Snow-Walker

Twenty-Four

The planets knew not what their places were.

They walked through an empty land, without time. It was a country where nothing grew, where even the wind dared not come. Soft snow fell silently through the long, arctic night; it was a realm of starlight and sorcery, beyond the world. Since they had entered it, each of them had felt a constant fear, a strange diminishing of themselves. They were no longer sure who they were or how real this was—in this place anything could happen. Even the air was alive, tingling with power.

They walked together in a group; only Kari walked a little way in front, the birds above him. He said nothing, but all his old apprehension seemed to have fallen from him. He had put on that coat of power, that air of remoteness they knew. He was ready now, Jessa thought. And for whose death? Because only he or Gudrun would survive. Once they had walked away from each other. But not now. This would be the end.

The fortress loomed nearer, a hall built from icy blocks, fitted together with sorcerous skill. The gates were open. They were entanglements of ice, sharp shards of bright crystal. Grettir walked in between them, limping; the travelers followed him with drawn swords.

A great courtyard stretched before them. They crossed it quickly, watching the high windows. Hakon glanced back. Only their footprints marred the smooth snow. And yet they all knew they were being watched.

Only Kari saw them, as he passed by; the great host of the Snow-walkers, talking, laughing, amused, curious. They were a pale people, their faces as thin and delicate as his own. Children among the crowd stared at him; men and women with white snake marks in their skin. Gudrun’s people. His people. It moved him; apart from Gudrun he had never seen anyone who looked as he did. Turning away bitterly, he faced the doors.

They were open.

Grettir stopped on the bottom step. When he got his breath, he wheezed, “From here you go in by yourselves.”

“While you lock the doors?” Brochael grabbed the old man’s arm roughly. “Oh no. Show us where Signi is.”

Grettir shrugged. “It makes no difference in the end.”

“It might to you, if you want to live. Where is she?”

“Through the hall. Up the stairs.”

The hall was bitterly cold, a palace of ice. It was bare of furniture; snow lay in tiny waves on the floor, crunching as they walked over it, but its splendor was in the light that came through the ice; a pale shimmer of blue and green, a refraction of stars and snow, eerie and cold. On some of the walls were hangings, all white and silver, and shields of strange metals. Ice girders held up the roof; thin spindles of ice hung from each windowsill, and great curtains of it, formed over years, massed here and there, sprawling out into the floor to make pillars and columns of intricate crystal. It was a frozen house, without sound, or welcome.

On the far side of the hall were some stairs leading up.

“These?” Brochael snapped.

Grettir nodded.

Kari leaped up the first steps lightly; the others clattered after him.

“Where are they all?” Hakon breathed to Jessa. “We’re walking into a trap, I’m certain.”

“I know that. We all do. Stick behind me if you’re scared.”

He smiled, but it was a wan effort.

The ice steps led up between glinting walls. Then they came out into a room at the top. Crowding into the doorway behind Hakon, Jessa caught her breath.

The room was a blaze of candles; white candles of every size and thickness. The flames burned straight, with no breeze to flutter them. In the center of the room was a white chair, and Signi was sitting in it, staring at them. She held out her hands.

“I almost hoped you wouldn’t come,” she said sadly.

“We had to.” Skapti crossed to her.

“Is Wulfgar…?”

“He’s not with us. He had to stay at the hold.”

Her dress and hair seemed paler here, drained of color; her skin had a strange, glistening tinge. The back of the chair was a network of ice strands, hung and looped, great chains of it. They dropped from her sleeves and wrists, unwound and slithered after her as she stood up and crossed the room.

She tried to touch them, but her fingers passed through Brochael’s and he shook his head.

“How do you like your sword, Hakon?” she asked.

Puzzled, he glanced down at it. “Very much, but the gift was a long time ago.”

“Was it?” She looked at them carefully, at their worn clothing, and windburned, unshaven faces. Fear crept into her eyes. “How long?”

“Weeks.”

She pressed her fingers together, pale and trembling. “I didn’t know. There’s no time in this place. Nothing but silence and cold, no one to speak to or touch…” Her eyes darted to the doorway, where Grettir stood. He smirked at her.

Kari fingered the chains thoughtfully.

“Can you?” Jessa asked him.

“No. This is Gudrun’s spell. Only she can.”

“You should leave here!” Signi put her wraith hand on his; only he could feel her, frail as a leaf. “You shouldn’t have come, Kari. It’s you she wants! She only brought me here to bring you.”

“I know that.” He turned to Grettir reluctantly. “Where is she?”

“Waiting for you.”

“Then show me where. But I want to know that nothing will happen to my friends. Either way. I want to be sure of that.”

“Oh no!” Jessa said firmly. She caught his arm tight. “You’re not vanishing on me again! We’re all in this.”

He tried to tug away, but she had been expecting this; she held tight.

“Jessa—”

“No, Kari.”

Grettir watched them, amused. “Touching,” he murmured.

“Keep out of this,” Brochael growled. He put his hand on Kari’s shoulder. “She’s right.”

Kari glanced at them both. “I don’t want to hurt you—”

“Nor will you.”

“But you have to let me go! Please, Brochael!” He squirmed away from them.

“Not without us.” Brochael caught him again firmly. “Listen, Kari. Jessa is right. We’re all in this; it isn’t just you. You can’t take it all on yourself.”

“And what good do you think you will be to him?” a cold voice mocked. “The boy is no kin of yours, Brochael Gunnarsson. He’s nothing of yours. He’s mine. And always will be.”

Brochael stood still. His face hardened, and as he turned he put his arm around Kari and they stood together, looking at the woman in the doorway.