Survival Queen of the Frozen Wastes novel Chapter 23

r 23 Shelter

Chapter 23 Shelter

The frantic hammering against the fence slowly died down.

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The Ghouls were still out there, clustered just beyond the wooden stakes. They’d reached out occasionally, scraped at the wood with those rotting nails. Sometimes a growl slipped out. Nothing meaningful.

Plenty of them, sure. But as long as nobody inside went out, they didn’t seem smart enough to force their way through. For now, breathing room.

“Safe. For now.”

Riley stashed her axes and turned to the girl next to her.

Sylvie had shifted back already. Sat huddled by the fire now, knees pulled to her chest. The rough animal hides she wore were streaked with snow and dark stains. Her long tail lay limp on the ground. Ears drooped flat. She looked wrecked.

Riley walked over. Crouched in front of her.

Sylvie’s head snapped up. Amber eyes wide, tense. Body flinched back on instinct. Then she saw it was Riley and forced herself still.

“Hey. Easy.”

Riley kept her voice low and soft. Didn’t matter if the girl understood the words.

She reached out slow. Brushed snow from her hair.

The girl squeezed her eyes shut. Flinched. But she didn’t pull away.

When Riley’s warm palm touched the top of her head, something shifted. That rigid tension bled out of her shoulders. She leaned into the touch, just a little. Like a stray cat finally letting someone pet it.

“Not being able to talk is rough.”

Riley sighed. They sat there for a minute, staring at each other. Communicating through guesses and hand gestures.

“Alright. Water first.”

After all that fighting, Riley’s throat was dry.

She pulled two bottles from her inventory.

“Click.”

Twisted the cap off one. Tilted her head back. Drank deep. Cold water hit her throat, washed away the heat still burning in her chest.

Then she handed the other bottle to Sylvie. Still sealed.

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Chapter 23 Shelter

The girl took it carefully. Turned it over in her hands, studying this clear, solid rock.

She copied what Riley did. Brought the opening to her mouth. Nothing came out. She ended up just tapping the plastic against her teeth.

“Mmrgh?”

Confused look at the bottle. Then at Riley. Lower lip pushed out a little as she started nibbling on the hard plastic cap.

Riley laughed quietly.

“Not like that.”

She took it back. Demonstrated slow.

Left hand holding the body. Right hand on the cap.

“Watch. You turn it… like this.”

“Click.” The seal broke.

She handed it back.

The girl’s eyes went wide. Like she’d just discovered fire.

She cradled the bottle with both hands. Took a tiny sip.

The clean, cold water hit her dry throat.

Her whole face lit up. She chugged it. Too fast. Coughed so hard her face went red.

“Slow down. Nobody’s taking it.”

Riley smiled and patted her back.

Fire crackled between them. Outside, Ghouls circled in the dark. Inside, two figures sat together. Almost peaceful.

“Alright. We’re stuck here tonight. Might as well get

comfortable.”

Outside the window, the storm picked up. Wind howled. Ghoul growls cut through sometimes.

Sylvie pressed half her body behind Riley, Peeked out toward the fence with those big scared eyes.

Shapes moved out there in the snow. Gray–white. Endless.

“Guu… jiri… aka!”

The girl babbled fast. Words Riley couldn’t catch. Her slender hands moved in the air, drawing shapes.

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Chapter 23 Shelter

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She pointed at the monsters outside. Pressed her palms together, rested her head on them, Sleeping. Then pointed at Riley with urgency.

Riley frowned. Tried to piece it together from gestures.

Sleeping… things appeared… ran over?

She got the gist.

The girl had been sleeping. Saw these things showing up. Wanted to warn her. Tried going back to the woods but found monsters there too.

“Don’t worry.”

Riley kept her voice calm.

She pulled a loaf of bread from inventory.

“Here. Eat. Might help.”

Sylvie’s nose twitched. Her eyes went straight to the bread. She grabbed it.

Tiny bite. Testing.

Soft. Sweet.

Her eyes practically glowed.

Made sense. Even the dark bread Riley barely touched was treasure to her. This white loaf? Luxury.

She ate slow. Tiny bites. Savored each one.

Riley finally got a good look at her in the firelight.

Her skin wasn’t like human skin. Ivory–white, with faint pinkish–green lines running through it. Reminded Riley of veins on a leaf. They started at her neck, trailed up the sides of her face. Didn’t look scary. Strange, but kind of beautiful.

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