Cain leaned forward on his horse and peered forward through the blizzard. They were approaching a cliff side, and he hoped that they would find some shelter there, although the sudden onset of snow, combined with a chill wind, made it very difficult to see anything at all.

The white sky had darkened significantly before he found a suitable cave. Sighing with relief, he swung down off his horse and stepped inside. It was more a sheltered hollow, with enough room for the horses at the front, and an area at the back that looked comfortable enough. No animals at the moment either. He pursed his lips, nodded, and then guided his horse out of the blizzard.

The next step was to look for some firewood. Pulling his hood tight about his head, he headed outside. Azkadellia had dismounted, but was standing still, with the reins loose in her hand. Her face was hidden by a thick shawl.

Luck was with him, and he quickly found a stock of dry wood that was not too damp. He passed Azkadellia, still outside, on his way back, and once he had dumped the wood on the floor close to the cave mouth he turned round and looked. She was stroking the horse's neck, looking away. The horse looked cold.

Irritated, he shouted across the wind, "What are you doing? Bring the horse in. Even if you're stupid enough to stand outside, don't take it out on the horse."

He turned away and busied himself with setting up the fire. A few minutes later, he heard her lead the horse in and set about unsaddling and filling their feed bags. He had no luck starting the fire, and spent a few fruitless minutes with his flint and steel, but his char had gotten wet during the blizzard and would take a while to dry out. He cursed softly, and looked over at Azkadellia, who was now watching him warily. He snapped, "You have a go then."

She jumped, the motion amplified by her shawl, and then came over. He sneered, ready to offer his fire-making kit, but instead she just kneeled by the wood and extended her hand. A moment later a small flame appeared in the centre, and took hold. He pushed his hands forward immediately, desperate for a shred of warmth, and then looked up at her. She was watching him again, but he could not decipher the expression. "Thanks." He knew he sounded churlish.

After she had sat down and removed her shawl, he hopped up to get some dinner ready. It was a simple stew, but at least it was hot. He watched her as he ate. She knew he was watching, and she kept her face focused on her bowl, although he kept catching her eyes flick towards the depth of the cave. By now it was dark outside, and the firelight danced eerily on the walls. When it caught her face, he could see the green bruise that covered one side. When they had started their journey, two days ago, she had been moving gingerly, and he had suspected a broken rib, but she had said nothing, and seemed to be moving without discomfort now.

They were on their way to the Northern Island, to the palace encased in ice. The Queen and Ahamo had decided that it would be best to keep Azkadellia away from any trouble, at least until the O.Z. was back in control. When they had announced that she should go to the Northern Island for the moment, DG had raged at them, saying that they were abandoning her. The Queen had looked stretched, and ill, but then rallied, saying that, in any case, DG had to travel around the O.Z. to refresh the magic. Just as she had brought flowers back to the Fields of the Papay, and restored Finaqua, there were many places that would benefit from her magical touch. DG had stuttered, looking for a complaint, but Azkadellia had then spoken, saying that of course she must go to the Northern Island, and that of course DG had to go and heal the O.Z. DG had given in with ill grace, but had then insisted that Cain act as Azkadellia's escort: she would trust no one else with the job. She had looked at him long and hard, to make sure that he understood that she would brook no harm coming to her sister.

And so here they were, two days later, caught in a blizzard. In only a few days he would be back with DG and the others, doing something constructive to rebuild his home.

The Ice Palace looked just as forbidding as his memory of it. They entered through the main door, ducking under shards of ice. The great hall was cold, and Cain decided that he would be happy to leave as soon as possible. They found the kitchens, and a long-forgotten store of frozen supplies. Azkadellia had used her magic to thaw out some meat and vegetables and he had made a hearty dinner for both of them. In a fit of whimsy, he decided to sleep in the royal bedroom, although the bed was as cold and unyielding as the cave floor had been the previous night.

The next morning, it took him a while to find her. She was standing in the broken window in what had been DG's bedroom, staring out over the great ice lake. He called to her, and she came over silently, taking the apple he offered for breakfast.

"I'm going now. I'll be taking the road back, and I'll pass on the Queen's message to the people of Northwood. If they don't deliver any food, send the Queen a message."

She nodded gravely. "Thank you, Mr. Cain."

He looked at her bruised face, and felt his irritation bubbling up. "I'm sure that DG would appreciate a letter."

He left shortly after, and rode off quickly, hoping that he would never have to return to these frozen wastes.