It was cold on the mountainside, and it was actively snowing. It was daytime, but the clouds overhead didn't really show me where the sun was, and I didn't know what time it was at all. All I could say for sure, was that I ran down the slope as best as I could without falling over, while Thain ran beside me with Nassir on his back. Puko was high in the sky above, and there hadn't been a word spoken between us in the half an hour we had been fleeing.

Thanks to Thain's wind, our tracks were thoroughly covered. no snowy footprints or scents on the wind were left behind as we ran down into the treeline and away from the darkness.

I'm sure Nassir had questions. Hells, Thain had to have enough himself, but it wasn't safe yet and they would have to wait.

As the sun dipped below the clouds and we arrived at the forest's edge, Thain slowed us down enough to talk.

"I don't think we can stop for the night yet," he said.

"I don't either," I sighed, looking at my companions. "Nassir, are you doing okay?"

"Yes," he said, moving his head around, hearing all the strange noises of the Winter lands around us.

"I think we should go south. Surely they would be looking for us at the borders to the Wyldes," I said.

"You're right, do you suggest the human lands?" Thain asked.

I bit my lip and nodded, taking off south. "Yes, take me where you found me, head toward Silver Lake."

"We could go to the outpost," Thain suggested.

I shook my head. "When we get close, I'll steer us to Mila's cabin. They might find us at the outpost but they won't find us at Mila's, and I need to find some answers."

I knew Thain wouldn't approve, but he wasn't arguing with me either, so we went south.

The bottom line of the Winter lands ran right up against the wards to the mountains I called home with Bryn. Granted, we would have a few days to go, but with my newly transformed body and Thain's infallible strength, we would make better time than I would have before. It was Nassir I worried for, but he seemed to be holding up pretty well, all things considered.

We didn't stop that night, Thain running us through the open fields as much as he could and not through the trees where the flesh hounds and whatever else lurked just out of sight. Several times we saw things in the distance, but I kept my fire from flaring up out of defensive reflex, and Thain would just take us well out of range so as to avoid stopping.

By the time the sun was over the tops of the mountains now far behind us, I was exhausted. Thain was no better, and Nassir was worn out in his weakened state, even though all he did was hold onto Thain's back.

"I can nearly scent the wards from here," Thain said after slowing his pace a bit.

I caught up with him, winded, and raised my nose to the air. "That spicy scent? So does that mean we're nearly out of the Winter lands?"

Thain nodded. "How far do you think your destination is from here? Silver Lake is nearly due south from us right now."

"Probably a day, do you think it's safe to stop?" I asked.

"He is out of range, I cannot feel him," Nassir added.

"He who?" Thain asked.

"I'll explain when we stop," I sighed. "But I promise it's a good thing. Can you get us somewhere just on the other side of the wards to rest?"

"Yes, follow me." Thain took off again, and I grunted as I struggled to reach his pace once more.

I followed him through trees and over the rocky landscape for another while until we came across the wards. I felt them. They crackled on my skin as we passed a line of ground. The cold suddenly stopped, or at least it eased up quite a bit, and the ground softened underfoot with a familiar dusting of pine needles and wet leaves.

I sighed, releasing my muscles that I didn't know I was holding so tightly in the first place. It felt different from the Winter lands behind us, and we were finally out of DuVarick's realm.

Thain walked us further until we came to a branch of stream trickling down the slope. There were trees overhead and a soft mound of Rootmoss to lay on. It was perfect.

I sank to the ground with a sigh, tearing off my boots and shoving my feet into the water. Thain set Nassir on a comfortable patch of moss and helped him drink from the stream as well. Then, the quiet, dark fae got up and began to collect firewood. I had shoved the decorative axe in the band of my trousers when we began running, and I now pulled it out. The head of it was dull and decorative. A good blunt object in my time of need, but it didn't look like it would ever be truly useful as an axe. I set it aside and stood to help Thain find wood.

"I have the fire, you go find something to eat," he said gently. "Then, I want to hear everything."

A small pit of sorrow sank in my belly at the prospect of revealing everything to Thain, but I pushed it aside and wandered off to find food.

There were a few small fish in the stream, lean from winter and not worth the effort of getting them. I moved on and found some chestnuts that hadn't been picked absolutely clean by the squirrels, and I took all of them I could easily get. If I had my bow or traps I could have tried to find an animal, but I didn't dwell on what I didn't have. I did also find the tops of a few winter carrots. I yanked them out of the ground to find most of them already eaten from underneath, but a couple of them had survived. I brought my measly findings back to Thain and Nassir and sat down in front of Thain's large pile of wood.

Thain was fiddling, trying to light the wood. I brushed my hand across a branch without much thought, and lit the pile with a warm, dancing flame. Thain stared at me for a moment, then sat back against a tree and crossed his arms.

"New trick?" He asked.

"Yeah," I sighed. "Sorry I couldn't find more than this to eat."

"Tell me what happened, and when we're done here I'll go find more," Thain said.

I took a shaky breath, and grabbed a chestnut to shell. It was something for my hands to fidget with while I talked. Nassir however, who had been mostly silent, reached a hand over and placed it on mine.

Thain let out a soft growl then stopped himself abruptly as Puko landed on his shoulder, surprising him with the rare attention.

Nassir just laughed. "I see some things haven't changed since I've been away."

He squeezed my hand in a reassuring gesture, then felt the ground until he found one of the winter carrots. He absently rinsed it in the water nearby. "I think, more would be explained, if I told my tale first."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Nassir, are you sure?"

"I am," he nodded. "And I think, if this is the Thane that I heard tales of from the battle of the two cliffs, he will be clever enough to put the rest together without you having to say a word."

Thain's serious look didn't budge from his face, but he leaned back slightly, relaxing his clenched jaw, and seemed ready to listen.

And so, Nassir spoke.

It was the same tale I heard from him, but Thain listened without interruption unlike me who had stopped Nassir with questions every few minutes. But Thain let him go on.

He seemed unsurprised about the revelations of DuVarick's mental state. He even seemed to know who Omber was. He even accepted the notion that Nassir was DuVarick's long lost triquetram, although he grumbled about him being thrown in the Darkness.

Lark, however, was a different reaction. The occasional witch attempting to make contact in the Wyldes wasn't unusual, but as soon as Nassir said she was allowed in Icehold Thain stopped for his first questions. When Nassir said she was the remainder of their triquetram, Thain was shocked.

Was she powerful?

How had he not heard of her?

Where was she now?

Her death was an unfortunate turn of events, and Thain stayed quiet for the rest of the tale. And then the timeline that Nassir gave, and then his suspicions of my lineage.

I stared down at the pile of chestnuts I had accumulated and placed half of them in front of Nassir. It made me just as sad and uncomfortable to hear as it did the first time. But I felt in my bones that it was the right answer. My mother. Lark.

"Truthfully, I thought she was Lark when I first felt her in the darkness. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me," Nassir said.

"And you're sure?" Thain asked, now looking at me as I stared uncomfortably down at my pile of chestnut shells.

"Tell me, Thain, after all this time, have you found any of your triquetram?" Nassir asked, tilting his head to the dark fae.

"I have," Thain answered.

"Then you know. You will always know. You will forever feel the echoes of them. Their offspring, their essence lingering in a place like their home or on their clothes. Even if they leave you, you will always know," Nassir said simply. "And I know, that this child is Lark's."

Thain seemed to accept it, then turned to me. "You didn't know any of this, did you?"

"No," I said quietly.

"I'm sorry, that must have been a shock." Thain leaned back, disturbing Puko who flapped over to sit on my knee instead.

"So what do we do now? I think I can take me and Nassir to Mila's cabin. You should go though. Won't being caught with a witch get you in trouble?" I asked. "And what of Eberon? Where is he?"

Thain sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Eb is in Thanantholl. I sent him back to report to Baeleon the moment you and Schula were taken. I was still recovering from my fight with... from a fight. And I wasn't in any condition to take on Asher. So Eberon went back, and I followed you as closely as I could. It doesn't matter what you are. Even if Baeleon thought you deceived him, he will come around. I've known him for a long time, he will get over it."

"But I shouldn't go back to Thanantholl for a while," I said sadly.

"No," Thain agreed. "Not yet anyway. Not until we sort this mess out."

"We have to help Schula," I sobbed. "DuVarick hates her for some reason. And I think he's going to hurt her, and I think it's going to happen at the Solstice."

"What makes you say that?" Thain growled.

So I told him about my encounter with DuVarick that led to our escape. Nassir and Thain both listened, as this was new information for them both. The threat to me, to Nassir, to Schula, and the realization that DuVarick loved Lark. Thain hissed at that.

"That is taboo," he growled.

"Loving a witch?" I asked.

"Loving your triquetram," Nassir said. "Even after all this time, that hasn't changed."

"It can't change," Thain rumbled. "Your triquetram must always remain in balance, if two portions of your triquetram are in a relationship it will weigh it off center. There are roles to be played by each person, and you can't fight the will of the Wyldes that gave it to you."

"Roles?" I asked, this was the most anyone had told me of a triquetram before and I wanted to understand it better.

"One to protect, that would be me," Thain said. "One to keep the justice, that would be... Schula at this time. Her job is to keep us in line if we break rules. Do you remember when we first arrived at the outpost and she gave me and Eberon each a solid punch for stepping out of our orders? It was her job to do it. And Eberon is the peacemaker... sort of."

"Oh," I realized his triquetram was already off balance, thanks to his lost third member. They did the best they could but it wasn't the same. It would never be the same again, and that made me really sad.

"I have no idea what I or DuVarick should have fallen into," Nassir spoke up. "But I am certain Lark would have been our peacekeeper."

I leaned back against a tree and fiddled with the decorative axe, running my finger along an ornate carved design.

"Do you think Wren could have a triquetram out there with what she is?" Thain asked Nassir softly.

"It's hard to say, and I can't quite place her second half, but it's not quite a fae," Nasir answered.

"I agree, it's definitely of the Wyldes though. The mix of witch in there is making it hard to place," Thain said.

"Thain, I'll keep the fire up. If we want any more food tonight I think you should go find it," I said.

He gave me a soft look and nodded. "Right, of course. I'll be back shortly."

I let him get well out of earshot before I whispered to Nassir, "I know I brought you out here, but I don't want to cause you or Thain trouble because of what I am. I'm sorry."

"Don't be, my dear. I am thankful to breath the fresh air again. The food is a pleasure I thought I would never have in my lifetime. The company of others, especially Lark's daughter, is so precious to me. Never tell me again you are sorry for taking me with you."

Water threatened to spill from my eyes and I furiously wiped my arm across my face before that could happen. "Nassir, I think we should go somewhere and hide out. I don't want my presence to hurt Thain, or anyone else. I think... I think I need to get you set up in Mila's cabin, and then I need to go back for my friend. DuVarick is going to kill her on the solstice, I just know it! And I need to get her out. And if she never wants to see me again, I'll understand. But this is all my fault, and I need to fix it."

By the time I was done with my rant, tears were dripping off my chin and Nassir had me wrapped in his arms while I sobbed.

"Shh, shh, it's alright, Wren. I wouldn't' discount your friends so easily. I'm sure we can come up with a plan to get her out of there."

"Wren," Thain said, and I gasped at his silent return. How much had he heard?

He kneeled in front of me and Nassir made room for him to place a big hand on each of my shoulders. When I tilted my head up to look at him, his face was determined. "I promise you, we will get Schula back. I don't want any more talk of running off on your own, do you understand?"

I nodded and wiped away another round of tears.

"Good, now let's get some sleep, get to the witch's cabin, and come up with a plan."