The first snow came without warning.
Tiny white flakes drifted lazily from the gray sky, settling upon the winding mountain path and melting against the warmth of Darian's cloak. The cold deepened with every step, biting through leather and wool until even breathing became an effort.
Ahead, Frostvale rose like a kingdom carved from ice.
Jagged cliffs stretched into the clouds, their peaks hidden behind curtains of mist. Ancient pines clung stubbornly to the rocky slopes, their branches heavy with snow, while frozen waterfalls glittered like crystal beneath the pale morning light.
Darian stopped for a moment, staring at the breathtaking landscape.
"I've never seen snow before," he admitted quietly.
Serenya slowed beside him. A faint smile touched her lips.
"Most people south of the mountains haven't."
"It almost looks..."
He searched for the right word.
"...peaceful."
Serenya's smile faded.
"Don't let it fool you."
She looked toward the narrow mountain pass ahead.
"Frostvale has buried more armies than wars ever have."
Darian swallowed and hurried after her.
The trail narrowed until only one person could walk at a time.
Steep cliffs rose on one side.
A sheer drop disappeared into mist on the other.
The silence felt unnatural.
No birds.
No insects.
Only the crunch of boots against fresh snow and the mournful whistle of the mountain wind.
Darian wrapped his cloak tighter around himself.
"It feels like the whole mountain is watching us."
Serenya nodded without looking back.
"It is."
He frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"The old people believed these mountains remember everyone who walks them."
"You believe that?"
"I've learned not to laugh at old stories."
They walked another mile before Darian spoke again.
"Do you think Corvus is still following us?"
"I know he is."
"You sound very certain."
"He isn't the kind of man who gives up."
Her expression darkened.
"He'll wait until we're tired."
"Until we make a mistake."
"And then he'll strike."
Darian instinctively rested a hand over the sealed letter beneath his cloak.
It remained strangely warm despite the freezing air.
By midday the snow had grown heavier.
The path disappeared beneath a blanket of white, forcing Serenya to rely on memory instead of landmarks.
They rounded a bend and stopped abruptly.
A rope bridge stretched across a deep ravine.
Its wooden planks were cracked with age.
Several ropes had snapped long ago, leaving the bridge swaying gently in the wind.
Darian stared at it.
"You cannot be serious."
"It's the only crossing."
"It looks ready to collapse."
"It has looked that way for years."
"That doesn't make me feel better."
Serenya stepped onto the bridge first.
It groaned beneath her weight but held.
She turned back.
"One at a time."
Darian looked down.
The ravine disappeared into darkness beneath drifting snow.
His stomach tightened.
"I suddenly miss the stables."
Serenya laughed softly.
"I thought you might."
Taking a deep breath, Darian stepped onto the bridge.
It swayed immediately.
Every board creaked beneath his boots.
The icy wind pushed against him from the side, making the ropes groan louder.
Halfway across, he froze.
"I don't like this."
"Keep moving," Serenya called.
"I would if my legs remembered how."
The bridge lurched violently.
A loud crack echoed through the ravine.
One of the supporting ropes snapped.
The bridge dropped several feet.
Darian cried out, grabbing the remaining ropes with both hands.
Snow tumbled into the abyss below.
"Darian!" Serenya shouted.
"I'm trying!"
Another plank broke beneath his feet.
He lunged forward just as it disappeared into the darkness.
His heart pounded wildly.
One step.
Another.
The bridge continued to sway violently until, with one final leap, Darian landed on solid ground.
He collapsed onto the snow, breathing hard.
"I..."
He looked back at the bridge.
"...never want to do that again."
Serenya offered him a hand.
"Good."
"Because there won't be another bridge for miles."
He groaned.
"I was hoping you'd say that was the last one."
They continued climbing.
The air became thinner.
The cold sharper.
Late in the afternoon they reached a rocky overlook where the mountains opened into a vast frozen valley.
Darian stood speechless.
Below lay Frostvale.
Ancient stone ruins rested beneath blankets of snow.
Broken towers rose from the ice like forgotten giants.
Far beyond them stood a massive mountain unlike the others.
Its summit glowed with a faint crimson light beneath the clouds.
Darian pointed.
"What's that?"
Serenya followed his gaze.
"The Heart Peak."
"Why is it glowing?"
For a moment, she remained silent.
"No one truly knows."
"The old songs say a fire has slept beneath that mountain since the First Age."
She looked at him.
"And some believe it still burns."
Darian felt the sealed letter grow warmer beneath his cloak.
He said nothing.
As evening approached, they found shelter inside a shallow cave overlooking the valley.
Serenya gathered dry branches hidden beneath the rocks while Darian unpacked what little food they had left.
He frowned.
"This won't last long."
"I know."
"We'll need supplies before we reach Frostvale."
She lit a small fire.
The orange flames pushed back the growing darkness.
For the first time all day, warmth returned to their hands.
Darian stared into the fire.
"Do you ever get tired?"
Serenya looked up.
"Of what?"
"Running."
Her expression softened.
"Every day."
"Then why keep going?"
She watched the flames dance for a long moment before answering.
"Because some things are worth surviving for."
Darian nodded slowly.
He understood.
Not completely.
But enough.
Far below the mountain trail...
A lone rider stopped beside the broken rope bridge.
Corvus dismounted silently.
He examined the snapped ropes and the fresh footprints leading into the snow.
"They're making good time," he murmured.
One of his scouts approached.
"My lord."
Corvus looked toward the crimson peak rising above Frostvale.
"They're heading exactly where I expected."
The scout hesitated.
"Our spies also report movement farther north."
Corvus's eyes narrowed.
"Not the king's soldiers?"
"No."
"They travel without banners."
For several seconds Corvus said nothing.
Finally he mounted his horse again.
"Then we are no longer alone in this hunt."
The wind carried his words across the frozen valley.
Somewhere beyond those mountains...
The game was changing.
And neither Darian nor Serenya knew just how many eyes were now watching their every step.