SNAP. Cassandra froze, turning her head towards the edge of the clearing where the noise originated. She searched the clearing in the forest for signs of disruption. Nothing.
She stepped backwards, grimacing at the soft crunch of day old snow beneath her feet. She hoped whoever else was lurking in the woods had not heard her. She could not return to the captivity of the Skandians.
The crystals of ice in the snow sparkled under the glare of the sun. Cassandra squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her back against a tree, hoping whoever was there would not spot her.
