The wind blows harder, making the bear’s fur tickle her cheeks. She shivers. Looking around, all the men slouch in their saddles. Their heads hang low. Meloni still sleeps.
No one speaks.
Silent hours pass. Soft purple and pink smear the horizon. Not too much longer, yellow rays shine through the tree limbs. The snow glistens.
Sarah welcomes the warmth.
With the new light of day, the trees are less menacing. The so-called owls stop their fluttering.
Sarah looks to her left at a huge frozen pond. Peter and Lamia flash through her mind. She shivers at the thought of almost being caught in that hut.
The sun shows to her right. It rises above the horizon, letting her know they’re closer to the castle… and freedom.
Sarah rides up to Boris. “How much farther are we from the castle?” She g
