd have to risk getting wet as she dug a pit. She set the twigs at the base, the moss between, and the stones on top. Using a sharp piece of flint she'd found nearby, she struck the sharpest rock and let the sparks catch the moss. Soon, a small blaze had formed, offering a warm glow to her chilled nose and cheeks.

Still using her sharp rock, she turned to the small log she hauled and began scraping the center. It had been a while since she'd had to do a bit of woodworking, and while the wood was a little harder to work with, she managed to create a large divet that resembled a bowl. She scooped handfuls of snow into the hole, then, using two flat pieces of wood, she transferred one of the hot stones to the snow and watched it sizzle. The snow melted immediately, but it took another stone to bring the water to a boil. It wasn't much, she thought as she sopped up the clean water with a bit of new moss. But a mouthful of water was better than nothing. If only she could find something larger to boil the water in.

Careful not to spill the contents, Nova crept beneath the snowy bows and crawled to Finch. "Here." She offered him the ball of dripping moss. "Careful not to squeeze too hard at once."

Finch chuckled, "Is…moss water…safe? I don't exactly want to shit out my breakfast." He asked, arching a brow.

Smiling, Nova nodded. "Don't worry. I boiled it."

"How?" He asked skeptically. "You weren't supposed to bring anything with you."

With a shrug, Nova pulled back the greenery to let him see her little work station. Finch could only stare before turning his startled gaze on her. "Where did you learn that? I swear I was listening to Cassian's survival 101 spiel…"

"Hm, you learn a few things when you're on your own for so long."

Finch frowned, searching her face for a long moment before he asked, "You really were alone in the forest all that time, weren't you?"

Pulling her legs in, Nova rested her chin on her knees and shrugged, "There are a lot of things you have to do when the odds are against you. Things you didn't think you'd be capable of." She met his grim expression. "I was a thief by age five and a killer by eight. I still don't know how I didn't starve, but I did. It's all I've ever known…surviving. Alone."

Biting her lip, she gnawed the corner and sighed softly, not meeting his eyes. "I know sometimes I come across as controlling. Kind of a bitch," she cringed, "I don't mean to. It's just…when you're taught to rely on yourself for so much of your life to stay alive, it's hard to let anyone else help you. Even when you know they mean well."

Quietly listening, Finch nodded as he leaned his head back. "Nova, you've never been a bitch," he shrugged and smirked. "But you've always been a boss."

Nova snorted as Finch grinned and continued. "Hear me out. I understand how you feel, at least to some extent. I was lucky enough not to be alone. I had Peter," he smiled fondly, and then pursed his lips into a thin line. "We went underground after Hybern's attack, the attack that sent you away. We never even knew you were born. I was three at the time, I remember a little, but not much. I suppose it was a good thing to go under at the age I did. Not remembering what life was like before the darkness was a blessing in disguise. I had my Peter, and then Kyra a bit later, but the way my father changed after my mother died…" He frowned. "I'd never felt more alone. Even when I was with people, I felt lonely. Then you came along," he sent a raised brow in her direction and smirked, "and Peter fell face first for you, and it pissed me off."

Nova leaned back on her palms, "Ouch…"

Chuckling, he shook his head, "I don't feel that way now, of course. Back then, it was different. Back then…the only thing that buffered my father's fist was Peter, and I felt alone all over again, and I wrongfully blamed you. You, the girl who followed squirrels in trees, made me feel insecure about losing my best friend."

She cringed as guilt, like sticky sap, clung to her.

"But do you know what happened that changed all of that?"

Glancing in his direction, she clenched her jaw and swallowed.

"Do you remember the night Peter and I slept in your living room? You made beds for us?" He smirked slightly.

Nova furrowed her brow, "Vaguely. Bits and pieces."

He smiled and nodded, "You told me it was going to be okay, that I was safe…and you petted my head."

Horrified, Nova looked at him with wide eyes, but Finch did not grimace from the memory. Instead, he smiled and said, "No matter what Peter did to help me, I pushed his hand away. I pulled myself so far back from the others that I didn't even recognize myself anymore. Living in my bitterness…just like my father. I hadn't felt safe for years, Nova, but in that moment, I could finally feel it. Hope. The hope that tomorrow could be better than today. Then I met Bran." Finch took a deep breath and smiled. "I know you didn't know me - knew nothing of my situation, but the look in your eyes when I tried to deny your help, I knew you were someone I would be able to trust my life with someday. Now I do. I trust you with my life, Nova, and I'd lay mine on the line for you without question."

Nova smiled softly, "Finch…"

"You don't have to say anything-"

"I would too," she interrupted him, and he fell silent, "For all of you, I would. I wouldn't hesitate."

He managed a small smile as she dug into her back pocket and pulled out a piece of bark. Offering it to him, she said, "Now chew this. It's willow bark. It will help reduce the swelling in your ankle."

Finch took the piece and eyed it, "You want me to squeeze moss and chew bark?"

"Yes, I do."

Grinning, he nodded, "Alright then."

Frigid darkness was all Hollis knew when he opened his eyes. He drew in a sharp breath from the air pocket around him, but saw nothing. Had he died? He gently tugged on the golden thread that connected him to Nova. The soft thrum of her life echoed back, and he breathed a soft sigh of relief.

Don't panic. Think of the next step.

He'd been schooled his whole life about what to do in case of an avalanche, and while wielding his power wasn't his strong suit, he could at least do something. There were parts of his body that tingled while other parts just felt numb. Pulling his right hand to his chest, he gripped the light crystal and brought it to life. As his eyes adjusted, he could see how much room he had in his pocket of snow. It wasn't much, but he didn't need much to make a dent.

He needed to find the others… Now, real panic swept through him. Would he find them? Or their bodies…

"Kole!" He called out and placed his hand against the snow in front of him. He let himself feel its weight and closed his eyes. As if traveling in spirit through the snow, he moved his hand in the direction of the surface and began pushing through. With each forward thrust of his palm, a foot of snow moved out of his way.

Hollis started to crawl forward but sucked in a sharp breath as a throbbing pain radiated up and down his left shoulder. Looking down at his arm, which had been numb a moment ago, he stared with blurry vision at the unnatural angle of his forearm. In his distracted, adrenaline state, he hadn't noticed that his arm now jutted to the left, resembling the curve of a snake.

Stomach lurching, he lost his breakfast to the snow.

"Hollis!" Cassian's voice bellowed somewhere beyond his prison.

Unable to do much else, Hollis held his injured arm as close to his chest as possible with his remaining shoulder strength as he crawled through his sick and pushed his way forward with his other hand.

"I'm here!" He called out, punching through the last bit. What felt like he was crawling forward, he'd really been crawling up. He wasn't sure how to explain the strange sensation of righting himself as he used his right elbow to pull himself out of the tunnel he'd carved.

Crunching footsteps neared him quickly, "We have to…oh…mother above." Cassian stopped in his tracks as he stared at Hollis's gnarled arm. He didn't need to see past his clothing to know his arm was an array of shades of purple. He helped him carefully to his feet and cringed, "This is going to sound bad, but I don't feel comfortable trying to set that back into place."

Hollis had to agree; he really didn't want him to. Looking up at the Illyrian, he'd sustained a cut to the cheek that had bled more than the wound looked deep. It didn't seem too bad.

Nodding, he puffed a sigh, "We need to find Az and Kole."

"Do you know if they're alright?"

"I…I don't know. I was lucky enough to find myself close to the surface."

"I thought Feyre said there's a bond between all of you. Can you not feel him?"

Swallowing, Cassian shook his head. "No, we're not bonded in the same way."

After another shaky breath, Cas steeled himself and slipped his boots off. "This is going to be disgusting and painful. Bear with me."

Hollis cringed but nodded.

Taking his long socks off, Cas stuffed his bare feet back into the boots. "Try not to scream, alright. Turn your head, bite your coat."

Oh… Hollis tried to find all the courage he had and did as was requested. Taking the curve of his coat between his teeth, he pinched his eyes closed as Cassian wrapped his arm against his chest. He let out a hoarse groan as he tightened it, sending a wave of throbbing pain up and down his left side.

Before he could fall forward from the pain, Cas caught him, "Woah, I got you…" He glanced down at the sick on his clothes. "Did you hit your head?"

Hollis shook his head, "I don't think so."

"Good." Taking a deep breath, he turned. "Come on. Let's start looking."

***

Ana dropped her sewing needle as a wave of something dark and awful covered her like soot. In the parlor, with Eira as Kallias and Viviane watching over the shells, a cold rush of terror filled her.

"Ana?" Viviane asked, quickly moving in front of her. "Ana? Are you alright? Kallias, water, please."

Without hesitation, he moved swiftly to pour a cup as she tried to console her. "Do you feel faint?" She asked gently.

Ana shook her head as Eira, sleeping on the couch, started to stir. "Something feels wrong." She placed a hand over her chest. "Azriel…"

"You feel him?" Viviane asked gently, passing the cup from Kallias to her shaking hands, holding them between hers to help her not spill as she trembled.

"No," Ana shuddered and looked up at her with horror-filled eyes. "That's the problem. I don't."

***

"Shit." Kole rubbed the back of his neck as he sat next to Azriel's motionless body, watching his chest slowly rise and fall. He had no idea where they were, only that they had to be another few miles from where they started, as the cavern around them was hung with dripping stalactites that didn't freeze on impact with the floor.

He'd woken up over an hour ago, and in panic (luckily), had grabbed Azriel while the snow carried them. He'd held tighter than he'd ever like to admit, but at least they'd woken up together. That sounded weird to say.

The chute they'd been gullied down was blocked by a horde of ice and snow, while the rest of the cavern was a circular prison of wet stone. While Azriel was unconscious, Kole had hoisted him under the arms and dragged him from the pile of snow to one of the connecting floor-to-ceiling pieces.

Now, sitting next to him, he nudged his boot with the toe of his. "It would be great if you could wake up." He rubbed his finger through her hair and down the sides of his face as he stared at the floor. "Because I don't know what to do…and I'm not usually the panic type. That's Hollis. He's always been jumpy, and I've always been brave, and now…" He swallowed. "Now we might actually die."

Kole glanced up at the wall of snow that trapped them and sighed. He supposed he could start digging, even if it didn't get anywhere. He couldn't bear to let himself perish in a dome of stone without even trying to get out.

Pushing to his feet, he checked Azriel's breathing once more and started for the wall. With no tools other than his gloved hands, he began to dig.

Evening painted the sky a ruby red as Nova plumped their space with more moss and wood fibers she'd collected with her rock. She was worried about an open flame beneath their canopy, but if they could huddle for warmth, they'd be able to make it through the night at least.

Finch smirked, "You want to share the same bed with me, Nova?"

Leveling a playful glare on him, she rolled her eyes, "Fully clothed, yes. Now go to sleep." She said, cushioning more moss at her head for a pillow before she lay down and moved so close to Finch, she was practically on top of him.

With a light chuckle, he lay his head back, too, and sighed.

While Nova didn't manage to get much actual sleep, at least her body had some time to recuperate and rest. With Finch next to her, asleep, and worried about predators just outside their sanctuary, willing her brain into unconsciousness wasn't something that came easily. She slept on and off until, finally, her brain couldn't handle the constant state of alertness anymore and shut down completely.

It was the smell of a campfire that woke her, sending her into a frenzied panic. Had she forgotten to extinguish the fire? Looking frantically to her left, Finch was gone, and another cold sweat drenched her. She clutched her chest. What was that feeling? Instinctively, she plucked the thread from Hollis and sighed as she felt his warmth in response.

"Hey," Finch pulled the branches aside with a worried frown. "Bad dream?"

Nova shook her head. She couldn't recall one, at least. Distractedly, she looked over his shoulder at the fire.

"I boiled more water. Are you thirsty?"

Nodding, she could feel the film over her teeth with her tongue and cringed. "Very…" She said, crawling out to find he'd made the hole she'd crouched a bit deeper to hold more. "Good idea," she said as she picked up a twig of the willow fibers and began chewing the end.

Finch raised a brow at her and smiled, "I was thinking we could probably hunt something."

With a smile, Nova shrugged, "It's a habit." She said and picked up the filled moss ball, and squeezed its contents into her mouth with a satisfied sigh. "We need to make ground today, and hopefully find Bran and Kyra along the way."

"Agreed. We can find something to eat as we go."

Together, they picked a few things they'd need and could fit in their pockets, but left the carved log behind. They could always find another one when they settled again. Strapping themselves up, Nova looked up at the sky and pointed in the direction of North-East. "It's a long walk. How does your ankle feel?

"Sore, but I can walk on it."

"If you need a break, we can stop," Nova said seriously before beginning their trek together toward the Illyrian mountains.

***

It hadn't quite reached midday when they stopped to eat the things they'd scavenged along the way and boil some water to drink. As Nova worked on creating a new wooden pot, Finch glanced around with a frown.

"Do you hear that?"

Pausing in her scraping to listen, Nova recognized the faint sound of something bubbling.

"It's water." Finch grinned.

While the snow had been nice to get them by, it would be wonderful to boil something that would halfway evaporate before it could be consumed. They stood and approached the sound, following the scent of fresh running water with triumphant grins. Climbing over a drifting snowbank, the outline of a river cascaded over rocks and sediment through chunks of ice and snow.

"There might be fish, too," Finch said, hopping over the barrier.

Nova followed suit, carefully scanning the surrounding area. "If it's one of the few water sources around, it'll attract attention."

"Then maybe Kyra and Bran are nearby. If we start a fire, they could see our smoke."

"So could something else." Nova countered.

Chewing his lip, he nodded, "So we weigh the risk."

Exchanging a silent glance, Nova said, "I can find more flint."

"I'll gather wood."

Within a few minutes, they'd constructed their timber in the shape of a large cone and set it ablaze. "The oak will burn longer," Finch nodded at the rising flames. "We should start gathering fish while we wait. Hopefully they'll see it."

Since Nova had the most experience with catching river critters, she started down the river's edge while Finch kept watch over the fire and waited with the hope that either Kyra or Bran would find them. Careful not to allow the water to lick her boot as she passed, she searched the river for some sign of life. She didn't mind if it was a collection of mussels; at least they'd have a bit more protein. Even frozen mud frogs would be fine. She didn't want to walk too far, but she also didn't want to return with nothing.

How long would they have until they had to continue toward the mountain? She didn't want to go up without them. She wouldn't.

The further she walked, the more nerves crisscrossed through her belly. She stepped into the creek and sat on her heels, watching the current, but more importantly, the rocks that housed different animals. She bit her glove off and reached into the frigid water; so cold it was painful. She rummaged through the mud and overturned rocks, collecting mussels and snails. If she'd be able to dig deep enough, she could get a few earthworms. Maybe the fire they'd built would thaw the riverbank enough.

The sharp snap of a twig echoed behind her. Nova froze. As slow as she dared, she stood while holding her breath with deliberate precision and turned toward the tree line.

Nova released the breath with a sigh of relief and grinned as Kyra leaned against the tree. She hadn't even heard her nearby, nor had she smelled the hanging fish latched across her belt, along with a white hare.

"Freshly caught," Kyra smiled, patting her belt as they approached each other.

"Exceptional," Nova returned with a grin and nodded to the right. "We have a fire going just that way."

"We?"

Nova parted her lips to respond when a scream ripped through the air, but it didn't belong to Finch.

Hollis wasn't sure how much time had passed since climbing through snow, moving ice with the bits of remaining strength he had, and sliding down slopes as they delved further into the cavern. It felt like hours, maybe more. There was no way to keep track of time here in the darkness, with the only light coming from the crystal around their necks. It might not light the whole of the cavern, but it was enough to see that the snow was lessening the longer they walked and crawled.

The way his stomach growled was enough to let him know it was far past when they should have returned. And Nova had lived her childhood like this? Always hungry? Never knowing what might happen next?

Furrowing his brow, he did his best not to move his arm, but with every step, the bindings were jostled and the pain was becoming unbearable. He could feel its ache in his teeth.

"How are you doing?" Cassian asked over his shoulder.

"Lovely…" Hollis chattered, and when Cas looked over his shoulder, he frowned.

His lips had turned blue. Hollis had fallen into the water – his heart was coated with the crunch of ice. It didn't matter that things were warmer down here. It didn't matter he was of the Winter Court. He was dangerously close to hypothermia.

Cassian frowned. "The snow is lessening. Just a little longer and we can rest somewhere warmer."

The reality that they'd yet reached either Azriel or Kole was waning on them; had they passed them already - buried in the snow a mile above them? It was hard not to think about what could be. To keep pushing forward despite the fear of reality.

They could die here.

Yes, his parents may have already started searching for them, but what about Az and Kole? Hollis had broken his arm from a short stint of being carried; he couldn't guarantee that worse hadn't happened to them. Then there was the worry about Nova.

"Hey," Cassian turned to him, and with a gentle, but firm grasp, held his shoulders. "It's a shitty experience, and I know it's easy to panic, but we have to keep a level head for all of our sakes. We can let the fear of today be trauma to deal with tomorrow. Right now, we stay focused."

Hollis swallowed and nodded, trying to keep his throat from tightening.

"So, let's think for a moment. People know where we went," Cas nodded, squeezing his shoulders reassuringly. "They'll know to be expecting us back. They will be looking; they probably already are. Do you know where the caverns lead?"

Hollis shook his head. "I'm sure others have explored them, but I don't know their personal stories. I don't know if there's another outlet."

"Okay," Cas nodded, pursing his lips. "We'll keep going. What we need to focus on right now is getting warm."

It took another moment for him to nod and follow him as another harsh shiver racked his body.

***

At the mouth of the entrance to the mine, Kallias and Feyre stood bundled in their coats. Ana had been right. How had Kallias not felt the familiar rumble of an avalanche? He put his hand over his mouth as he stared at the snow that completely hid where his son had entered.

"Are you ready?" He asked, glancing at Feyre, who nodded.

Rhys and Viviane were in the parlor, keeping an eye on the shells as Nesta walked toward them, a scowl etched on her features.

"I can feel him…" She said as she stood by them, not about to be left behind. Not with Cassian in the belly of the mountain.

Feyre nodded, sighing with relief. "Then, for now, we can assume they're all alright." She swallowed. "But we need to find them quickly."

"Ana said she didn't feel Azriel…" Nesta reminded.

Feyre swallowed and nodded. "I know." Neither did she, not through their bond at least, but with Nesta's confirmation, they had to hope they were waiting for rescue.

With a wave and pull of his hand, Kallias brought out a bit of the snow. He didn't want to move too much at once and risk hurting anyone within it, but they'd be able to make their way down.

"I'm coming!" Nieve shouted as she raced toward them.

"No," Kallias turned to her, "You will stay here."

With red eyes and streaming tears, "Kole is my twin…Hollis, my brother. I'm going. I can't stay behind. Please, don't try to stop me."

Kallias furrowed a worried brow and released a soft sigh. Nodding, he pursed his lips. "You listen to every word I say while inside, understood?"

"Yes."

A final nod, and Kallias turned and entered the mine.

***

Kole had made very little progress in his digging, but it was progress, nonetheless. His goal wasn't to necessarily tunnel their way out to the surface, but to at least get to the level above them. He glanced over his shoulder as he hauled another armload of packed down to dump on the edge of the room.

"Could use a little help!" He called to Azriel, who still lay on the stone, unmoving. Kole turned and sat down on the edge of his tunnel, a tunnel that likely would collapse with any wrong move. Running his fingers through his cropped hair in frustration, he shook his head. Even if the cold wouldn't kill them, starvation would, and before that, thirst.

He stared at the snow and reached over, took a handful, and took a bite.

Hearts pounding, Nova and Kyra sprinted back to camp, but Kyra snatched Nova by the arm before they could get too close.

"Look," Kyra pointed ahead, where the fire still burned. In a heap before it lay Finch. Nova held her breath until she watched his chest move and let her gaze flash to the other thing.

Hunched over the edge of the river, away from the fires light in a shroud of shadows, looked to be a sobbing woman.

Kyra shook her head as she whispered against Nova's ear, not taking her sights off the creature. "It's a banshee," she said. "Its screams are deadly."

Glancing at Finch again, it was a relief to know he was still alive.

"We can kill it," Kyra said, "But if it screams again…"

Taking a moment to think, Nova started patting herself down and pulled out the moss she'd stuffed in her pockets. She offered some to Kyra before stuffing her ears with it. They stuffed and stuffed until there was hardly a sound left. While it might not have deafened them completely, it would help a little.

"You're quieter than I am." Nova whispered, "I'll distract."

With understanding, Kyra nodded and crept sideways back into the brush, almost on her hands and knees as she snuck around and through the thicket. As she did that, Nova reached into her pocket for her sharp rock before she crept along the bank. She didn't want to make too large of a noise too quickly while Kyra was still far away. Not knowing what another full scream would do to Finch.

If she had the choice, she'd drag Finch silently away, but she had a feeling she wouldn't get far without drawing attention. Instead, she crept toward him with moss in her other hand. With her eyes still on the woman, whose sobs had grown louder with her approach, she blindly stuffed Finch's ears with moss. Looking down at him, she realized his ears were bleeding profusely. She cringed, stuffing further and further. At least he was unconscious; it had to be painful.

Quiet filled the space, and Nova could only hear the crackle of the fire and her breath. Slowly, she looked up to find the woman shrouded in black, had straightened her spine, and was turned in her direction. A void of nothing resided where her face should have been.

Nova was sure the scream would have been worse without the moss in her ears, but it still rattled her teeth and sent her brain in a spiraling, dizzy state. Standing to her feet, she sacrificed her rock and hurled it as hard as she could at the banshee. A direct hit to the void silenced its screams.

They stood there, staring at each other, every muscle in Nova's body ready to move into action as sweat trickled down her spine. She caught a hint of silver, dagger-like claws beneath its robes.

It lurched forward, a rush of flowing capes, and Nova dropped to the ground. She covered Finch with her body surface and pressed her shoulders against her ears, bracing herself. Pinching her eyes closed, she waited for the familiar, ripping tear of flesh.

The sound of it came, but not the pain. Lifting her head, she watched the banshee's body fall, and as it did, it turned to a fine layer of sparkling ash. Kyra, who stood above its remnants, held up her wooden stake she'd fashioned with river rocks, and grinned.

Patting her belt of game again, she smiled and asked, "Hungry?"

Nova released a shaky laugh and nodded as she stood to her feet. "Starved."

Together, they hauled Finch closer to the fire to keep him warm as a fresh wave of snow fell above. While Kyra gutted and cleaned her kills (including the mussels and snails), Nova carefully took out the moss from Finch's ears. He had woken up a few minutes ago but was delirious with confusion; otherwise, he was alright.

"It'll be alright," Nova said gently, and she believed it.

Until Finch looked up at her with fear-filled eyes and mumbled, "I can't hear you…"

Reaching for a handful of depleting snow, Hollis brought it to his mouth, but Cassian grabbed his wrist before he could eat it. "I know you're thirsty, I know you're hungry. Don't eat the snow."

With a frown, he relieved his grip of it. "I've eaten snow my whole life."

"Yes, and what did you do after you did?" Cassian asked. "Go inside and warm yourself by the fire? We have no way of making a fire right now, and even if we did, we'd be trapped with the smoke. You eat the snow right now while you're already cold; you'll get worse, and then we'll have a bigger problem. It's getting warmer now. Shed some layers," he said, removing his jacket. "The last thing we want to do is sweat."

Following suit, Hollis tried, but accepted a bit of help from Cassian. With his coat off, he could see his arm with more clarity. He wished he hadn't.

Cas cringed as he stared down at his warped arm. Black and blue and swollen, it would be a bitch to set when they got back. He didn't voice that as he tied his jacket around his waist.

They continued onward, with nothing but a soft glow to guide them. Cassian frowned as he pressed his hands against a wall. Patting it, he shook his head. "You said this place is a maze? Well, we might have just hit a dead end." He looked down at their feet. At least the snow was gone, but it would matter if they'd have to go the way they came.

"There are other ways around," Hollis nodded. "I don't know the passages, but I remember my father once said a system of tunnels connects all the caves. It's just…" He glanced at Cassian and his large frame. "Some are quite narrow."

Using his good hand, Hollis trailed his chilled finger along the wall. He went to the right and found nothing, then glided past to the left. He reached forward through a crevice. He put his face near the darkness, and a cool breeze touched his cheeks. Holding the crystal out, he examined the passage, invisible unless searched for, and pursed his lips.

"I think I can fit, but…" He looked over his shoulder at not only his broad shoulders, but his wings.

Blinking, Cassian's shoulders lowered a little. He rubbed the back of his neck, staring at Hollis with intensity. "So, we have a choice to make. I can't fit through there. You can't go back through the ice."

"We have to part ways…" Hollis swallowed as a new icy fear pierced his chest.

Cassian nodded, "Or, we stay together here with the hope they find us.

"Azriel and Kole might not have that long."

Dragging his palm down his face, Cas took a deep breath. "I don't want to put the pressure on you, but this needs to be your decision. No matter the direction you choose, it won't be easy, and it's not right for me to tell you to squeeze through dark passagways alone or to freeze to death up there," he frowned and studied him for a long moment. "I'm sorry, Hollis."

"It's not your fault." Hollis shook his head, clenching his jaw. "We shouldn't have even come here."

"That's not your fault either, but that's not what I'm talking about."

Hollis frowned, staring at him with confusion as he continued.

"I never gave you a fair advantage." he shook his head. "I was so worried about Nova. Her happiness and well-being, I didn't stop to think about yours. I…didn't want her choices taken from her, and I already had a set opinion about you before even getting to know you. That's why I started training you. Not for you, for Nova. That shouldn't have been my sole reason to offer you my assistance." He pursed his lips. "Nova loves you…I can see it in her eyes when she looks at you. When Peter died, after what happened, I thought I'd never see her smile again; really smile. And then I hear her laugh with you, and I see her genuinely happy again… I'm so sorry I didn't treat you the way I should have. Like family."

Unsure what else to say, and afraid his voice would betray him, he quivered a smile. "I'll see you on the other side."

Cas managed a small smile and nodded before squeezing his good arm. "You do deserve her. You know that, right?"

Chuckling, Hollis shook his head, "No, I don't."

Turning from each other, they took their separate ways.

***

Kallias led on clearing their path with a careful touch. He couldn't continue pulling the snow toward him to be sent back out of the passage, or he'd bury those behind him. So instead, he formed his arms into back-and-forth waves, creating a sturdy tunnel of ice, rather than packed snow, which had less potential of caving in.

"Voices stay low," he said calmly, moving forward another few paces as he cleared the path. In each of their hands, behind their guide, were the same light crystals, giving them a glow of comfort despite the fear that clung to them like a second skin.

Feyre glanced over at Nesta, whose jaw was tight, eyes focused ahead. Not saying a word, she gently squeezed her wrist. Their gazes met, and Nesta offered a tight smile that didn't reach her eyes. They'd always been at odds, but especially since what happened with Nova, and Feyre didn't know what to do. What to say, how to help- if she should even try. But Nesta was her sister, and to see her so distraught with Cassian's absence, she had to set aside the past. Even just for the moment, and be a hand to hold.

"Hello?!" A familiar voice echoed on the other side of the wall of snow before them.

"Cassian!" Nesta lurched forward, but Feyre snatched her arm so she didn't collide with Kallias as he froze while something shook below.

Kallias turned a cold gaze on Nesta. "You need to be quiet or you risk burying us all alive."

Nesta glared back, but said nothing as she looked over his shoulder where Cassian was just beyond.

"Nesta!?" His voice came again, and she had to clamp her mouth shut.

Kallias lifted his hands and cleared more steps forward, and with another readjustment of snow to ice, they entered a larger cavern. It was still filled with snow, but this snow could be walked on. There, a few yards in, was Cassian. Alone. The panic Kallias felt before swelled again.

His voice shook as he asked, "Where's Hollis?"

Nesta pushed past him, snatching his waist without hesitation, and Cassian wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he pressed his nose to her forehead.

"Hollis is alive," he said, meeting Kallias's fearful gaze. "But he is hurt. His arm is broken." Kallias released a sigh of relief as Cas pointed the way he'd just climbed. "He's down that way. I couldn't fit through the passageways. He went on to find Kole and Az. I came up here to try and get through that." He nodded at the fresh tunnel they'd left.

"You don't know if Kole is okay?" Nieve asked, voice already thick with grief.

Cassian swallowed, his eyes glimmering. "I don't know."

Her lip quivered as Feyre took her hand. "We will find him. We'll find all of them." Her gaze raised above her shoulder and up at the collection of stone where a face leered at her. A feline face, with two long, saber-like fangs. "Look out!" Feyre snatched Nieve as the cat sprang for them.

Kallias dove between them, taking the bite to his shoulder with a resounding scream, just as Cassian surged forward, and slid his blade into the cave cat's side. Still running forward, he slammed into the ice on the other side, taking the cat with him. Pinned to the wall, it fell limp, just as Kallias fell to his knees and gripped his shoulder, painting the snow red.

Dropping to his side, Feyre quickly pulled out the supplies she brought in case of an injury. "This will hurt," she warned him, and Kallias braced himself before she began stuffing the white gauze deeply into his wound, not stopping until she couldn't stuff anymore.

"That's the only one I've seen," Cassian said, taking his sword from the ice, letting the cat drop as he cleaned his blade on the snow and slid it back into his scabbard.

Kallias, with the help of Feyre and Nieve, moved to his feet. "We have to keep going."

Holding his arm, checking the wound, Feyre frowned. "Are you going to be able to continue?"

"I'll give everything I have left."

***

With blurry vision and a pounding headache, Azriel slowly lifted his head. Frowning, he turned his head.

Kole, sitting just a few feet away, offered a half wave followed by a deep shudder. "Good morning."

Blinking, he stared at him for a long moment, before staring at the snow-filled entrance. With an exasperated grunt, he let his head fall back.

They'd eaten their fill, and Nova and Kyra took turns to sleep on the bank to give Finch a chance to recuperate with the hope that his hearing would return soon. But they knew the reality. Even with Madja offering tonics, it would take weeks, if not longer, if it ever came back at all. Finch needed to touch that stone now more than ever.

As morning arrived, Nova rolled onto her back and grimaced from the rocks under her back. She'd done her best to make a bed of moss, but the only thing she wanted was a mattress. Staring up at the sky, she sighed and looked over at Kyra, who was in the process of warming leftover stew from last night.

"We should eat and start moving," Kyra nodded.

Sitting up, Nova stretched her shoulders. She slept more than she had the first night, which offered a little bit of clarity as she watched Finch. He was awake and chewing the willow bark from the previous morning. She smiled softly and nudged his boot with hers.

He glanced up and tried to smile. It wouldn't be easy, but even with the new set of challenges, they could do this- as long as they did it together. They wouldn't be able to take the fire with them, and the moss took too much effort to gather. Over her shoulder, she watched the reeds in the water sway with the winter breeze. Standing, she dusted herself off and moved the frozen cattails, collecting a few to start a fire later tonight, while others could be used as insulation to keep warm.

Bringing back an armload, she stuffed all of their boots, leaving a few extra for Bran, and then sat down to eat heaping mouthfuls of the leftover stew. Soon, they were cleaned up and ready to resume their trek. Finch walked between them, so Nova and Kyra could have eyes and ears on either side.

This would be a long hike.

Keeping in the same direction, they walked for what felt like ages, and aside from a few bathroom breaks, they continued. They ate berries and nuts as they went, picking up pieces of flaking birch bark and moss for their pockets.

"We need to take a break," Kyra frowned, scanning the bare trees.

Nova looked at her, then up at the sky. The mountain ridge, once a faded distant dream, was within reach. They could see where their destination was meant to be. Within an hour of hiking, they could begin the uphill climb. But Kyra was right…they couldn't continue, not yet.

Not without Bran.

Nova nodded and turned to them. "We'll need to keep an eye out for Bran. He's bound to be nearby. A fire might bring him in. Finch, can you work on that?"

She waited for his nod to make sure he'd understood her before turning to Kyra. "You're a skilled hunter. Can you bring back food?"

Kyra nodded, "I'll search for Bran while I'm at it."

"Good, I'll make a shelter," Nova said, looking up at the darkening sky. It looked like a storm was rolling in, and they wouldn't want to be caught out in the open with it, especially with this wind.

With their respective assignments set, they found a place near a rock formation that would be easy for Nova to build something stable around and be big enough for (hopefully) four people that night. To begin, she walked a bit away from the rock where the branches and moss were plentiful, leaving Finch as he began striking the rock onto the birch tree scrapings. Using her boot, she lifted her leg and pushed on a thin branch. She had nothing to cut wood, but she could at least break a few limbs.

Dragging two branches at a time, one in each hand, she laid them on either side of the rock. Propped against the rock and the dirt, she shrugged her jacket off and snagged the bottom seam of her shirt. Sacrificing a bit of fabric, she collected a few more strips and set them aside as she put her jacket back on. Breathing out, she watched her breath plume. That fire would be nice soon.

A few more trips later, Nova placed the wood angled in a row, leaning against the rock and the ground. Then, using her fabric, tied them together. Collecting more moss was the worst part, but necessary. It took ages to gather enough to fashion them on top of the wood above to keep the moisture out. Then piles of ferns above that.

Below, she could access the inside of the shelter from the right side, where the rock wasn't wedged. Crawling beneath, she took out the handfuls of cat tails from her pockets and pulled them apart. She spread the fluffy fibers everywhere, making a bed that would hopefully insulate some heat later.

"Nova!"

In an instant, Nova crawled out from the shelter and jogged around Finch, none the wiser, as he worked to make the sparks catch to the dry tinder. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she gestured with her hand to follow.

Standing to his feet, Finch abandoned the unstruck pit and followed after Nova, who dashed into the forest—a new rock already in her hand. She stopped a few yards away and swallowed, looking around as Finch kept his eyes behind them.

"Kyra?!"

"Over here!"

Nova started in the direction of her voice, tapping Finch as she went, so he followed. "Keep talking, Kyra!"

"One..two…three…"

Finally, Nova broke through a small clearing, where Kyra stood over a small campsite—a small log of wood before a still-smoldering fire pit, which warmed a pair of draping socks. Bran's boots set to the right, but there was no other sign of Bran.

"He wouldn't have walked through a forest in the winter barefoot, and if he did, it wouldn't have been far. I can't find him anywhere."

"Okay," Nova nodded and took a deep, calming breath. "Did you see any tracks?"

Kyra visibly swallowed. "Yeah, I saw a few. They're just not prints."

"Where?" Nova asked, brow furrowed.

Following the trajectory of her finger, she searched the trees. They were thicker here than where they'd set up, probably to conceal himself better, but then she saw it. What she thought was art, the black stripes of the tree, were slashes. Nova froze, staring at the tree for a long moment, then at another with similar markings. She moved forward, choosing her steps carefully as she approached the trees. Placing her fingers against the bark, she traced the deep gouges and looked down at the leaves splattered with blood.

Nova glanced over her shoulder, but it was Finch's wide eyes that sent her heart into her throat. If something had happened to Bran, something so bad he couldn't call for help… The thought of losing him was more than she could comprehend, but Finch…if Finch lost him, too.

They needed to find him.

The tiny light hanging from Hollis's neck swayed with every step, casting a glow off the slime-coated walls around him. He didn't want to touch them, but he did. Keeping his hands on both walls, he made sure he was not interrupted by a divet in the ground. The last thing he wanted now was a tweaked ankle.

While Hollis had chosen to push forward, he was beginning to regret his choice as he came to another bend in the dark, narrow passage. There were plenty of these turns. Right, left, right again. It was a never-ending cycle, and the further he went, the more restricted the space became, and the more he had to turn his body sideways to continue.

There would be a break in the dark soon. He would turn another corner, and he'd find a cavern where natural light let in and filled the space with fresh air and a cool breeze. He'd hear Kole calling for him, and then he'd return to the palace to find that Nova had made it to the top of the mountain and was ready to share the stories of her adventures.

He moved a little faster. Palms sweaty, the thrum of his pulse quickened as his vision began to narrow.

"Stop," Hollis said, and did as he said. He froze and took a deep breath of stale air. "Calm down." He gritted his jaw. "I can turn back if I need to." There were hardly any choices in his turns to get to this point. He could turn around and go back, but what if Kole or Azriel were just beyond? He'd come this far already.

Taking another deep breath, Hollis ignored the sweat that collected at the nape of his neck and pushed forward, but he only managed a few feet before he fell forward. Yet, he wasn't on the ground, not entirely. Frowning, he held his crystal up, illuminating what he'd run into.

A ledge. Sort of. It wasn't quite a step, but more of an extended tunnel. One that he would have to crawl. He gazed forward at the ink ahead and set his brow. He could do this.

"Where are you, Kole…" He murmured before pulling himself up the ledge. On his good hand and knees, he began to crawl. Every inch forward felt like a mile, and with every bit of progress he made, the lower the ceiling descended. Soon, he sank to his belly, cringing at the pressure put on his arm. He dragged himself another few inches, unable to see the space ahead of him, but something was different now. How close was he to the ceiling? Hollis tried to raise his head, but came to the startling realization that he couldn't move his head.

Wedged between the ceiling and the floor of stone, he lay there as the weight of the situation began to settle in. Heat gathered behind his eyes as his throat tightened. He couldn't go forward; he had to go back, but how was he supposed to go back if he couldn't turn himself around? Shuddering a sigh, he tried to keep calm. Tried to focus on something he could do to go back.

Attempting to lift his torso, he tried to see how much room the rest of his body had, but as he let his body rest back down, a crunch crack echoed in his ear, and he was thrust into pitch black.

Hollis sucked in a breath, holding it in his lungs as he stared into nothing. There was no sound. No light.

There was nothing.

Alone, in the dark, unable to move, Hollis panicked. At first, he couldn't catch a breath, unable to breathe out to let anything else in. He was going to die.

Here, in the dark, alone.

His face crumpled as he released a soft sob, "I'm sorry, Nova. I don't want you to bury me, too. I'm sorry. I'm sorry…" Tears spilled to the ground as he pinched his eyes closed, trembling uncontrollably.

Through the dark, he saw her. He watched her eyes light up with curiosity, and her mouth form a smile so perfect that he never wanted to see her frown again. Her laugh, the belly laugh when she lost control of what she tried to force. That was the laugh he'd heard when they were young, and it was his favorite thing. Contagious, even.

This couldn't be it. No, this couldn't be the end of him, of them.

Glaring into the dark, he yanked his arms to the side and snarled through the pain as he pushed against the stone. When he didn't move, he tried again. Pushing and wiggling his body, he strained against the rocks, shuddering with exhaustion as his left arm gave way. He shoved again with his right and curled his body like a worm, moving back an inch. Eyes wide, he repeated the action and moved another inch.

He continued, ignoring the muscle pains and spasms of his body until he could no longer feel the stone touching his hair. He let out a sigh of relief, continuing until his toes hit the ledge again, and soon his feet touched the ground and he was able to stand straight. As he stood, he slammed his head against the roof, biting through his tongue in the process.

Crying out, he spat out the tango of blood from his mouth and reached his hand up to feel if his tongue was still there. It was there, but tender. Suddenly, he was glad he couldn't see the blood. The pain was blinding, but he needed to get back. He had been so sure he could get through to another room through these passages.

Starting forward, one tiny step at a time, he paused at the very subtle breeze to his left. Hollis stopped and listened before reaching his good hand out, and was met with nothing. Another passage. Was this one worth the risk? There wasn't a ledge that would make him crawl… Be smart; if it began to get even remotely tight, he could back up.

This time, he'd listen to himself.

Hollis stepped forward, into the new passage he'd missed while distracted with the ledge, and squinted into the dark. Something brushed the tip of his ear, and he brushed it away with a shudder.

Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic.

That was a difficult thing to convince himself of as something scampered across his boot. Taking faster steps, he tried to keep his hands to his chest, not wanting to touch the walls as his gaze trained on something ahead.

A light.

The sound of more than one set of crawling legs grew louder behind him as he took off at a full sprint and slammed into the rock wall ahead.

"HEY!" He screamed.

Kole looked up with wide eyes. "Hollis?" He was on his feet a moment later, faster than Azriel could lift his wings, and sprinted to the sound of his voice.

"Hollis!?" He tried again as Azriel jogged over, eyes scoping the wall that seemed seamless.

The sound of scuttling and clicking neared Hollis's heels, and he cried out again, in a voice now raw, "HELP!!!!"

Azriel, using the last of his strength, his shadows grew, sending Kole flying backward as he slammed against the wall. Curling his lip, he slammed again, and on the fourth, he cut through the wall, and Hollis fell forward as a horde of scorpions scattered into the cavern.

"Oh, shit!" Kole exclaimed, climbing to his feet and slamming his boots down on the unwelcome visitors.

Azriel snatched Hollis by his arms and hauled him up, ignoring his cries of pain as he pulled him away from the army that spilled into the room. The glow from their crystals wasn't enough to see where they all scuttled to. They needed to get to higher ground.

Backing up, while holding Hollis's arms, he retreated to Kole. Narrowing his gaze on them, the creatures surrounded them in a tight circle. Hundreds of them. Their bodies were longer than what he'd seen before, and their stingers dripped with a silver venom.

Some were bigger, some smaller. All hungry.

Kole shuddered, "Cleared out, are they?"

Hollis cringed with their back against each other, keeping all eyes on the creatures. "Good to see you, too…" He furrowed his brow, watching them click their pinchers. "Why aren't they attacking?"

Looking down at his chest, Kole nodded, "The light. They inhabit that dark, remember?"

Slowly, Az glanced at the wall of snow that Kole had hardly made a dent in, and asked, "How do they feel about snow?"

***

Kallias stared at the crevice Cassian gestured at. His son…his Hollis, had gone through there? He loved his son dearly, but he couldn't help but admit that since Nova had come into his life, he was more of a risk taker now than he'd ever been.

He sighed softly, "I wish he hadn't gone that way." He frowned with worry and looked up at the ceiling and the left wall. What looked like it was simply part of the ice was a covered passage. Lifting his hand, he pushed in and formed a half-circle, forming a tunnel of ice as he had before.

Cassian frowned as he stared at the new way forward. "What's at the end of the other passage?"

Shaking his head, Kallias took a shuddered breath. "I don't know." That's what scared him most.

It was Nesta who spoke. "I can fit through."

All eyes turned to her, and before anyone could say anything, she said to Kallias, "You need to keep clearing the large passages. I'll go after Hollis."

She squeezed Cassian's forearm as she walked past.

He watched her with a tight jaw as she glanced once more over her shoulder before she, too, disappeared into the dark.

The slashes across trees deepened the further they walked, and by the second mile, they were across almost every tree. Some markings were several feet taller than Nova, which was concerning, to say the least. That, along with the droplets of blood along the way. It could be worse, she supposed. The drops of blood could be gushes…or a limb.

Glancing over her shoulder, she checked on Finch. He scowled up at the trees, down at the ground, and up at the trees again. She cringed, realizing he was searching for Bran in the trees, or parts of him. It was a terrible thing to think that way. They just had to find him and make it to the mountain top.

Nova gazed up at the sky as new snow fell, threatening to cover the tracks they'd made to get here. Their shelter was already prepared and would help keep them warm, but they'd need to be able to find their way back. Sacrificing a few of her cat tails, Nova lodged them into the tree forks as they passed.

"Nova," Kyra frowned, kneeling in the snow ahead. "What the hell kind of track is this?"

Looking ahead, she left her cat tail and approached, but stopped in her tracks as she stared at the imprints. Four long toes stretched out with a sharp tip, but there was only one set of two feet. It walked on two legs, yet left tracks like a lizard.

"A Squyla…" Nova murmured, rubbing her jaw.

"A what?"

Finch moved close now, too, looking over their shoulders.

"It's a creature similar to a lizard, but more…humanoid. It looks like a lizard, but walks like a person. Usually, the females are in hibernation by now. The males lay the eggs and keep them warm through the winter." Nova frowned as she lifted her head and looked ahead. "They don't usually leave their cave or their eggs this far into winter."

"Must have missed that chapter." Kyra cringed. "How dangerous are they?"

Nova pursed her lips and glanced at her. "Let's keep walking. We need to prepare ourselves."

As they followed, Nova informed Kyra of what may lie ahead. The black tongue of the Squyla made its bite deadly. Even if they had a sword, its sharp claws and impenetrable scaly skin would serve them nothing. The caves they live in are cold and damp, but like themselves, the Sqyla knew how to make a fire. Even cook with it. She hated the idea of killing anything, but for Bran, she'd do whatever needed.

"He's likely alive, which is good at least," Nova said, searching for the outline of a cave nearby, now that they were closer to a defined rock formation.

"Why's that?"

"The Squyla will often collect food through winter to feed their children in Spring. Honestly, he's probably being kept alive so he's fresh when they hatch. It would explain why there's only a few drops of blood here and there."

***

With his wings still bound and his arms fastened behind his back, tied with a heavy rope (as were his legs) that dug into his bare skin. Stripped to nothing, Bran lay on his stomach against the cold cave floor, shuddering with each breeze that carried through. Half of his face was squashed against the ground as he watched the Squyla across the way. It paced around the fire, poking it with its tail while constantly circling its nest made of pine boughs. Nestled inside, there were two green speckled eggs, guarded by a fence of a bramble of thorns.

Every hour since he'd been here, it was the same routine, and the Squyla did it now as he stalked toward Bran. Tall and broad, it was much larger than he was, covered in dull gray-green scales that flaked pieces of dead skin to the ground as it moved. With the body of a massive lizard, it walked as though it were a person. The same swagger in its step, tail swishing back and forth as it approached, carrying with it a tin can.

Bran instinctively turned his head, heart racing as he squirmed against the bindings, but to no avail, as it reached its claws to him and rolled him onto his back and jammed a single claw into his mouth. While Bran tried to bite down and pull away, it kept his jaws open and leaned down. With the can of water that had boiled over the fire for a time, now warm, he poured it into his mouth.

Sputtering, Bran coughed and wriggled against the hold of the rope. When the liquid finally went down, Bran was rolled back over to his stomach, still coughing on the choke of water that irritated his throat. As before, the squyla stalked back to the fire to keep the eggs warm, and Bran's eyes lingered on the conch shell, resting on a log, ten feet away.

Hollis was cold and hungry. He was exhausted. From the exertion of the trek to his fearful experience trapped between stone, he didn't have much left to give, but even just a drop could mean the difference between life and death.

"Remember," Azriel spoke calmly, shifting his foot away from one of the scorpions that was getting a little braver. "We're better off bringing the snow in and covering them. It will at least give us a path to get to the snow wall, and we can cover the rest of them. The tunnel you came through, we can go through again. Provided they've all cleared out."

Hollis nodded, pursed his lips, and glanced at him. His shoulders weren't as broad as Cassian's, but his wings were bigger. He wasn't so sure Azriel would fit, but they could work that out after they dealt with the current threat. He drew in a deep breath and focused all his energy on the snow ahead, reaching his hands forward. Despite the raging agony of his broken arm, he pulled the snow in a rush. Just as Azriel had suggested, the snow came pouring into the cavern. What would have been a terrifying sight was a relief as the scorpions scattered in a wave of panic, scuttling back toward the dark passage they'd emerged from with Hollis.

Kole grinned through chattered teeth, "Y-you know. Now there's a slope in the wall. We could claw our way out of here. We just keep digging at the top."

Nodding with approval, Hollis smiled over at him, but it dropped instantly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just freezing."

"You didn't eat the snow, did you? Cassian said we shouldn't be in here, not when we can't find a place to get warm."

Kole frowned at him, then at Azriel, and Hollis again. He looked down at his…was that his arm? A bit of bile flooded the back of his throat. "You're one to talk."

Scoffing a laugh, Hollis nodded, "Yeah, well. Let's get going before those things decide they want to try to brave the cold."

"Agreed," Azriel said and then, directly at Kole, said, "Get to digging. The more you move, the more body heat you'll create."

They jogged to the snow slope and began climbing up, Hollis holding his arm to his chest in its makeshift sling, and Az rubbing the back of his head where he slammed it against rock. Together, they began shoveling snow from the top and let it fall behind them as they moved forward. Hollis was slowest, breathing shallowly as he worked to push his way through.

At this point, he was running on fumes and hope.