CHAPTER 16

Ragnar turned and looked back the way they had come. A cool breeze blew her long black hair in her face. Clouds filled the sky felt closer than ever. At least they were white and patchy, not dark and heavy with the threat of rain. He sniffed the air and smelled the pine. It was strange to him that the great salt he had known all his life was not there. Below, Russvik appeared as a small hut, surrounded by wooden fences and a deep ditch. All around them were visible peaks rising into the sky. He breathed hard. they were all His hips felt like jelly from climbing steep slopes for so long. His knees felt weak. Her face turned red. They were relieved to see that none of the others looked well. Going up and down the nearby hills made sense now. Ragnar doubted he could reach this height without a break if he wasn't trained. It was fun though. vast country. It seemed like it would take forever. The pillars of the peak seemed to support the dome of the sky that stretched endlessly above him.