The Guardian by Donna Grant

Author:Donna Grant [Grant, Donna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: DL Grant, LLC

21

This was Hell. Without a doubt, Hell wasn’t some fiery pit. It was ice and snow and frigid temperatures.

Eden kept moving her toes in her boots, but it didn’t matter. They were as numb as her fingers. She couldn’t believe how much heat Maks put off, she had been warmer just being near him. Now that he was gone, it felt ten degrees cooler.

Or it could just be her mind freaking out because she was now alone.

Yeah. That was probably it. Though she should stop thinking that way because there might be a real chance she could lose her mind. That made her pause. Could she go nuts from being in the cold? She’d never thought to ask something like that.

“Oh, God. Stop,” she chastised herself.

One foot in front of the other. It took her twice as long to pull her feet from the deep snow as when Maks had been there to pull her out. She then groaned aloud because she realized that he’d been expending much more energy helping her than if he’d been on his own. She hated being a burden in any situation, but this one was even worse.

I’m not going to fail. I’m not going to fail. I’m not going to fail.

Eden repeated that over and over in her mind, her resolve growing. She was cold, yes. Actually, she was fucking freezing and never wanted to see snow again, but that was beside the point. She wasn’t in the hands of the Saints, and that was all because of Maks. He had gotten her this far, and she was a capable woman who had lived alone for many years. She could take care of herself, and even though she didn’t know the first thing about surviving in the wild, she was a fast learner.

With her lungs burning, she paused. Each breath felt as if icicles were scraping her esophagus and nasal passages. She put a hand on a tree to steady herself and not fall backward. Thinking about that had her looking back the way she’d come. Eden was shocked to see that the incline was as steep as it had felt. There was no sign of Maks, but she wasn’t worried. No doubt he was hiding someplace.

Eden tried to even her breathing. She could already feel what little energy she’d had draining fast. It wasn’t just the altitude or the climbing, it was the extra effort just to walk in the snow. All of that, combined with the frigid temperatures, was zapping her strength at an alarming rate.

She looked around, really taking in the sights. She might admire how the snow glowed in the night. Or how one side of the trees was covered with snow, showing how the wind had driven it against the bark. Or that the snow flurries hovering against the backdrop of the darkness was stunning.

That is if she could stop her teeth from chattering long enough to appreciate it.

With a deep breath, Eden pushed away from the tree and continued up the path.

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