Ice Queen made it out injured, but it wasn’t injury keeping her awake.

On the other other side of the bedroom, Wolf breathed steadily, as though she slept, as though today weighed nothing.

Ice Queen rolled over and stared at the wall, into flames crackling beneath the cries of her mare, village burning because her raiders invaded and she couldn’t break cover.

She shuddered, scrambled abruptly out of bed, and crawled in beside Wolf, who blinked groggily but didn’t stop her.

It felt better to be held snugly, as though she were still innocent, unaware of what she could do.