"We have to go over," I said to Martin and Jauffre.

"We'll fall in," Martin protested.

"There's no other way. The highroad will be swarming with wolves come nightfall." I turned Wind, my horse, and plodded forward.

We were only about halfway over when the ice began to crack.

"GET OFF THE ICE!" I screamed, spurring Wind roughly. We flew forward.

Once, she fell backwards into the water, but she managed to gain a foothold and pull herself out. When my party got to the other side, the whole lake's ice collapsed. I breathed a sigh of relief. So lucky...