Melting the Ice Witch Read Online Free PDF Page B

he could drop to his knees at her side. "Are you hurt?" he yelled when she looked up in surprise.
    There were tear tracks freezing on her cheeks and she couldn't seem to answer, but Kam saw the despair on her face. She thought she was going to die. The dog whined above Ness and tried to push her forward with his nose. Ness batted the dog away impatiently, but Kam understood.
    "You can guide us to the cave?" Kam asked even though the dog couldn't hear over the wind. The dog lumbered to his feet in the snow and wind and pointed his nose to the right. Kam turned his head in that direction, but couldn't see anything except snow. Still, it wouldn't hurt to try.
    He caught Ness under the arms and yanked her to her feet, pointing in the direction the dog had indicated. She shivered and shook her head, more tears falling, but didn't stop Kam when he began pulling her in that direction. The dog took point, staying so close that his tail brushed against Kam's knees, and Kam followed with Ness clinging desperately to his arm.
    Kam couldn't tell how long they walked or if they were walking in circles. His socks were wet and his hat wasn't thick enough to keep his ears from freezing. Ness was having trouble staying on her feet, putting much of her weight on Kam's shoulder.
    Finally, Kam thought he saw a red colored light shining through the snow. He couldn't be sure, but the dog was aiming in that direction. Slowly, the light came into greater focus and soon after Kam could begin to see two dark forms standing just ahead.
    Lor was standing in the entrance to the giant cave Kam had seen earlier, one arm outstretched with a pulsing orb of red light shining from his fingers. He was leaning on Mae, who looked like it was taking much of her strength to hold Lor up, and glaring out at the snow.
    The sled dog bounded forward happily, pushing his head into Mae's side. She looked up and saw Kam and Ness, her lips opening in what Kam assumed was a cry of shock since he still couldn't hear anything over the wind. Lor turned his head as well and started yelling.
    Two men rushed out of the cave towards Kam. One took Ness and the other wrapped Kam's arm over his shoulder and helped Kam take the last few steps into the mountain.
    The sudden cessation of wind was abrupt and startling to Kam's ears and skin. He stumbled, shivering, further into the monstrous opening as Hern determinedly guided him along wide stone hallways until they entered another huge doorway into an empty cave.
    Kam didn't have time to marvel at how smooth the walls were because seconds after he stepped into the room Lor charged forward.
    "You idiot!" Lor snapped. "What were you thinking?" His hands came up to cup Kam's cheeks and warmth began to spread through Kam's shivering limbs.
    "I fell off the sled," Kam forced out through chattering teeth. "I found the sled dog and Ness and the dog knew the way back here."
    "Don't scare me like that!" Lor snapped again. He started yanking at the clasps of Kam's coat, trying to get the soaked material off.
    "Bring him over to the fire, Lor!" Mae called where she was helping Ness get her own soaked and frozen clothes off. "And stop using magic; you're too exhausted."
    Lor guided Kam over to the fire in the center of the cave where the rest of the clan members were also huddled. The sleds were parked around them and all the dogs had found somewhere to lie down. Lor got Kam to sit and resumed pulling off Kam's fur coat.
    The runt tumbled free with a yip. Lor and Mae watched, incredulous looks on their faces, as the puppy clumsily found her feet and began exploring.
    "You had that pup in your coat the whole time?" Mae asked.
    Kam nodded, feeling sleepy. "She wouldn't have made it on the sled," he explained, but his words were slurring so he wasn't sure just how much Mae understood. Kam felt his boots and socks being pulled off and heard Lor's swearing at the state of his feet, but even the extreme heat of Lor's spells on his toes and Mae's scolding