Elementals: Ice Wolves

wolves, more members of the guard, more defenders. But this month yielded up none at all. Anders couldn’t remember there ever being none before. He slid his hand into a tall man’s fancy coat pocket as a frail-looking girl made her way down the steps, head low. The twins were a little closer to the dais—and a little farther from an escape route—than Anders liked to be. Rayna was completely conf ident as she tossed her braid again and accidentally bumped into a pair of merchers, but Anders didn’t have her courage, and his hand was shaking as he tried for one f inal coin. He couldn’t help watching the girl making her way down from the stage, feeling bad for her. Her shirt and trousers were neat but plain, a little old-fashioned. She’d come in from the countryside with her parents, most likely, and it would be a long trip home with nothing to show for it. He curled his f ingers around a coin that felt heavy—silver, perhaps. And maybe because his mind was on the girl, imagining the creak of the cart as they drove home in silence, he caught

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