A single snowflake drifted lazily down from the dark sky before landing on Piper’s outstretched tongue. She pulled it into her mouth with a slight smile. The icy sensation on her tongue reminded her of better times on the farm, catching snowflakes with Ophelia.

  She turned her attention back to the trail and looked up at the steep cliff walls on either side. Nothing grew here, and boulders were strewn about as if an angry giant had tossed them at travelers. Knowing this world, that might actually be true.

  “Gather as much wood as you can,” Alfred barked from the head of the line. “This is going to be a nasty storm.”

  “It’s just a bit of snow,” Piper replied, receiving a glare in return.

  “A storm in the mountains is nothing to scoff at.” Alfred bent down to pick up some ancient-looking deadwood. Where it had come from was anyone’s guess. “We need to find shelter immediately, or we’re in trouble.”

  Piper pressed her lips together before nodding. In the depths of the winter, they had taken refuge in the longhouse with a roaring fire and the animal’s body heat to keep them warm. She hadn’t thought about how bad a storm would be in the open. Why was it snowing in the spring, anyway?

  Slowing to a stop, she picked up a handful of kindling. While there were no living trees here, there was a surprising amount of deadwood. Had something happened in the past to kill all the vegetation?

  “I don’t see anywhere to shelter,” Ethel said worriedly. “What if we build a fire and try to wait it out?”

  Alfred shook his head. “A strong snowstorm will snuff out a fire in an instant. Everyone spread out and see if you can find a crevasse or anything else to protect us from the wind.”

  Ophelia sprinted forward, poking her stick into every opening she could find. Not that any of them would be large enough to fit the entire group and the horse. Still, she seemed to be enjoying herself.

  While the others searched the immediate area, Piper strode over the wall and pulled herself up the sheer cliff face. Only a few months earlier, she never would have even been able to scale it. But it was amazing the difference that physical attribute points made. When she finally made it home, no jar lid would ever defeat her again.

  Once she reached the top, she gazed out across the mountain slope, searching for a place where they could ride out the oncoming storm. She spotted an overhang that might work, and then a cluster of tall boulders. They were arrayed in a shape that almost made them look manmade.

  Finally, her eyes landed on a cave opening far up the mountainside. The mouth yawned open, with the entrance lost in layers of shadow. Outside the cave stood two pillars of shining white stone. It was the best option that she could see. She just didn’t know how they were going to get the horse up the steep slope.

  Cupping her hands around her mouth, she shouted down to the others in the narrow pass. When she had their attention, she pointed up the cliffside. “I see a cave up there.”

  Alfred shielded his eyes and scanned the cliff face. After a few seconds, he dropped his hand and motioned for the others to follow him.

  Piper strode back to the cliff and spun around. Placing her hands on the edge, she lowered herself down to a foothold before making her way down. She dropped the last distance and landed lightly on her feet.

  “Like I said, you’re a pink ape,” Gorebark said from her back. “You’d never see a demon climbing around like that.”

  “I’d be careful,” she said sweetly. “We don’t have enough wood for the fire tonight.”

  “You wouldn’t!”

  “Try me.”

  Gorebark muttered something under its breath before falling silent. A few threats went a long way in keeping the demonic bow in check. Though she’d have to figure out something more permanent when they reached the Arissian Empire. Ethel and the others had grown used to Gorebark, but she doubted anyone else would be as understanding.

  I really don’t want to be burned at the stake for having an evil talking bow.

  Piper broke into a jog to catch up with the others, who were seeking a path up the mountainside. After a short distance, they finally found a narrow trail that the horse could navigate. Even though it took Alfred and Piper pushing the animal to get it up the first part.

  Once they were past the rock face, the rest of the climb was relatively easy. As she walked, she realized the ground was covered with broken masonry. Her earlier assessment of the cluster of rocks not being natural had been right.

  By the time they reached the cave opening, the snowstorm had begun in earnest. Tiny flakes swirled around them, creating an impenetrable white curtain. A biting wind had also sprung up, the powerful gusts making her cloak flap wildly.

  Glancing at the cave, she inspected the stone pillars standing guard on either side of the entrance. With a start, she realized that, ages long past, they must have been statues. Nearly all the features had been worn away, but the vague shape of a humanoid was still evident.

  But now wasn’t the time to marvel at ancient statues—no matter how much her dad would have geeked out about them. If only he could have come here with her. He would have loved all this ancient stuff. Then again, if he were here, it would have meant he’d died on Earth. She much preferred him back home, hopefully healthy and happy.

  Piper stepped into the cave and stomped her boots on the floor to remove the snow. Then she shook off her cloak. The last thing she wanted to do was let the snow melt and soak her clothing. If there was one thing that Alfred had drilled into her over the winter, it was that wet clothing killed in cold weather.

  “What in the name of Infernus is this place?” Alfred grumbled. “I don’t like this one bit.”

  Piper looked up from her clothing to see a perfectly formed corridor stretching out in front of her. The walls and ceiling had perfectly smooth surfaces, while the stone floor transitioned into a mosaic with burgundy and black tiles. While everything outside looked ancient, this all appeared to have been constructed recently.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Further down the corridor was a massive bronze door. Like the rest of the cave, the doors didn’t show any sign of wear. On its surface was a decorative relief, showing a burning flame in the center of eleven circling dragons. Arrayed around the dragons were hundreds of fantastical figures with impossible body shapes.

  “Alright, this is pretty cool,” Piper breathed. “We so have to explore this place.”

  “I’m with you, Pip,” Ophelia said, her stick held at the ready.

  “We’ll do no such thing,” Ethel said sternly. “We’ll make camp near the entrance and stay far away from that door. The second the storm passes, we’re leaving. I’d rather not encounter whatever lives in there.”

  “Listen to your mother,” Alfred grunted as he slumped against the wall. His face was pale, and sweat dotted his forehead. He still hadn’t completely recovered from the blow inflicted by the redcap. Though at least Ethel had found some ashenroot to dull his pain.

  Piper pointed at the dusty floor. “There aren’t any tracks. I don’t think anyone has been in here for a long time. It wouldn’t hurt to at least look inside.”

  Ethel’s spoon appeared in her hand. “Don’t make me tell you again.”

  Piper held up her hands and took a step back. Smacks from Ethel’s spoon never hurt, but they were a warning sign that she should stop whatever she was doing. Even if in this case there could be amazing treasures waiting on the other side of the door.

  Ophelia sidled over to Piper. “I say we check it out after they fall asleep,” she whispered out of the corner of her mouth. “There’s probably all kinds of amazing stuff in there.”

  “Don’t think I can’t hear you whispering,” Ethel called out as she laid down a bedroll.

  “I said I can’t wait to fall asleep,” Ophelia called back.

  Piper giggled as Ethel glared at her daughter. Normally, she didn’t go along with Ophelia’s schemes—especially after the disaster with the ooze—but she really wanted to see what was behind that door. It was almost as if something was calling out to her from the other side.

  After a few minutes, Alfred pushed himself up from the wall and set about making a fire. He placed a few sticks in a pile and then removed the embers from a special box. Blowing on it, he soon had a crackling fire going.

  “Piper,” he called out. “I want you to try to find some more wood outside. However, don’t stray too far from the entrance.”

  Nodding, she wrapped her cloak around herself. Outside the opening, the snow was almost blowing horizontally. Drawing a deep breath, she plunged back into the storm. The wind howled past her and cut right through her woolen clothing as if it weren’t even there.

  Piper stumbled through the quickly mounting snow, searching for any sign of firewood. A short distance from the entrance, she spotted a dead tree. It was lying on its side, and the limbs were cracked and split. The tree must have fallen a long time ago.

  Piper spent the next few minutes breaking off branches, and some of the thinner limbs. Once her arms were full, she staggered back to the entrance. There she dumped the wood before heading back out. She might as well grab as much as she could.

  It was during the third trip that a squall of snow momentarily blinded her. When the eddying snowflakes finally passed, she was left completely disoriented. With mounting worry, she stumbled around in the snow, searching for the entrance to the cave.

  Where the heck is it?

  After a few minutes, she finally spotted the glow from the entrance and exhaled with relief. She’d been heading in the opposite direction. As she stumbled back, she couldn't help but think about what would have happened if she hadn’t glimpsed the firelight. They probably would have found her frozen solid the next morning with icicles hanging from her nose.

  Piper dumped the wood at the entrance and hurried over to the fire. She held out her hands to warm them, her teeth chattering.

  Ethel looked up from preparing some dried meat. “What happened out there?”

  “It was nothing,” she said, her heart still hammering in her chest.

  “I know when something is wrong with you…”

  “I just got turned around,” she said quietly. “I almost didn’t find my way back.”

  Ethel turned and hit her husband’s arm. “Didn’t I tell you we shouldn’t send her out there alone?”

  “We needed the wood,” Alfred said gruffly. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll do the next trip.” He tried to stand up but stumbled and had to catch himself against the wall.

  “You’re in no shape to do anything,” Ethel said, worry etched into her features. “You know that I’m more than capable of fetching some wood.”

  “And if you run into a yeti?” Alfred gently pushed his wife away as he settled down. “What then? You don’t have any combat skills.”

  “I really don’t mind grabbing the wood,” Piper said quickly. “Now that I’m warmed up, I should be fine.” But her chattering teeth betrayed her words.

  The blond-haired woman tugged on her braid before rising to her feet. She walked over to one of the packs leaning against the wall and retrieved a rope. Then returning to Piper, she deftly tied it around her waist. “This will let you find your way back. I’ll hold on to this end while you’re out there. I’m sorry to ask this of you, but we only need a little more wood to get through the night.”

  Piper tested the rope before nodding. With a deep breath, she dove back into the storm. This time she moved faster, collecting all the wood she could carry. With a massive stack in hand, she followed the rope back to the cave.

  When she reached it, she hurriedly dumped the wood and rushed back over to the fire. It felt like she was chilled to the bone. Why the heck didn’t her clothes do anything to stop the wind? Usually, they were more than adequate when they were on the farm. Why was it so much colder up here?

  After she’d defrosted, she accepted a bowl of meat and cheese from Ethel. They ate in silence, everyone exhausted from their day. But she couldn’t help but keep glancing over at the door. Something was calling to her from inside.

  When Ethel and her husband headed outside to take care of their business, she slipped over to Alfred’s bedroll. She placed the wooden carved figure underneath the blanket and then hurried back over to where she’d been sitting. Since the farm burned down, she hadn’t had the opportunity to get Alfred yet. Hopefully, learning the little figurine had survived would improve his mood a bit.

  The big man returned a minute later with his wife and plopped down heavily on the bedroll. He grunted and fished around underneath it before pulling something out. At the sight of the figure, he let out a belly laugh. “I can’t believe this thing survived. I thought for sure it had burned on the farm.”

  Piper grinned at him. “I couldn’t let the game die after all these years.”

  Alfred toyed with the figure before glancing over at his wife.

  Ethel crossed her arms and glared at him. “Don’t you dare try to stick that in my bedroll.”

  “I’d never even dream of doing that,” he said with a mischievous grin. “Now hurry up and go to sleep.”

  Ethel watched him with narrowed eyes. “Remember, I sleep lightly. And my vengeance is terrible.”

  Despite her words, it wasn’t long before Ethel slipped into a deep slumber. And Alfred immediately leaned over to place the wooden figure behind her back. When she inevitably rolled over, she would be lying on it. For the first time since they’d left the farmhouse, the big man fell asleep with a grin on his face.

  Piper waited until both of their breathing was steady before she rose to her feet. Across from her, Ophelia was doing the same thing.

  “Are you ready?” her friend asked in a whisper.

  Piper nodded before they headed deeper into the cave. When they arrived at the doors, she was shocked at how immense they were. If they were solid bronze, they must weigh more than a house. How were they supposed to open them?

  Ophelia rushed forward and tried to shove them open. The doors didn’t budge. Then she threw her shoulder against it, but still nothing happened. “Of course they’d be locked.”

  Stepping forward, Piper pressed her hands against the door. The metal warmed at her touch, and the doors swung open easily to reveal a long corridor beyond. The walls had familiar paintings of dragons on them. For a second, she felt a sense of déjà vu from the place where she’d first arrived in this world.

  “How did you do that? Ophelia whispered.

  Piper could only shrug. And with a glance back at Alfred and Ethel to make sure they were still asleep, she crept into the tunnel. She wouldn’t go very far, but she had to see what was down there. Maybe if she were lucky, she’d even find some answers to why she was in this world.