Accidental Surrogate for Alpha novel Chapter 136

Ella

I gaze around at the icy mountains, squinting up at the sky. The sun is high overhead, only halfway through its daily journey from East to West. That means it’s about noon… three hours from when I found the passage, according to the bedroom clock. The Prince’s deadline isn’t until dusk, which means there’s still time to get word to Sincalir, assuming I can figure out how to get back to the city.

Suddenly I’m kicking myself for leaving my go-bag behind. My coat wasn’t there because it had been stained and damaged, but I had other clothes inside, things I could layer onto my body to try and provide myself some warmth. I might move faster without the weight, but lightness won’t help me if I drop dead from hypothermia.

Just keep your blood moving. My wolf advises, as long as your heart is pumping it will keep you warm.

Not if I’m sweating. I counter, the liquid will just freeze and kill me faster.

Then stay active, but not so active that you’re sweating. You don’t want to stress the baby anyway. She advises,

Alright. I agree. How far do you think the valley is?

Well, it’s nowhere in sight, so we must be on the wrong slope of the mountain. My wolf reasons, making my heart sink.

So what? I have to go over it? I ask in horror, looking up at the snow covered peak. There’s no way I can make that sort of climb without gear, and it would certainly take more time than I have to spare. Besides, I’d probably fall into a crevasse or get buried in an avalanche. There is no way in hell I can survive that journey.

I think we have to give up on the idea of reaching Sinclair before he can come after us… we need him to come after us. All we can do is try to stay warm and hope he attempts a rescue sooner rather than later. She suggests.

I hate to admit it, but I know she’s right. I’d wanted to prevent Sinclair from encountering any more danger than he already has, but beggars can’t be choosers, and right now I’m certainly a beggar. So do I stay put and walk in circles, or try to descend? I wonder. I don’t want to stay out in the open like this, in case the Prince figures out that I’ve escaped before Sinclair comes for me, but the closer I am to the tunnel, the faster I can be rescued.

I could just go back into the tunnel and hope that the Prince doesn’t figure it out. I realize, a light bulb bursting on in my head. It’s a risk, but the tunnel had been warmer at least, surely I’d have a better chance if… My thoughts trail off as I turn and see that the rock wall where I’d emerged is tightly shut. Like the fireplace, an interior lever had opened the exit to the passage, but unlike the fireplace, this one seems to have closed behind me.

Panicked, I rush back to the granite slab, pushing at it the way I’d seen my guards to at the safe house. I try and try to open it again, looking around for anything that might trigger the internal mechanism and finding nothing. In the end I’m throwing my body into the rock, tears of frustration streaming down my cheeks. “No!” I cry out angrily. “No, no, no! It isn’t fair. Open, damn you!”

Nothing happens, and I end up collapsing into the snow with a wordless scream of outrage and misery. Get up! My wolf orders sharply, lying in the snow is going to soak your clothes and then we’ll really be screwed. Knowing she’s right, I jump back onto my feet. The tears from frost on my cheeks, and I rub away the crystalline particles, trying to keep my wits about me even though I want nothing more than to rage at the Goddess and the universe for putting me in this situation.

At a loss, I stare down the mountain. The treeline starts about a mile below me, and though I know the sun will keep me warmer than the shaded forest, it’s also lower elevation and I might find shelter for the night. Even as I think it, I know I won’t make it through the night… not in my current state.

There are always the herbs. My wolf reminds me softly, her voice heavy with regret for making the suggestion. If you wake me fully we’ll be able to handle the elements. Wolves are made for the wilderness… you’ll be ten times harder to kill.