Chapter 66
Pain tore through the group’s utter shock, through the desperate feeling of helplessness that they’d just witnessed Sven’s death.
And Buddy’s. If it had indeed been them.
Keara felt ill, like her life had ended, though she was still breathing. She was, wasn’t she? In…out…
And she knew she wasn’t the only one. All the rest looked sick too. Oscar—sweet Oscar—had run, quickly, to the bathroom.
Christian was already on the horn to Jonas. “Yes. Exactly. Not that far. But if it was him…he’s buried. No light. Yeah, exactly. He had to be wearing one. He wouldn’t ski without it.”
He turned and faced them. “Jonas and Renata are heading over. But…he’s buried, guys. We can’t see the light. And Ren and Jonas don’t have an avy dog with them. So even when they get here, he’ll be harder to find.”
He panned his gaze out toward the scene of devastation. Trees stripped, the jumbled-up landscape that had changed before their eyes. Then, he looked down, saw the pup at his feet. Alert and on fire.
Jake, intuitive as he was, had definitely caught the mood of the group. He was looking anxiously at everything, starting at the slightest noise. Christian bent quickly to pat the animal and reassure it. “Guys. I know we’re not ski patrol. But…”
Keara spoke. Loud and clear, her fist digging into her gut again, not even hiding it. Exhausted from writing about mountains and ice and snow and geology, the landscape and how it was formed. All the words on the pages of the ancient texts blurring into this. Life, and death. The man and the dog she loved, at their mercy. “We have to find them.”
There was an abrupt silence, then a sudden chorus of agreement. Christian, the self-assumed leader, gave orders. “We all meet back here with our gear in five, men. Hang in there, ladies. We’ll keep in touch. And…”
“The hell with hanging in there,” Tina leveled him with a searing look. “We’re coming with you.”
* * *
Keara pulled on merino leggings she never thought she’d have to wear. Then the ski pants. Archie had tossed both at her from SP’s secret stash.
Then, Chilam appeared in the dimly lit tiny storage area behind the reception desk back wall where she’d been storing her stuff while marooned on site.
The woman was unreadable, again. But she held a collection of gizmos in her hand. “Here,” she said. “Take these.”
Keara had no time to be polite, or cutesy. “What’s this?”
“Beacon. They’ll have a transceiver. Hand-warmers. Energy bars.”
Damn, Christian had said five. It was already three or four? If they left without her…
She threw her hands up from the pressure. “I don’t know how to use any of it. And I’m late.”
But Chilam spoke, the harsh tones of the word reverberating in the small space. “Stop.”
Keara blinked, stopped.
The next second, Chilam’s eyes bored into her. “Watch hard. Focus, white girl.” Without missing a beat, she went through the very basics with her. And somehow, the woman explained it all so simply…she got it.
She knew what to do with that shit.
Had time slowed? She wasn’t sure. Just now…she knew.
She tucked the items quickly into her backpack, zipped it up, felt the woman’s gaze heavy on her. But she was ready to go. Heard the others, gathering in the lobby, close. Still here.
But something made her ask, as she pulled on the jacket, before she ran out into the whirling Snowmaggedon. Planning on being back…but there were never guarantees. “Why? Why are you helping me? Is it for Sven?
Chilam shook her head, and in her gaze, she saw…something mysterious. “Been watching you. You’re fierce. Shrewd. Just like the bat on my people’s totem. It flies free and wild. It carries death, but also rebirth. That’s your story, here, at Snowy Peaks. Death of the old you, and your rebirth. But now? You’re being called. The bat is guardian of the night. But if you are thwarted out there, if you are not prepared, and you can’t carry out the mission, all on your own, for the ones you love…”
Alone? What the hell was Chilam talking about? She was a newb, a Toronto girl. Sure, she loved rocks, and some energy freaks said rocks sensed that, loved her back. She liked the idea. But counting on it? No. She was sticking with the others, like freakin’ glue. “I’ll be with Kelley and Dante.”
Yet Chilam pinned her with her gaze. Fiercely. “Don’t count on it, white girl. Learn that, from this night. Tonight. Never depend on anyone, when it comes down to it. It’s all you.” She felt the almost savage energy from the woman. From the universe? “It’s all always you.”
She blinked. Heard the voices in the lobby. “Keara? Haul ass!”
“Remember. You are a fierce spirit. Ready to...”
This was getting wild. Like a moment from a movie. Like the ones she’d seen with the well-known Canadian actor Graham Greene standing in for wise native man. Hell. Hell. What the hell was Chilam yapping about? Was she… “Are you serious?”
A light smile transformed her face. “Oh, I’m just making that last shit up. But I have been watching you, and the bat stuff is written. And knowing you? If you don’t have everything you need to save that man of yours …you’ll just shrivel up and die. Be defeated, for good. And none of us wants to see that happen. Least of all me.”
Chilam moved toward, grabbed her hand and gripped it. And for the life of her, it felt like she was shoving power and courage into her manually. Keara felt something.
Then the woman stepped back, released her, gave her a sharp look. “Now? You can go.”