The wind rushed through Roland's hair. He laid on his stomach, clinging to the fabric of Jarnsaxa's shirt as he rode atop her shoulder.
The giants needed both their hands to balance and climb the mountains, and so the humans had been relegated to riding like trained birds on their shoulders.
Judah was highly averse to the idea, preferring to run on 5 legs and favor the injured one. He still kept up well with the pace of the giants, having no burden to carry.
They made steady progress over the mountains. Roland thought that riding Judah had been harrowing enough, but to be on a giant's shoulder as she crested a mountain was something else entirely. There was so far to fall if she should stumble.
Or if he lost his grip.
He almost wished he could be in a pocket instead, but then falling out would be even less in his control.
Laying on his stomach gave him more stability than trying to sit or stand.
Another giant step up a mountain made Roland's stomach drop, and then he almost flew into the air as the giantess descended the other side. Maybe a pocket would have been better after all.
Riding Judah was much smoother than this, as well as swifter. Though his steps were shorter, his agility made up the difference. Over this mountainous terrain, the giants had to pick their steps carefully and lumber up and down the peaks.
Judah therefore served as something of a scout, racing ahead and waiting on each peak, navigating the easiest way to Klain.
The bracing air and the unimaginable views would have been exhilarating if Roland had not been quite so terrified of the very great distance to the ground. How good were Jarnsaxa's reflexes?
If he should fall, would she react quickly enough to catch him? Would he suffer mortal injury nonetheless?
He stole a glance backward to where Lysander gripped the shoulder of Jarnsaxa's husband, whose name Roland still hadn't caught. He would feel worse about it if they hadn't tried to eat him the day before.
Lysander's eyes were open wide, but Roland couldn't quite tell if it was terror or excitement written across his face. Either way, this would be a memorable experience for both of them.
There was little wildlife this high in the mountains, but a pack of elk moving through a valley provided some sustenance for the giants.
They didn't bother to cook the beasts, just ate them whole, crunching them in their great teeth after penning them in so none could escape.
It was a nauseating sight, and Roland turned away. Somehow it was less disturbing to watch Judah hunt and catch one for himself.
The large cat's eating seemed more natural somehow than the sound of the masticating giants crunching the bones of the elegant creatures. Roland and Lysander sat off to the side while the others of their group indulged in the meal.
"Kind of alarming, isn't it?" Lysander whispered.
"Quite a bit, yes." Roland took a drink of water, "but at least it's not us being eaten right now."
"What a pleasant thought, thank you." The older man shuddered and glanced up at the giants. "That's sure to give me lovely dreams."
"Any dream without the Void in it is a good dream." Roland gave him a half-smile.
"That's entirely true," Lysander agreed. "I'm a bit surprised it didn't invade my dreams last night."
"Mine either, but apparently the Fae can provide some protection in that regard. The last night I slept inside the skull, the Fae drove off the Void from my dream."
Lysander lifted an eyebrow. "They are… intimidating."
"Yes. I'm glad they are not our enemies." Roland nodded.
A few seconds of quiet passed between the men, but the sound of chewing and crunching became too much to handle without distraction.
"How long do you think before we get back?" Lysander asked.
"It's hard to tell. At least one more night in the mountains before we're home." Roland replied.
The conversation died down again, and both men groped mentally for another topic to discuss. If the giants truly had such monstrous appetites, it would be a long and nauseating journey home.
_____________
Gabriel watched from the floor as Finn seemed to flee from task to task around the house. His sister fretted over the food she was making for dinner. And the babies not napping as long as she thought they should. And the smudges on the windows.
He could tell she wasn't actually concerned with any of these things, but she wouldn't talk about her real concerns, at least, not in front of him and Victoria.
He looked over at his friend. There was no school as the city prepared for war. They were helping Father keep the babies happy. Victoria was delighted on the surface, but he could tell when her thoughts wandered to her adoptive parents, Dr. and Mrs. Sherman.
Even though their duties in war were primarily the treating of injured soldiers, he knew she worried about them.
Finn flew past them again, having spotted a bit of mud on the floor that she needed to deal with immediately. Roen squealed his protest as she walked by without picking him up. Gabe obliged the baby.
Naomi followed behind Finn, looking determined, but remaining silent. Finn would begin one task earnestly before becoming distracted by another. Naomi was in her wake, quietly completing each chore left unfinished.
When Finn was sweeping the floor and noticed a cobweb in a high corner, Naomi completed the room while Finn dragged a chair over to climb up on and take down the offending spider's home. When she started the dishes but stopped as she saw child-sized handprints on the windows, Naomi washed and dried them while Finn wiped the smudges away.
Gabriel watched it all.
The chaos slowly became order as Finn ran out of things to do. She'd come from the General's house earlier; apparently she and Naomi found something of note in the library.
Nobody would tell him what it was.
It was a bit maddening being treated like a child. He felt grown up. He was growing every day, Papa said, and was already almost at Finn's shoulder height.
Had he not proved his bravery? He was the one who found Roland in the Darkness! He had escaped, and run away from the Rhone! He'd been to two worlds other than his own, how many people in the world could say the same?
And yet, no one wanted to tell him much. Finn wasn't doing it intentionally; he could see that she was a giant ball of anxiety ready to implode. If she would stop moving long enough, he'd give her a hug.
She would probably cry if he did. So, he followed Naomi and Papa's examples and remained quiet as his sister cleaned the home from top to bottom without real need.
Finn rushed out of the room, having remembered the bread in the oven. Papa's mouth twitched in amusement, and Gabriel tilted his head in question.
"What's funny?"
"I was just remembering your mother," Papa said. "She used to do the same thing when she was excited or anxious about something."
Gabriel frowned slightly. He didn't have a single memory of his mother. Finn had raised him from the day he was born.
"Say more about her, Please," He requested politely. His father leaned back in the chair, holding Lily in his arms.
"Your mother was beautiful. Your sister looks a lot like her. She was kind, and hardworking. She took care of others before she ever thought of herself, but she wasn't a pushover. She had a spark of orneriness in her that made me want to laugh and be angry at the same time."
His eyes always got a faraway look when he remembered Gabriel's mother. It made the boy feel a measure of guilt for being the reason her life was lost, even though he had no choice in the matter.
A knock at the door interrupted the reverie, and Victoria popped up to answer it.
"Oh, hello Miss Amelia!" She chirped. "Please come in!"
"Is Finn here?" The guest asked urgently, before spotting Gabriel and his father in the room. "Oh! Phillip!"
"What is it, Amelia?" Gabriel's father stood in alarm, and then took a moment to settle Lily on the floor with her brothers before facing his neighbor.
"Please, Phillip," Amelia urged. "I need your help! With Riley gone, I have no other man to turn to, you have to convince them!"
Gabe's eyes widened. He'd never seen his neighbor this upset. Usually she was the very picture of calm and collected ease. Papa apparently felt equally concerned about her well being, ushering the lady to a chair and bidding her to sit down.
"Just tell me what's wrong," He said soothingly. "I'll do my best to fix whatever it is."
"The Klain Council just lowered the enlistment age to fourteen! Two of my boys are determined to sign up today! You have to tell Shayn and Kyler to stop!"