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she have to make so much noise? Surely she knew that every crunch of her boots
was ramming another icicle into his head.To put off going outside, he checked what
remained of his gear. In. the rush to get away, he'd left behind his axe and bow, but
his waterskin was still around his neck,, his tinder pouch and medicine pouch on
his belt, and Fa's knife safe in its sheath.The hilt felt curiously hot. Maybe it was an
omen. He should probably ask Renn. But that would only give her a chance to
boast about how much more she knew than him. The thought filled him with
unreasonable rage.When he couldn't put it off any longer, he crawled
outside.Overnight, the breath of the World Spirit had swallowed the world. The ice-
-the Sea--it had taken it all. The wind had gone. Without it, the cold wasn't so
biting; but the boom of breaking ice was closer.That's all we need, thought Torak.
The thaw is coming."You look terrible," snapped Renn. "Your eyes--you should've
worn your snow-visor." "I know," growled Torak. "Then why didn't you?"Her
voice was so grating. She was always telling him what to do. And she, of course,
had worn her visor254all day, because she never forgot anything.In prickly silence
they dismantled the shelter, and carried the skinboat to the edge of the ice, then
went back to fetch their gear."Just as well I thought to slash their boats," boasted
Renn, "or they'd have caught up with us by now.""Boats can be mended," Torak
said nastily. "You won't have slowed them down for long."She put her hands on her
hips. "I suppose you think I should've made a better job of it? Well, I didn't have
time, I had to go and rescue you!""You didn't rescue me!" spat Torak.She
snorted.To give her something to snort about, he told her why the Soul-Eaters were
coming after them: about the spirit walking, and Seshru sensing his souls.Her jaw
dropped. "You were spirit walking? And you never told me?""So? I'm telling you
now."She was silent. "Anyway, you're wrong," she said. "They're not following us
because of that.""Oh no? What makes you so sure?""It's the fire-opal. I took it.
That's why they're after us.""Why didn't you tell me?" cried Torak."I'm telling you
now. There wasn't time before."255"There was plenty of time!" he shouted."Don't
shout at me!" shouted Renn.He was shaking his head. "So it's not only the Soul-
Eaters who are after us, it's the demons as well!""I did mask it," she said
defensively. "I've got herbs, and I put it in a swansfoot pouch that Tanugeak gave
me."He threw up his arms. "Oh, well, that makes it all right! How could you be
such a fool?""How could you? You were the one who spirit walked!"Her voice
rang out across the ice. The silence that followed was louder. They stood glaring at
each other, chests heaving.Torak passed his hand over his face, as if he'd just
woken up. "What are we doing?" he said.Renn shook her head to clear it. "It's the
demons. They're making us fight." She hesitated. "I think they can smell the fire-
opal. Or--sense it."He nodded. "That must be it.""No, no, I mean, I know they can."
She caught her lower lip in her teeth. "I heard noises in the night.""What kind of
noises?"She shuddered. "I stayed awake to keep watch. Then I heard Wolf. He was
howling, the way he does before he goes hunting. After that they were gone."He
took a few paces, then turned back to her.256"We've got to get rid of it.""How?
We'd have to bury it in earth or stone--and there isn't any out here, there's only
ice!"They stared bleakly at each other.Renn opened her mouth to speak ...... and an
earsplitting crack split the air, as a fine black line zigzagged across the ice a hand's
breadth from her boots.She stared at her feet.The sea ice gave a sudden heave, and
she staggered back.The black line was now a channel of water as wide as a paddle
blade."A tide crack," said Torak in disbelief.Time seemed to slow. He saw that he
stood on the landfast ice--the side that held the boat and their provisions--while
Renn stood on the other side: the side that was breaking away. "Jump," he told
her.The floe lurched. She braced her legs to keep from falling."Jump!" he cried.Her [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]