By the time the woods shifted into hills, the sun was almost at its zenith, and their pace slowed down. Kamira was dragging her feet, but it didn’t escape Koshmarnyk that she kept up with few complaints, and it sounded more like playful teasing than fussing. She might be a Tivarashan, and a noblewoman from what he could tell, but she was accustomed to a traveler’s way of life.
In the distance, the jagged peaks of the Spine rose, and the sight of the mountain range reminded Koshmarnyk of the time he’d spent among Veelk’s people. Nostalgia stole his thoughts, and even though ultimately those events had led him to Gildya’s prison, he would never consider blaming those jovial tribesmen who convinced their demon that Koshmarnyk was worthy of learning their secrets.
He huffed, amused—even his
