Elaria Silverstan's Arc

Chapter 5 of 22

Elaria moved deeper into the blue dark. The tunnel opened into a wide chamber, and at its center stood a tall pillar of ice veined with glowing blue light. Two tunnels split off behind it. Both breathed cold air at her face. Both looked the same. She set her hand on the pillar and tried to listen. Nothing told her which way to go. Then she saw it tucked against the far wall: a small stone outpost, half buried in frost, its roof crusted with old surveying tools. Someone had built this here, long ago, for exactly this choice. Inside, leaning by the door, was a flat stone marker. Its smooth face was empty. Elaria carried the marker to the mouth of the left tunnel and held it up. Frost crawled across the stone in thin, broken lines. She moved it to the right tunnel. The frost spread the same way. Both patterns showed open sky. Both tunnels led outside. Her chest tightened. The marker could not choose for her. A soft step sounded behind her. The pale fawn stood between the two openings, its breath quiet in the cold. It had crossed the sealed wall somehow, or had never been only a fawn at all. It turned its head toward the right tunnel and waited. Elaria lowered the marker, gripped her axe, and followed it in.