"You two look cozy."
Joran's voice yanked me from sleep. My eyes shot open to find him standing over us, arms crossed, lips curled in what might have been amusement. Dawn light filtered through the shelter's small window, casting everything in pale blue.
I tried to move, only to discover I couldn't. Laina was wrapped around me like a vine, one leg thrown over mine, her arm tight across my chest, face buried in the crook of my neck. Her breath came in soft, even puffs against my skin.
"She was cold," I said, keeping my voice low.
Joran nodded, his expression neutral. "So I see."
I attempted to extract myself again, but Laina made a small sound of protest in her sleep and tightened her grip. Her fingers curled into the fabric of my shirt.
"Need help?" Joran asked, not bothering to hide his amusement now.
"I got it." I didn't, but there was no way I'd admit that.
Carefully, I tried to pry her fingers loose. She mumbled something unintelligible and pressed closer.
"What was that about the cold?" Joran asked.
"Hypothermia," I said, giving up my efforts for the moment. "She couldn't stop shivering last night."
Joran's expression sobered. "Bad?"
"Bad enough." I glanced down at Laina's sleeping face, peaceful now. "She's better now."
He nodded, turning toward the door. "I'll check the weather."
When he was gone, I returned my attention to my predicament. Laina's leg was heavy across mine, pinning me in place. Her hair spilled across my chest, black strands catching the morning light.
"Laina," I said softly. "Time to wake up."
Nothing.
"Laina." I gave her shoulder a gentle shake.
She stirred, violet eyes fluttering open. For a moment, confusion clouded her face. Then awareness hit, and she jerked back so violently she nearly fell off the platform.
"What—" She looked down at our tangled position, then up at my face. A flush crept up her neck. "Oh."
"Morning," I said.
She scrambled to put distance between us, nearly falling off the narrow platform in her haste. "I was cold."
"You mentioned that."
"Did Joran see?"
"Yep."
She groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Great."
"Could be worse," I said, sitting up. "At least you didn't drool on me."
She lowered her hands enough to glare at me. "I don't drool."
"Everyone drools."
"Not me."
I smiled, stretching my arms over my head. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."
She opened her mouth to retort, but Joran chose that moment to return. He stomped snow from his boots and closed the door behind him.
"Good news," he said. "Storm's passed. Clear skies all the way to the horizon."
Laina stood, straightening her clothes and running a hand through her tangled hair. "How's the snow?"
"Deep, but manageable. We should be able to make decent time." Joran moved to the fire, adding more wood. "If we leave soon."
"Then let's go," I said, rolling to my feet.
***
The day was brutal. Clear skies meant sun glare off the snow, forcing us to squint or risk snow blindness. The fresh powder came up past our knees in places, each step requiring twice the normal effort. By midday, my legs burned from the exertion, and my lungs ached from the thin air.
Joran led the way, breaking trail. I followed, with Laina bringing up the rear. We moved in silence, saving our breath for the climb.
Around noon, we paused on a ridge overlooking the valley below. The view was breathtaking—endless white peaks stretching to the horizon, the sky a perfect, painful blue above.
"There." Joran pointed to a distant pass between two jagged peaks. "That's our route tomorrow."
I squinted against the glare. "Looks narrow."
"It is." He took a swig from his water skin. "Dangerous, too. Avalanche territory. We'll need to move fast and quiet."
Laina stepped up beside me, her breath fogging in the air. "How long to cross it?"
"Half a day, if we're lucky." Joran tucked the water skin away. "If not..." He shrugged.
"Let's be lucky, then," I said.
We pushed on. By sunset, we'd reached the base of the pass. Another stone shelter waited there, smaller than the last but better maintained. No drafts whistled through the walls, and the door fit snugly in its frame.
Joran built a fire while Laina and I unloaded our packs. We ate a sparse meal of dried meat and stale bread, none of us speaking much. Exhaustion had settled into our bones.
After we ate, Joran stood and stretched. "I'll take first watch."
"There's nothing to watch for," Laina said. "We haven't seen another living soul in days."
"All the more reason to be vigilant," he replied. "Get some rest. I'll wake you in a few hours."
He slipped outside, leaving Laina and me alone in the small space. Silence stretched between us, broken only by the crackle of the fire.
"You should sleep," I said finally. "Tomorrow will be rough."
She nodded, moving to the sleeping platform. After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Will you... I mean, it's still cold, and..."
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me to join you?"
The flush returned to her cheeks. "For warmth," she said quickly. "Just for warmth."
"Right," I said, fighting a smile. "For warmth."
I settled beside her on the platform, careful to leave space between us. She pulled the furs over us both, then stared resolutely at the ceiling.
"This is just practical," she said after a moment. "Conserving body heat."
"Absolutely."
"Nothing else."
"Of course."
She turned to look at me, violet eyes narrowed. "Are you making fun of me?"
"Never." I kept my face carefully neutral.
She studied me for a moment longer, then rolled onto her side, facing away from me. "Good night, Isaiah."
"Night, Laina."
I closed my eyes, listening to her breathing slowly even out. Just when I thought she'd fallen asleep, I felt her shift closer, her back pressing against my side.
For warmth, of course.
***
The next morning, I woke to find Laina's arm draped over my chest again, her head nestled against my shoulder. This time, I managed to extricate myself before Joran noticed.
The pass was every bit as treacherous as Joran had warned. Narrow and winding, it cut between sheer rock faces laden with snow. We moved in single file, speaking only when necessary, our voices hushed.
"Step exactly where I step," Joran instructed. "And for gods' sake, don't shout."
We made it through by midafternoon without incident, emerging onto a plateau that offered slightly easier terrain. The relief was short-lived—the plateau led to another climb, this one steeper than the last.
By nightfall, we'd managed only half the distance Joran had hoped for. We made camp in a natural hollow beneath an overhanging rock, no proper shelter in sight.
"We'll need to share body heat tonight," Joran said matter-of-factly as we huddled around a small fire. "All three of us."
Laina and I exchanged a glance.
"I'll take the middle," Joran continued. "I generate the most heat."
"Actually," Laina said, a bit too quickly, "Isaiah runs hot. Probably because of the daggers."
Joran looked between us, one eyebrow raised. "Does he now?"
"It makes sense," I said, keeping my tone casual. "Heartseeker generates heat. Some of that probably transfers to me."
Joran studied us for a long moment, then shrugged. "Fine. Isaiah in the middle, then."
That night, we slept in a row beneath the rock overhang, me sandwiched between Joran and Laina. Despite the arrangement, I woke sometime in the night to find Laina had somehow maneuvered herself half on top of me, her head tucked under my chin.
For warmth, naturally.
***
The fourth day brought us to a steep descent, the path zigzagging down a near-vertical mountainside. Ice made the footing treacherous. Twice, Laina slipped and would have fallen if not for my quick reflexes.
The second time, my hand closed around her wrist just as she started to slide toward the edge. I hauled her back against me, my heart pounding.
"Thanks," she gasped, clutching my jacket.
"Try to stay on the mountain," I said, steadying her. "It's easier that way."
She laughed, a breathless sound that hung in the frigid air. "I'll keep that in mind."
We reached the bottom by late afternoon, finding a proper stone shelter nestled in a grove of stunted pines. It was larger than the others, with a separate room for storing firewood and a proper hearth instead of just a fire pit.
"Luxury accommodations," I remarked as we entered.
Joran grunted, already moving to light the fire. "Don't get used to it. Tomorrow we finish the climb."
After we ate, Joran announced he was going to check our route for tomorrow. He gave us a pointed look before heading out, as if to say he knew exactly what was happening between us.
When the door closed behind him, Laina and I sat in awkward silence.
"So," I said finally.
"So," she echoed.
"Cold tonight."
"Freezing."
"Probably need to conserve body heat again."
"Probably."
We looked at each other across the fire, neither moving. Then, simultaneously, we both laughed.
"This is ridiculous," Laina said, echoing her words from nights ago.
"Completely," I agreed.
She stood and crossed to my side of the fire, settling beside me. "We're adults. We can admit when we want something."
I raised an eyebrow. "Can we?"
"I want to be warm," she said, her violet eyes reflecting the firelight. "And I sleep better when you're next to me."
"Just for warmth, then?" I asked, unable to keep the teasing note from my voice.
She rolled her eyes. "Don't be an ass."
"It's part of my charm."
"Is that what you call it?"
I smiled, then sobered. "Laina... what are we doing?"
She studied my face for a long moment. Then slowly, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine. "This."
The kiss was gentle at first, tentative. When I didn't pull away, she deepened it, her hand coming up to rest against my chest. I kissed her back, my damaged hands finding her waist, careful despite the urgency building between us.
When we broke apart, her breath came quick and shallow.
"Did that feel real?" she asked.
I didn't answer. Instead, I pulled her closer and kissed her again.
By the time Joran returned, we were sitting on opposite sides of the fire, pretending nothing had happened. If he noticed the flush in Laina's cheeks or the way she couldn't quite meet his eyes, he didn't comment.
That night, we didn't bother with pretenses. When it was time to sleep, Laina simply moved to the platform and held the furs up, waiting for me to join her. I did, and she curled against me immediately, her head finding that now-familiar spot on my shoulder.
"Just for warmth?" I murmured into her hair.
I felt her smile against my neck. "Shut up and go to sleep, Isaiah."