Chapter Fourteen
‘Um.’ Dad cleared his throat. ‘I don’t know about the pirates, but I certainly feel like running away.’
I agreed, but decided not to say so. ‘Let’s go.’ I felt a tiny bit of my spirit returning. ‘Remember, Dad, this is fun.’
He looked at me doubtfully and attempted a smile. ‘Fun … yes.’
I laughed for real at last, and the ice creaked as several dozen Heest spun in delighted circles. Dad straightened his shoulders and looked taller than ever. His mouth made a grim line.
He took my small hand in his big one and led me around the frothing edge of the water. My foot slipped, but I held tightly to him and didn’t fall.
The ice had diagonal lines that stuck out from the wall like in the out-of-bounds ravine, except much bigger. Dad led me sideways up the curved slope and so
