Read The Frost Child for Free Online Page B

places. Their breath came in great plumes that dissipated in the night air. Once they had crossed the river Owen shouted to tell his mother that he was safe.
    “That’ll tell any enemy where we are,” he said, panting with effort as they plowed through the drifts.
    “All they have to do is follow our tracks anyway,” Cati said, turning to look at the furrows they had made in the pristine snow.
    They were both panting when they got to the top of the field. Owen’s mother was waiting there, worry etched on her face.
    “I saw you disappear in the storm,” she said.
    “All I had to do was follow the slope of the hill.” Owen stamped his boots on the stone step. “I was bound to hit the river sometime.”
    But you reached the river exactly where the bridge was
, Cati thought.
You navigated your way to it
.
    “Cati!” Martha said, the real delight in her voice changing almost instantly to scolding. “Look at you! Soaked. And you’re out in the snow! Quick, inside.”
    Martha ushered them in.
    “I’m not being an old hen,” she explained, chasing Cati into the bedroom with some of Owen’s clothes. “It’s more than just a cold night out there. Those aren’t normal temperatures. It feels like … like the Harsh.”
    “I think they’re coming.” Owen watched his mothercarefully. Like Cati, she had been attacked by the Harsh, and had a trace of cold in her bones.
    Owen told her what Cati had said about hearing Harsh voices. When Cati came out of the room, Martha quizzed her at length. Owen couldn’t keep the grin off his face at the sight of the Resister girl out of uniform in jeans and a sweatshirt. But Martha’s face was full of concern.
    “Perhaps the storm has only happened here.…”
    She turned on the radio and they listened to the news. The signal was much fainter than usual. It seemed that the storm had struck all over the world. Power stations had closed down in some places. There were reports of seas freezing and of whole cities being cut off. Some roads and airports were closed, although locally roads remained open. Farther north, whole regions had not been heard from. Martha turned the radio off and they sat in silence. Then Owen stood up.
    “What are you doing?” Cati asked.
    “Going out to the
Wayfarer
. I have to find out what’s happening.”
    “Should we not wake the Resisters first?” Martha looked at him with raised eyebrows.
    “But we don’t know that the Harsh are actually coming.”
    “There were voices in the storm, Owen,” Cati said grimly. “They’re coming.”
    “When we wake the Resisters we need to tell them what they’re facing. We need to know what the danger is,” Owen said stubbornly.
    “I don’t think it’s a good idea—” Cati began, but Martha interrupted.
    “No. You should go, Owen. The Resisters will appreciate anything you can do for them. But you must take Cati with you.”
    “Right,” Owen said. “Cati can come.” A light shone in his eyes at the prospect of sailing the
Wayfarer
.
    “I’ll go put the Mortmain in place,” he said, and raced out the door.
    Cati frowned as soon as Owen was gone. “I still think we should wake the Resisters.”
    “Perhaps you’re right.” Martha looked after Owen. “But I don’t think that caution alone will win this battle with the Harsh, nor force of arms. But perhaps out there in time something may be learned that will give us the key to victory. And if we are to win, Owen must be confident at the helm of the
Wayfarer
. Besides,” she said, smiling, “I trust you to bring him back safely.”
    “But I’m the Watcher,” Cati protested. “I should stay.”
    “There is more to watching than just guarding the Workhouse. You must go with him.”
    Half an hour later they were standing beside the
Wayfarer
. Owen could feel a tight knot of nervous excitement at the back of his throat. The first time he had sailed the craft he hadn’t really grasped the enormity of what he was doing, but this time he knew