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properly thought everything through before. She'd panicked something she never thought she'd do.
    Milla frowned, and forced herself to go back and think the problem through from the beginning.
    Her quest was to deliver a Sunstone to the Far Raiders. She had forgotten that, letting herself imagine even greater triumphs, returning to the Ship with information even the Crone Mothers did not know. She had wanted to be a famous Shield Maiden, the one who had gone to another world and learned of new dangers to the clans.
    That ambition had led her from her duty. Neglect of her true purpose had destroyed her dream of being a Shield Maiden. She had wagered her future and had lost her shadow, all for pride and ambition. She had demonstrated to the world - and to herself - that she was not fit to be a Shield Maiden.
    She knew she had to get back as soon as possible, deliver the Sunstone and then… the Ice would judge her.
    So she should let Odris help her, at least for now.
    "Where is the Chosen Enclave?" Milla asked. "Do you know?"
    "I have heard travelers speak of it, and Chosen have come to our hill to offer lives in exchange for gifts," said Odris. "I think it lies far to the north and east."
    "How far?"
    "Many days for me, even upon the wind," said Odris. "I can carry you for a while each day, but my strength is not great enough to do more."
    "Which way is east?" asked Milla slowly. She hated not knowing directions.
    "That way." Odris extended her arm to point. "You see the bright star, halfway up the sky, that is all alone? The one that shines a little blue? That is Norrin, sad star of the east, who weeps for company.
    "What? How can it weep? Why is it blue?"
    "It is only a story!" Odris laughed. "Stars are distant suns. I do not know why that one is blue. But Norrin always shows the way east."
    "I do not understand stars," said Milla. "We do not have them."
    "Ah, I have heard of the Veil," said Odris. "That must be strange, to live always in darkness." Milla was silent. The Dark World was not strange to her, but for the first time she wondered why it was so. The Veil was not a natural thing. It had been made, placed in the heavens to block out the light. Who had made it? And why?
    "I will sleep now," said Milla. "Will you watch? I will count my breaths and wake when it is my turn."
    "Sleep your fill!" encouraged Odris. "Storm Shepherds rarely sleep. We have long dozed above and around Old Hrigga Hill, so I am rested. Sleep!"
    "The Hugthing has gone, hasn't it?" asked Milla. She made her Sunstone brighten and carefully examined the grass all around. It was satisfactorily brown and uneven, but she still felt a faint buzz of fear as she lay down. It was odd to sleep without heavy furs, but the night was warm.
    Milla made sure her sword was under her hand, and then she began the process of telling herself to wake up after fourteen hundred breaths.
    That done, she sank quickly into sleep.
    Odris yawned, surprising herself. To keep awake, she launched herself into the air. She hadn't expected to feel sleepy, but it made sense. She could feel Milla's shadow inside her, and the connection from it to the sleeping Icecarl.
    Odris could also sense some part of Milla's dreams. It was like seeing something out of the corner of her eyes. She kept getting fleeting glimpses of a great expanse of ice, and strange creatures, and men and women in furs, and a ship…
    Odris blinked again, shutting the images out. Then she shot around in a wide circle, exerting herself in order to keep awake. There was no sign of the Hugthing, but there were many creatures that roamed the night in Aenir. Odris kept some lightning crackling in her right hand, and her eyes on the ground.
    She must not fall asleep. Her companion was counting on her.
     

 

     
     

CHAPTER SEVEN
     

    Tal woke to find Adras floating above him, blocking out the sun. Judging from the heat and how high the sun was, it was late morning. Tal looked around at the grass blowing in the light