AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Are you sure? This is a primitive planet.”
“Of course I am sure. You are my mate. I love you. And I will never leave you.”
A tear slid down her cheek but her smile blinded him. He bent his head to kiss her, but as he did the ship shuddered again and Keffi squeaked.
“I think our celebrations had best wait. I suspect that without the Fereg’s presence, the barriers she constructed will begin to disintegrate.”
He was right. No sooner had they left the ship than a great sheet of ice collapsed behind them, burying the ship in icy shards. It would be almost impossible to reach, but he was unconcerned. He had no interest in it. His only concern at the moment was escaping from the ice.
Grabbing Katerina’s hand, he raced back down through the network of passageways. Twice they had to reverse course because fallen ice blocked their path. She did her best to keep up with him, uncomplaining despite the exhaustion he could see on her face, but she just wasn’t fast enough. He paused long enough to bend down.
“Climb on my back. It will be faster.”
Thank Moroz, she didn’t argue, but climbed up, bringing Keffi with her.
“Hold on,” he warned, and he ran.
More ice crumbled behind them, jarring crashes that made the ground beneath his feet tremble. The shattering walls sent clouds of frozen crystals swirling into the air, half obscuring his vision, but he blinked and kept going, ever downwards. They were almost at the entrance when a great roar sounded behind them and the ground rolled beneath his feet. He pulled her around to his front, wrapping his arms around her and Keffi, just as the ground gave way and they were caught in a tumbling rush of ice and snow that burst free of the glacier and slid down the mountainside to land at its base.
His ears rang with the roar, and his whole body felt sore and bruised, but Katerina was still tucked safely in his arms. He rolled them over, searching her face anxiously.
“Are you unharmed?” he asked desperately.
Her lips curved and then her eyes opened, sparkling up at him.
“I am well,” she said solemnly.
His laugh rang out through the crystal clear air, and then he was kissing her and nothing else mattered. He was still kissing her when the children came running up and piled on top of them in a great snowy pile of love and laughter and family.
CHAPTER18
As Jack pulled Katerina to her feet and she tried to dust the snow off her clothing, she looked up at the sky, shocked to realize that it was barely midday. The time in the ice palace had seemed to last forever, but it had only been a few hours.
And something else was different.
“Look,” she whispered, pointing overhead as a flock of the bird-like creatures native to the planet flew by high overhead. It was the first time she’d seen any kind of animal life since they arrived in the past. “Do you think they came back because the ship was destroyed?”
“I think it is entirely possible. More animals may follow.”
“That would be wonderful. As much as I love Keffi, it would be nice to see some other animals occasionally.”
A small hand tugged anxiously on her cloak.
“Mama Kat. Ith it thill the Longeth Night today?”
“Well, yes. I suppose it is. We should get ready.”
Lorna cheered and raced off to tell the others while Jack gave her a worried look.
“Are you sure? It has been a strenuous morning.”
“Well you slept through most of it,” she teased, then shook her head. “Right now, I’m too happy to feel tired. And we’ve gone to a lot of trouble to try and make this special for the children. I don’t want them to miss out on that.”
“I do not want to disappoint them either.”
“Good, then that’s settled.”
Hand-in-hand, they followed the children back home. Johnny led the way with Merry at his side, talking excitedly as usual.
