Archer guided while I tried to help keep him upright, but my strength was barely enough for one. Too soon, he stopped behind a tree close to the valley's edge, I thought. We both slumped against the icy bark to catch our breaths.

"There's no easy way down there," he said over my huffing and puffing. "Not with stealth. If someone's on watch, they'll see us coming."

"Do you see anyone on watch?"

"Whether we see them or not, Faust will have someone on ...