Cloudburst Ice Magic Page 3

  “Damn. Kinda makes me glad I don’t have a twin.”

  “We’re all glad you don’t have a twin, Cade.” Zach chuckled.

  Cade flashed a grin full of canines. “Shut up.”

  The mists ahead of them shifted and cleared into an archway manned by two hulking Ice Demon guards who would have been poster children for the Abominable Snowman. Their shoulders would have been twice of Zach’s and their canines stretched almost to their chins. Zach stood at six-two, tall for his clan, but these two made him feel like a dwarf.

  “State your name and business in coming to Mistweaver Tarn.” They spoke in the Ice Demon native tongue, but their accents were old and Zach had the odd sensation of stepping back in time.

  Cade drew himself up to his full height, which still only came to the guards’ chests. “I’m Cade Cliffrose of the Western Peaks clan and friend of the Oro Creek clan. I’ve brought Zachary Snow of the Sandfoot clan for an introduction to the Matriarch.”

  “Be welcome, Cade Cliffrose. Please observe all protocols until properly introduced.” The guards stepped back and gestured them through.

  Cade inclined his head and Zach followed him under the archway, his mind churning.

  “You didn’t tell me you were from the San Francisco Peaks area.”

  Cade winked. “You never asked outright. I did say my home range melts every summer.”

  “I never would’ve guessed you were from there.” Zach grimaced. “Everyone I’ve met from the area seemed really full of themselves.”

  “Yeah. That’s why I leave most of the time. Gotta go back every now and again to talk to family, though.” Cade shrugged. “Granddad likes to pretend he’s a god or some shit like that. Drives me up the crags.”

  The terrain shifted from wooded turf to grooved, glaciated stone and they stopped at the edge of a mist-shrouded lake. Zach couldn’t determine how large it was, but the scents emanating from the water and surrounding rocks suggested deep age. Some of his tension bled away from his mind and his shoulders relaxed. Damn, Lily would love it here.

  The thought of his mate brought all his concern back and Zach scanned the misty world around him for anyone beyond Cade.

  “What are we supposed to do now?”

  “You don’t get out much, do you?” Cade snorted. “You wait patiently. Hopefully, the Oro Creek Matriarch is in the mood to be timely. If you’re too impatient, she could make you wait hours.”

  “But Lily and the others don’t have hours.” Zach tightened his hands into fists to keep his temper from exploding. “The Spring Fling is going on now and she could be buried at any moment.”

  “I know, Snow.” Cade’s mouth flattened. “Just keep cool. The more calm you are, the faster she’ll see us.”

  Frustration mixed with fear made waiting difficult and Zach tried to occupy himself studying the ice formations along the lakeshore to keep the emotions at bay. He remembered his mother once telling him to picture an ice flow. It moves, but so slowly its movement is difficult to track. Be an ice flow. Move forward so slowly no one knows you’re moving. Yeah, easier said than done.

  After a thousand heartbeats, a figure approached them from the surface of the iced lake. She stood shorter than most Ice Demon females and walked with curiously sinuous motion as if related to an eel or a snake. Brilliant blue eyes took in all the details of Zach and Cade as she stopped on the shore before them. The emotional scents of age and wisdom filled Zach’s nose, and he found himself bowing before he even noticed he’d moved.

  “Welcome back, young Cliffrose. How fares your family?” The Matriarch’s voice reminded Zach of sifting trains of snow over smooth rocks, both soft and relentless.

  “They are well, thank you, Matriarch.” Cade executed a graceful bow. “Please let me present a friend, Zachary Snow from the Sandfoot clan. He requested an introduction because he needs to visit your demesne.”

  “Ah, so I see. Thank you for bringing him, Cliffrose. Please, find refreshment after your journey in the ice fields.” Though her words were gracious, they held true command.

  Cade shot a look at Zach before he bowed again and followed a path opening in the mist away from the lake. Zach fought to keep calm. Each passing moment put Lily and the others in greater danger. He’d received no texts or emails, and the lack of communication drove him crazy.

  “Now, then, Mr. Snow. What brings you to our demesne?” The Matriarch fixed him with a sharp look. Her hair crystals sat arranged in a glorious cascade of white and silver around her head, glinting in the increasing light.

  “I’ve come to ask permission to stay and work here in your mountains, Matriarch.” He tried to keep the rising tension out of his voice.

  “Intriguing. I thought the Sandfoot clan was highly nomadic. Why would you wish to make your home range here?”

  “I haven’t decided if this will be my permanent home, but there’s something I need to take care of here and it’s urgent. I simply didn’t want to offend you by coming without your say-so.”

  Icedora tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “I think there’s more to this than you say, Mr. Snow. It is good you stopped to see me. Has this to do with the human hikers who have been lost in the Spring Fling?”

  “You know about them?”

  “Oh, yes. Just because we live on the mountaintops doesn’t mean we don’t pay attention to the slopes.” She eyed him carefully. “These humans mean something to you?”

  “I’ve worked with the humans in Search and Rescue for the last twenty years, and I’m very pleased to help them.” He paused and took a chance. “But this time, it’s personal. One of the SAR professionals is a friend of mine, and I can’t leave her out there to die if I can help it.”

  The small woman took two steps to him and grasped his jaw with her taloned hand, scanning his eyes.

  “Ah, she means more to you than friendship.” A smile curled her lips around her protruding canines. “You’re mated to this human, yes?”

  How in the Ninth Hell did she see that? It didn’t matter. He couldn’t lie to a ten thousand year old Ice Demon and get away with it.

  Zach swallowed hard. “Yes, Matriarch. We mated the winter before last and she is human. But I swear by Freya, the mating was honorable and accepted by the Goddess.”

  A joyful smile curled Icedora’s lips. “I have no doubt Freya watches over you, Mr. Snow.” She patted his cheek and released him. “I give you permission to be in our mountains and to rescue your humans. But when you’ve rested and recovered your mate, you must both return to the Tarn to see me.”

  “You want me to bring my human mate to Ice Demon sacred ground?”

  Icedora laughed, the sound echoing off the walls around the lake like a shower of gravel. “Yes, Zachary. I must see the female who has rooted one of the rootless Sandfoot clan.” Then she sobered. “You don’t have much time. She and the humans are located midway down a valley the humans call Quicksilver Chute. While none of the celebrants have set off their slides there yet, I cannot guarantee they’ll hold off longer than today. If you wish to save your mate and her companions, you must get there by the sun’s zenith.”

  “I’ll leave right away.” Zach bowed and turned back the way he’d come.

  “And Mr. Snow. Leave your friend Cade Cliffrose here with us. I need to speak with him more. I shall make your goodbyes.”

  “Of course, Matriarch.”

  Icedora nodded. “Swift winds and flurries to you, Mr. Snow.”

  Zach bowed again and followed the path opening through the mists to the snowy slopes beyond the guards. Adrenaline and worry fueled his determination to get back to his gear, find a good topographical map, and get up to Quicksilver Chute.

  He wondered what the matriarch wanted with Cade, but suspected it saved Cade from having to decide whether or not to accompany Zach in the rescue. Easier to keep the Ice Demons secret when it’s only me there. Lily wouldn’t say anything, but Cade might not be as adept at hiding his true form.

  Zach m
ade it back to his truck in less than five minutes. The hood and cab wore a thick mantle of snow already. I’m coming, Lily. Just hold on a bit longer. He shouldered his pack and grabbed the map from his glove box. Next stop, Quicksilver Chute.

  Chapter Five

  Lily shivered awake from dreams of Zach’s intense ice-green eyes begging her to hold on. Dim light brightened the snow around her, telling her morning had arrived. The others struggled to various forms of wakefulness and Randy already had hot water for tea started.

  She scrubbed her face to warm up her cheeks as she sat up. Her body ached from the cold and odd sleeping position, but she stretched her neck and checked her watch. The little digital readout showed nearly ten o’clock. Damn, still so dark at ten.

  Inhaling the scents of hot water and cold, she glanced over at Randy. He met her gaze and shook his head at her unspoken question. Hell. She crawled over next to him and warmed her hands on the stove.

  “Did you radio base?” Lily kept her voice low so the other wouldn’t hear.

  “Yeah. The blizzard has intensified. They have zero visibility and fierce winds to top it off. The whole flight crew is grounded.”

  “So we’re gonna have to make it out of the Chute on our own.”

  Randy’s jaw tightened and his gaze slid to the tent before returning to the hot water on the stove. “It’ll be easy to get turned around with zero visibility, Sinclair. I’m concerned with the wind chill and horizontal snow we could easily get lost.” He jerked his head in the direction of the hikers, brown eyes solemn. “They aren’t dressed to be out in this stuff for more than an hour. We might be safer in here.”

  A gut deep warning screamed through Lily’s awareness and she shook her head, trying to keep her voice even. “We can’t stay, Randy. We’ll be buried or crushed by the first avalanche. As the day warms, the danger increases.” She dragged out the map and stabbed the ridge. “We’re not too far from the ridge and the Forest Service shack. I bet we’re less than an hour away.”

  “If we don’t get turned around.”

  She gritted her teeth. “All we have to do is head upwards and keep north to our right. We’ll use the climbing ropes to keep everyone together.” She scanned his face, willing him to understand the need to move. “Please, Randy. Trust me in this. We can’t stay here. I got a bad feeling about being in the Chute.”

  Randy met her gaze and held it while he made his decision. He was older and more experienced, but she’d never steered him wrong when it came to weather. Not since I got involved with Zach.

  Mr. Thomas crawled over beside them and gestured toward the stove. “Is there any hot water? Tammy is freezing.” He scrubbed his Beach-Boy face with one nail-bitten hand.

  “Of course.” Randy immediately poured some of the melted snow into a mug. “Take one for yourself and Ms. Benedict, too.”

  “Thanks. What’s the plan for today?”

  Lily stared at Randy, waiting for him to make a decision. His gaze flicked to her before he answered.

  “We’re going to make a try for the ridge. Bad weather is keeping the flight crews grounded, so no helicopter, but if we can get you three to the Forest Service shack, they’ll be able to bring in snowmobiles to take you down-slope.”

  Lily silently exhaled the breath she’d forgotten she held.

  “Are you sure we can make it there?” The younger man scanned their faces, doubt flashing in his pale blue eyes.

  “Yes. We know about where we are and where we need to go.” Or we would if Zach was here. Lily shoved his comforting presence away. “The problem is we’re in an avalanche chute and with the continued snow accumulation, the chances rise of a slide. We have to get out of its way or we’ll be buried here until the thaw.”

  Randy grunted a warning and she shut her mouth. She’d told the truth, but it wasn’t always helpful when the hikers already swam in fear.

  “We can’t stay as Ms. Sinclair said. Let’s get the gear packed up and we’ll outline the plan so we’re ready to make the trek.”

  “How far is this shack?” Ms. Benedict had joined them and Mr. Thomas handed her one of the mugs. “Thanks, Brad.” She sipped the hot liquid, her freckled nose wrinkling as it hit her tongue.

  “Not far. Maybe a thousand feet of actual distance. The trick will be finding a safe path to it in the weather. It hasn’t improved.” Randy poured more mugs of tea for himself and Lily.

  “We’re going out in a blizzard?” The horror in Ms. Benedict’s voice reminded Lily of a scary movie heroine.

  “It’s that or wait for an avalanche to get us here.” Randy glared at Lily, but she refused to sugar-coat their situation. “No one is coming for us, Ms. Benedict. They can’t get the crews to us where we are and the weather has intensified. We have to make an effort to get to them. They can find us at the Forest Service shack, but out here, we’re as good as lost.”

  “How soon do we need to leave?” Brad handed back his mug, his youthful looks aging with his tension.

  “Brad, you can’t be thinking we can get through this, can you?” Ms. Benedict gaped at him.

  “What choice do we have, Caroline? Are you willing to just wait for an avalanche to wipe us out?” He shook his head. “I’d rather make an effort to save ourselves than wait for a cavalry that isn’t coming.”

  Lily shot a look of surprise at Randy, but kept her mouth shut. She approved of Brad’s perspective, even if some part of her wished Zach would come out of the wind and snow, playing the literal white knight. Let it go, Sinclair. You have no idea if Zach even got your text. Or if he’d make it to them in time. Nevada sat miles away from Colorado.

  “Let’s get packed up and ready to go.” Randy crawled toward the tent. “Ms. Sinclair will get out something you folks can eat just before we leave. The sooner we’re ready, the faster we can get to a safe place.”

  Randy’s confidence seemed to galvanize the others into action and Lily busied herself with packing up the stove and setting out granola bars for everyone to eat. She listened to Randy calmly instructing the hikers how to pack up the tent and bags, but her mind kept drifting to Zach and how much she wished he’d come. Forget it, Sinclair. This time, you have to save yourself.

  Shaking her head at her damsel-tendencies, she made sure her pack’s load was well balanced and strapped her feet into her boots with crampons. Her fingers caught on one of the sharp metal claws and tore the nail. The small pain made her gasp and she put her hand to her mouth, sucking on the injured digit. Scents of cardamom and cloves filled her nose and she closed her eyes, remembering the night she’d spent with her Ice Demon lover.

  I don’t want to die without seeing Zach again.

  She’d just have to make sure she made it long enough for him to find her. And hopefully not my frozen body.

  “You almost ready, Sinclair?” Randy’s voice intruded on her musings.

  Lily opened her eyes and gave a sharp nod. Ready or not, they needed to get moving. She handed out the granola bars and they bundled up to face the elements. Lily clipped her compass to the front straps of her pack and picked up her little shovel.

  “Ready?”

  “Let’s do it.” Randy nodded grimly.

  Together, they attacked the snowpack covering their entry hole. The top layer had frozen and took a fair amount of strength to break through. Lily almost regretted the opening as the wind and stinging snow slapped her in the face between her goggles and scarf.

  “Holy shit.”

  She didn’t know which man had said it, but she concurred. Using the shovel as an anchor, she dragged her body, pack and all, out of their shelter. The wind howled and buffeted her from uphill, damn near rolling her past the little hump they’d made in the snow. Lily dug in with her heels, her crampons skittering across the icy crust before finally finding purchase. She swallowed against the heart-pounding fear and dug footholds in the snow for the others.

  “Are you all right, Sinclair?” Randy appeared before her and held out his hand to pull her up
.

  “Yeah. Just watch it out here. Between the wind and crust, it’s pretty slick.”

  “Got it.” He braced himself with his heels and looped the climbing rope around her waist. “The others don’t have crampons, so we’ll need to make deep steps for them to follow. The wind’s gonna be a bitch.” He tightened the knot on the rope and tugged gently to be sure it held. “Can you cut a trail in the crust?”

  “Yeah.” Lily struggled to her feet and braced the shovel against her hip. “Get the others tied and jerk the rope twice to let me know when you’re ready. I’ll start cutting now.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Randy disappeared into their shelter and Lily focused on chopping through the hard, icy snow. The wind whipped the snow into a whiteout, but she focused on making a path. Even with gloves on the frigid air cut into her hands. Lily gritted her teeth and remembered what Zach taught her about mountaineering in whiteout conditions.

  Keep your compass handy, your ice ax in front of you, and your mind focused on the direction you want to go. Your eyes will be useless and the wind will throw you off.

  She’d been surprised he knew so much when he had ability with the elements. He’d laughed and said Ice Demons got drunk on their power and often blew themselves far from home in their revelry. Lily had to admit she’d like to see Zach get so wild. But only if I’m safe, with a warm hotel nearby.

  Not much likelihood of that right now. Two sharp tugs on the rope behind her told her Randy had the others ready. Lily inhaled some of the wind and swore she got a taste of spiced chai, but shook her head and put her focus into cutting steps in the ice. I’m imagining Zach when I need to be focused on heading west. She glanced at her compass, making sure the needle pointed to her right, and chopped at the slope ahead of her.

  Lily’s awareness funneled down into repeated motions. Slam shovel into the snow. Drag the snow out of the way. Stamp with her feet to make a foothold. Check the compass for next step. Move forward. Lily’s shoulders and hands ached from chopping steps, and her legs shook from holding her body against the wind’s push and gravity’s pull. She made progress and hoped the others followed, but the going was slow.