Frostfell

summoned great ice devils to fight for them. Every army sent against them was beaten or pushed back-until the rise of Arantar and Khasoreth. You have heard of them?'

Amira shook her head. 'No.'

'Many songs are sung of their adventures in these lands. Arantar was a great sorcerer, the greatest of his age. Some have even said that his father was a god or some great being from beyond. Fire was the soul and song of Arantar, and he was its unquestioned master.

Khasoreth was his apprentice, but his great love was for ice and cold.

Arantar's mother was Raumathari, and together, he and Khasoreth were able to stand against the armies of Nar and their demons. For the first time in many months, the Nar fled the battlefield, and for a time there was peace in these lands.'

'I take it the peace didn't last,' said Amira.

'No,' said the belkagen. 'One particularly bleak winter… something happened to Iket Sotha.'

'Something?'

'Here is where even the tales of my people fade to legend. It is not known what destroyed Iket Sotha, but one thing is certain: Great powers fell upon Iket Sotha. The Tuigan say they came from Yal Tengri.

Raumathari legends say they came from the heart of Iket Sotha herself.

But the one thing that all tales tell the same is that it was in the death of Iket Sotha that the Fist of Winter was born.'

'The Fist of Winter?'

'A name given to them among the people of the Endless Wastes.'

'I don't understand,' said Amira. 'What are they?'

The belkagen thought a long time before answering. 'None know for sure. But they are… terrible. Their corrupted flesh cannot abide warmth, and so they dwell in the farthest reaches of the north. But in winter when Yal Tengri freezes, they often roam Iket Sotha and the surrounding lands, preying upon the unwary. Over the years, renegade bands of Sossrim have sworn allegiance to them. These are the Siksin Neneweth, the Frost Folk, and they worship the Fist of Winter as gods and offer blood sacrifices to them.'

'And you believe one of these… things has my son?'

Amira had been staring into the fire during the belkagen's tale, but she looked at him now and was shocked at what she saw. The weariness still pulled on him, his shoulders slumping and his eyes seeming empty. But his face was now breaking into what seemed to her a mixture of sadness and fear. The belkagen cast a glance at Gyaidun, then quickly looked away. Amira looked to the big man. Fury seemed to come off Gyaidun in waves, like heat. His eyes were unblinking and fixed on the belkagen, and Amira could see the muscles of his neck standing up taut.

'Belkagen…?' said Amira.

'There…' The belkagen avoided everyone's gaze and looked up where the smoke from the fire was curling into the mists. 'There is more to the tale. The Fist of Winter and their servants prey upon any who come too close, and I've heard of many fortune-seekers going into the ruins of Iket Sotha and never coming out again. But in some years, during the winter months when days are cold and nights dark, the Fist of Winter roams throughout the east, hunting.'

'Hunting for what?'

'Boys,' said the belkagen. 'Some very young and some just shy of manhood, like your Jalan. I've heard of boys being taken from tents, from the heart of cities, boys who are sent to watch the herds and are never-'

Gyaidun lunged over the fire, screaming and reaching for the belkagen. Amira saw murder in his eyes. She grabbed her staff and scrambled away as the belkagen jumped to his feet and ducked. Gyaidun and the belkagen were screaming at each other in their own tongue, and Lendri, weak as he was, had dropped his drink and was trying to pry the two of them apart. Wide-eyed, Amira held her staff ready to strike should the argument come her way.

Lendri managed to push himself between the two combatants. Gyaidun tried to shove him away, but the elf latched onto the man's shoulders and held on. Lendri shouted something, just one quick word in his language, and Gyaidun stopped as if slapped. But he still held his fists before him, and his gaze was burning, looking over Lendri's shoulder to the belkagen, who stood a few paces away, guilt in his eyes.

Gyaidun said something, his voice harsh and angry. The belkagen replied. Amira couldn't tell if his voice was trembling from indignation or fear. Both, she decided. Had Lendri not intervened, she was quite sure the big man would have hurt the belkagen. Gyaidun's whole body was trembling, his face was twisted in a rictus of fury, and tears were running down his cheeks.

'What's going on here?' she asked, her staff still held ready, her mind searching for an appropriate spell should any one of them come at her. 'Have you all gone mad?'

No one said anything. Gyaidun was still staring daggers at the belkagen, who was returning the gaze, though he seemed pained and saddened. Lendri watched Gyaidun long enough to be sure the big man was under control, then turned to the belkagen. Amira saw mistrust and anger in his eyes as well.

'What is going on here?' she asked.

Gyaidun glanced at her and the tension left his body. He stood straight, looked back to the belkagen, and said, 'I will not share a fire with a traitor. Sumezh.' He spat in the belkagen's direction, then turned and stormed off. For a moment, he was a shadow in the mists, then they swallowed him.

Lendri watched him go, then turned to the belkagen. 'I apologize for my rathla's rude words, Belkagen. But you do owe us an explanation. Now.'

Defiance and anger flickered in the belkagen's countenance, but neither caught. His shoulders slumped. 'My apologies, Lady. You found yourself in the middle of a family quarrel.'

'It's more than that,' said Lendri. 'And you know it. Talk or I may not try to restrain him next time. You've known this-who was responsible for Erun-all these years, after all we've lost, but you said nothing. Why?'

The belkagen looked off into the mists where Gyaidun had disappeared. 'Because there is nothing you could have done. Either of you. Or all the Vil Adanrath. You would have only been rushing to your deaths.'

'Listen,' Amira broke in. 'I don't understand any of this. Who is this Erun? I just-'

'Be silent, woman,' said Lendri.

Amira opened her mouth to give the insolent elf the tongue-lashing of his life, but she shut it again when he looked at her. The fire caught in his eyes, and again she was reminded of the wolves in the darkness, circling her fire. The tongue-lashing could wait.

'Please, Lendri,' said the belkagen. 'Sit down before you fall.

And there is no need to be rude to our guest. None of this is her fault.'

'No,' said Lendri. He didn't sit, though Amira could see his arms and legs trembling from the effort of standing. 'It is yours. Do not hide behind her. Explain yourself.'

The belkagen sighed, then sat by the fire. He placed his staff across his lap, closed his eyes, and said, 'I spoke truly. By the time I'd heard of Erun, many days had passed. Although I suspected the Fist of Winter was involved, it was only suspicions. I have become certain in my own mind only in the years since. I know you and your rathla.

Had I told you, both of you would have rushed off to Iket Sotha like a pack on bloodscent. And both of you would have died. What happens to the children taken, I do not know. But whether they are alive or dead, you and Gyaidun could do nothing for Erun if you were dead.' 'So you did nothing? All these years, you simply sat?' 'No!' The belkagen looked up at Lendri, and a bit of the heat had returned to his eyes.

'I have sought knowledge and chased every rumor, hoping and praying for any sign of Erun and the others. I only became more certain of the boy's fate, but I learned nothing of how to save him.' 'I'm going after my son,' said Amira. 'And don't you silence me again, elf. Not ever. I have half a mind to broil the lot of you for keeping me here all day. You promised me help, Belkagen. You said if I waited, you might give me hope. Where is it?' 'I believe they are taking your son to Iket Sotha,' said the belkagen. 'For what reason? I do not know.

But knowing what I have told you, we can go after him prepared.

Perhaps we can rescue your son. You said you did so once before. If we can get him away-' 'They'll only take him again,' said a voice from the darkness. Gyaidun emerged from the mists. He looked down at the belkagen in disgust. 'They did so once already. They traveled across half the world to get him.' He looked to Amira. 'Do you wish to spend the rest of your life-and your son's-running?' 'I'm going after my son,' said Amira, though the cold