Page 18 of The Cradle of Ice

As the ship shook and vibrated, she dropped to one knee, anchoring herself and the two of them—and not a moment too soon.

In a few breaths, the Hawk became a sparrow in a gale. The ship made sudden rolls or whipped wildly side to side. Nyx gasped, her body flung to and fro within Shiya’s grip. She bit her tongue, drawing blood.

Jace reached over and grabbed her hand. Her fingers latched hard to his. She shared a worried look with him.

Darant’s voice echoed to them through the highhorn. “We’re in the brunt of it now! Grab your arses and hold tight!”

10

FOR WHAT SEEMED like an eternity, the Sparrowhawk battered its way through the storm. The ship got flung in every direction. The winds grew into an unending howl, aching ears, pounding chests.

Nyx’s shoulder ached within Shiya’s grip. Jace held on to her hand just as tightly. Nyx tasted the iron from her bitten tongue. Her heart thundered in her throat. She pictured the ship shattering into pieces and raining across the Dragoncryst.

When will this end?

She was not the only one nearing the breaking point. In a neighboring stall, Kalder rose from his nest of hay. The vargr’s nose pointed toward the hold’s rafters. His throat rumbled with a chattering growl of distress. His tail slashed the air.

On the other side of the hold, Bashaliia squeaked softly at her, seeking reassurance.

Nyx tried to stand, to get closer to him, only to be knocked down as the nose of the Sparrowhawk bucked upward.

Outside, the winds rose into a low roar, accompanied by louder booms as gusts struck the ship. The draft-iron cables groaned under the strain, adding to the cacophony. The cavernous hold trapped and amplified the noise.

Nyx regretted her choice of refuge. With no windows, it was impossible to judge what was truly happening. She was not the only one disabused by this circumstance.

Kalder’s growl turned into a wail. By now, the vargr had crammed himself into a corner of his stall. He braced under an overhang that served as his den. His legs were splayed wide for balance, his head low.

Bashaliia fared somewhat better. He hunkered with his wings outstretched. He swayed in place, his sharp claws latched deep into the planked floor. Still, he keened his panic toward her.

She knew she needed to calm both beasts lest they break free of their respective stalls and injure themselves. She took a deep breath and hummed in her throat and chest, stoking her bridle-song. She fought for the focus necessary to wield her gift. Amidst the chaos, she faltered. Her humming stuttered. The threads of her song dissolved before she could wield them.

I can’t do this.

The Sparrowhawk heaved hard to the side, swinging high. She feared it would spin full around. Shiya’s fingers tightened with bruising force, pushing her and Jace lower.

Jace kept hold of Nyx’s hand. He winced, but his eyes shone hard. He nodded toward Kalder and Bashaliia. “Help them!” he shouted.

She let her worry show as she looked back at him.

How?

Jace must have read the question on her face. “You can do this! Search for what calms you. Share it with them.”

What calms me?

She squeezed her eyes shut, seeking those moments when terror had gripped her—which were plenty of late. But she had found little solace in those moments, only bloodshed and loss. She searched further back. With her eyes sealed, she fell more easily into her past, to when she was near blind. She remembered a girl, barely six, shaking in her bed, blankets pulled to her chin, as the invisible world thundered and boomed.

Much like now.

Back then, as the shutters banged and the winds howled, another had entered her room. A palm came to rest on her chest. A voice rose in a soft song that somehow quieted the rest of the world. Her dah sang a lullaby to her, to quell the terror inside her, to reassure her that all would be well.

She had nearly forgotten that moment, but as the memory filled her, calming her even now, she sang those simple words, a lullaby never forgotten, each syllable etched deeply into her.

When gales blow and boats do rock,

I am here, right beside you.

So, close your eyes and know it true.