I was reminded of my old ankle injury when I left the factory. A volcano of molten lava shot up my leg in greeting. “Peg out of its shell,” I muttered, caving to a limp after the first hour. I walked straight through the night.

When dulled morning light burned against the snow-peaks, I heard music lifting in the distance; a collaboration of high bird songs. I listened to it for hours as I ventured through the woods and arrived at a glassy cove.

My footsteps slowed, my ankle crying in relief, and I studied the deep blue cliffsides that looked like sparkling quartz towers. The smooth ice below had the same cobalt hue, and gemstone spots like stardust had been scattered over a silk evening sky. I marvelled at it as I came to the edge of a turquoise pond.

I sighed, trying to determine the best way around. Also, I was completely lost.

A bird tweeted overhead, and I glanced up as two more cascaded from the sky, sweeping into the glass branches above me. My eyes narrowed on the glints of silver in their feathers.

Something slammed into my back, and I spiralled face-first into the pond. Icy water stunned my senses and filled my ears, but I still heard Zane’s muffled voice yell, “Trite?...Trite? Helen?!”

My head flung up and I gasped. Disoriented, I scrambled from the water and scooted up the shore.

Zane dropped to his knees and smacked the snow with gloved hands in a clumsy search. I watched, baffled.

“What the heck, Zane?!” I shouted, and he jumped in surprise, his hand flying over his heart.

“Ragnashuck, you startled me,” he accused.

“Yeah, so we’re even. Only difference is I didn’t knock you into a pond!”

He slumped to sit. “Well, you don’t have to be grumpy about it. You know I can’t see, right?”

“Why are you here? You’re just going to slow me down.” I hugged my legs, trembling with shivers.

Zane laughed. “Will I? Because it seems to me like you haven’t a bloody clue where you’re going. Even without my eyes, I can tell the birds led me in a giant circle.”

I smacked him. He grunted and swung at the air to try and get me back. I waited until his aimless hand was out of the way, and I smacked him again.

It was all the invitation Zane needed to lunge, push me into the snow, and pin me down. “Trite,” he warned, but his dimples gave him away.

“I’m going to start throwing rocks at your birds,” I threatened.

“Please do. I can’t wait to discover what they’ll do in return.”

My face fell.

Zane bit his lips, cloudy eyes roaming.

I didn’t swat at him again. I was so cold—the only warm parts of me were the ones he leaned against. “How did you even follow me?”