An icy cold breath blew past my cheek, and I froze. A frigid hand fisted through my hair then tossed me into the air. My shoulder hit the ground first with an agonizing jolt, and the rest of me slid behind until I came to a stop. I sucked in a mouthful of air only to let it out in a loud groan.

Someone called my name again, followed by clanging steel.

As I spit dirt from my tongue, I stared up at Ica's old ash tree, the one I'd first put her in, its split sides ...