They walked for half a mile or so before the village from which Tanaraq and her companions had come came into view. It was nestled against the gentle slope of a valley, flames from torches and fires flickering and winking merrily in the darkness. To think if they had walked just a little further they would have discovered the village before the village had discovered them. Claire didn't think it would have made the outcome any different.

Doing her best to walk, Claire found the deep snow drifts made it near impossible to navigate with her injured leg. Without asking, Alek moved to help, but was nudged aside by one of the larger Enuk. He squatted down beside her and motioned to his back.

Claire hesitated, glancing towards Alek who could only shrug.

Tanaraq, witnessing the exchange, came over and offered her assistance.

"This is Yakone," she explained, looking between the two of them. "He is not very smart, but he is very strong. He will be able to carry your friend."

"That's alright, there's no need," Claire protested without much enthusiasm. It wasn't just her leg that was slowing her down, but she was beginning to feel overly warm despite the cold chill of the night. The urge to peel off the coat Draz had given her was steadily rising.

"You are injured," Tanaraq stated in a matter-of-fact tone, drawing Claire from her thoughts, "only a fool turns down a helping hand."

Claire sighed and nodded her consent. She was too tired to argue and she had a feeling she wouldn't win even if she tried. With Alek's help, Claire managed to climb onto the larger man's back. Tanaraq had not been exaggerating when she said Yakone was strong. Once she was settled, the man rose without so much as a grunt, as though he didn't have a full grown woman clinging to his shoulders.

Closing her eyes, Claire let out a heavy sigh of relief. She hadn't realized just how much strain she had been putting on her body until that moment. As much as she hated to admit it, she was grateful to be off her feet.

As they approached the settlement, the sound of voices caused Claire to open her eyes again. She watched as villagers of all ages came out of their huts and tents in order to see the newcomers. Waiting for them at the village edge was an older woman with long snow white hair that fluttered in the cool breeze. She regarded them with a mixture of caution and curiosity. Claire was slowly coming to the conclusion that these people did not see outsiders often. Taranaq motioned for them to stop before taking one more step forward and dropping to one knee.

She lowered her head and touched the back of her hand to her forehead before rising again.

The older woman touched the back of her hand to her forehead as well before looking towards the group. She said something to Tanaraq who looked back at them.

"Grandmother wishes to speak with you all," she said. "Come."

They followed Tanaraq and grandmother towards the center of the village. Here a long, narrow house had been constructed from carefully carved chucks of milky white stone. It was just over six feet high and both Alek and Draz were forced to duck to enter the doorway. Yakone set Claire down just outside and sat down next to the door.

"What is he doing?" Claire asked Tanaraq. "Why isn't he coming inside?"

"He is waiting," she said.

Waiting? Claire thought. Waiting for what?

Claire didn't asked and instead followed Tanaraq inside.

The interior of the stone house was lit by torches which lined the walls to either side and cast everything in a deep orange glow. Thick hand woven rugs and animal furs covered the floors which were made of packed earth. Tanaraq pulled off her oiled leather boots and motioned for Claire to remove her shoes as well. The the pair joined the rest of group by a large fire burning in a stone pit at the center of the hall.

Claire gingerly lowered herself to the ground between Alek and Draz while Tanaraq took up a spot beside the older woman. Grandmother began to speak, once again in a tongue that Claire did not understand.

"Grandmother is the leader of our tribe, she does not speak your language, but she can understand it," Tanaraq explained after the elder had stopped speaking. "So I shall translate on her behalf. She wishes to know what you are doing in our lands."

Alek bowed his head respectfully. "Please tell Grandmother we are grateful for her hospitality. We were on the train heading towards Avala when there was an incident which forced us to disembark ahead of schedule."

Grandmother watched him a moment then spoke again. Tanaraq nodded.

"The train has not come this way for many decades, not since Grandmother was a young girl," Tanaraq replied.

"Yes, that is true," Alek replied with a nod. "But somehow the train was diverted and sent down the wrong track. Once we realized this, we knew we had to get off and did not have time to consider where we might be. We did not mean to trespass."

Grandmother spoke again and Tanaraq nodded. "Grandmother believes you to be honorable," she replied. "Grandmother wishes to know how your friend was injured."

"There were..." Alek hesitated. "There were shades on the train. She was attacked by one."

Tanaraq's expression grew dark and Grandmother frowned. She leaned down and whispered once again into Tanaraq's ear.

"Grandmother would like to know who you are," Tanaraq stated her voice acquiring a sharp, cautious edge, "and what your business in Avala is."

Alek rose and offered a deep bow. "I am Aleksandr Drosselmeyer, Grandmaster Magician, and head advisor to the king."

Draz scoffed quietly, but Alek did not acknowledge him.

"These are my companions. We are simply trying to see that Claire makes it home safely."

Home. Claire hadn't given much thought to home since they'd leaped from the train. She supposed she did have to go back. She didn't belong here and she didn't understand the rules. That alone made her a liability.

Grandmother looked skeptical.

"He's telling the truth," Claire added. "I followed him when I shouldn't have and all I've been since is a burden. Got myself hurt and everything." She laughed weakly, the sound falling flat. She was starting to feel light headed but brushed it off to exhausted.

Grandmother regarded Claire for a long while, so long in fact, that Claire was certain the woman was somehow looking into her very soul. Finally the old woman turned away, speaking once more to Tanaraq. After a moment the young girl nodded.

"Grandmother believes your tale, magician," Tanaraq declared at last. "She has given her blessing and her permission to pass through our lands. She insists that you stay the evening as our guests. In the morning we can make arrangements for your departure."

"Thank you," Alek said, bowing deeply a second time. "We shall accept your generous offer and we are grateful for any further assistance you are able to give."

Tanaraq spoke once more to her grandmother who bowed in return. When she lifted her head, Claire caught her gaze and felt an uncomfortable tightness in her chest as the old woman's eyes once again seemed to stare straight into her very soul.

Despite the lateness of the hour, a great bonfire was lit in the village center, just to the right of the large stone hut. The people, who had been curious but distant upon their arrival, were now coming out of their homes in droves. They brought out woven baskets filled with food, set up tables and chairs, and broke out bottles of a spiced mead that burned all the way to the pit of Claire's stomach when she took her first sip.

Yakone had been waiting outside just as Tanaraq had said, and carried Claire to the festivities despite her protests. He set her down close to the fire on a wide bench covered in thick pelts. It was warm here and for a moment Claire was able to forget about the odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. Alek joined her a few minutes later with two cups of mead.

"May I?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," she said. He offered her a cup and she took it, suddenly grateful to have something to occupy herself with.

"It's been quite an adventure for you," he said, sipping at his drink.

"Yeah, can't say I expected any of this," she replied, sipping at hers as well. Who would? All she had hoped to get out of following him was some sort of contact number at best.

"I'm sorry," he said at last.

"For what?"

"For getting you into this. I should have been more careful," he sighed.

"Well, it hasn't been all bad," she offered. For one, she wouldn't have ever met him, or Draz, but mostly him. She kept that sentiment to herself. "I mean, this place is beautiful, and the bits in between the ones were I feared for my life were fun. Besides, you didn't make me get on the train."

"You know you have to go home, Claire," Alek said quietly, ignoring her comments. "It's too dangerous here."

"I have you, don't I?" Claire teased.

"In case you've so quickly forgotten, I'm the reason you're in this mess," Alek said, his tone clipped. "I couldn't even protect you on the train, what makes you think I could do any better next time? I don't need... no, I don't want that responsibility."

"I never asked you to do anything," Claire snapped irritably. The uncomfortable burning sensation in the pit of her stomach was starting to grow again and the dizziness seemed to have grown tenfold. "Except to give me back what you stole. You have no right to tell me where I can and can't go. It's my life to do with as I please."

"You're going to get yourself killed," he insisted, anger edging its way into his voice. "I don't want that on my conscience."

"So that's what it really boils down it, huh?" Claire asked, uncertain as to why she suddenly felt to defensive. "What is convenient for you? Do you ever think about anyone but yourself? I thought you had saved me back in the theatre, but you were just removing an obstacle, something blocking your path to what you really wanted." Claire wanted to stop, but she couldn't. The words just kept bubbling out, erupting from some dark place inside of her that she had never experienced before. Despite her best efforts, the words just kept coming.

"You know, Draz was right. You are nothing but a selfish jerk who only looks out for himself. You don't care about anyone."

Claire wasn't sure where the words had come from, it was unlike her to be so cruel even when she was angry. That heat burning inside her making it difficult to stay in control.

"You don't know anything about me, Claire," Alek said as he downed the remainder of the mead in his cup. "Which is probably for the best."

"What more do I need to know?" Claire shot back, the words tumbling past her lips as though they had a life of their own. Alek shook his head in disgust and started to stand.

Claire rose to follow him and instantly regretted it. The moment she stood, the dizziness that had been slowly creeping over her kicked into full gear. The world began to spin and she felt herself falling as her legs simply gave up.

The ground came up fast, but she never felt the impact. In fact, she never really felt anything at all. She heard someone shouting her name though it sounded distant and muted. When Alek's face appeared above her it seemed to be floating independent of his body. She felt his hands against her face. At least she thought they were his hands. They were gentle and cool to the touch.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I think I drank too much..."

"Damn it, Claire," Alek sighed. "When did your leg stop hurting?"

Stop hurting?

Claire tried to push past the fog that had seeped into her brain. Was her leg hurting? She supposed it wasn't which was quite odd.

Another disembodied head joined Alek. It was Tanaraq.

"How long ago... shade attack?"

Claire was having trouble focusing on both the faces and the conversation so she gave up trying. Instead she just lay there, waiting for the raging heat to consume her entirely.

Alek said something else, but she couldn't hear what it was, she could only see his lips moving. Tanaraq nodded, making a motion with her hands. The next thing Claire knew she was flying through the air, more heads floating about in the darkness around her. Their voices had become nothing more than noise. The sound rose and fell like waves crashing against the shore before being swept back out to sea again.

She stopped moving and her back hit something solid. She felt the pressure of the bandages disappear.

Then, there was fire.

White, hot, searing flames that pulsated through her entire body from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. If someone had told her later that she had been tossed into the bonfire itself, she would have believed them.

As seconds passed, the pain intensified and a scream ripped from her throat. She could feel it passing her lips but she never heard the sound. She lashed out trying to escape the pain. She would have crawled out of her very skin if it had been possible.

"Hold her down!"

The words broke through the brain fog with startling clarity. A moment later a heavy weight pressed down on her and she cried out again, struggling against it. In her mind the faces over head had morphed into grotesque creatures. They bore glowing red eyes and had gaping maws filled with rows of pointed teeth ready to tear into her flesh. Convinced the pain was the result of being consumed by these beasts, Claire continued to struggle. The weight pressing down on her never shifted, never relented, and soon Claire grew too tired to fight it. Tears flowed freely from the corners of her eyes leaving wet streaks across her burning cheeks.

Was this what it felt like to die?

Finally, when Claire thought she could take no more, the blackness that had been clawing at the edges of her vision rose up and swallowed her.