Frozen Flame of Dawn - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Chapter 32: Mapping the Next Move_1

Everything below them became quieter as they went up. After climbing to the top, they could see the camp in front of them. It looked like a small sea of lights and motion.

But at the far end of the wall, seated cross-legged in perfect stillness, was Amira, the soft wind tugged at her hair, but she didn’t move as her focus was absolute.

Bella paused as she crossed her arms. “I swear sometimes she looks like a statue.”

Layla smiled. “A very judgmental statue.”

“I heard that.” Amira’s eyes flickered open, her gaze calm but sharp. “Is everything ready?”

“Good, You’re supposed to.” Bella laughed and nodded. “Everything’s settled. But you’ve got Elias on food delivery duty, so… you might get your porridge cold.”

Amira’s lips twitched, the closest thing to a smile. “That’s fine. I care more about the conversation than the food.”

“Of course you do,” Bella teased. “You’re such a model leader.”

Amira’s gaze softened. “And you’re such a pain.”

Bella grinned. “It’s what I live for.”

After sometime as the cold breeze whispered over the top of the ice fortress, carrying the faint aroma of wood smoke from the cooking fires below. Amira, Layla, and Bella sat comfortably, wrapped in light chatter as the sun dipped closer to the horizon.

Layla tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear while Bella leaned back on her palms as her eyes lazily watching the village below where small groups of villagers prepared for the next day’s journey.

The familiar sound of footsteps on the icy steps pulled their attention. They turned to see Elias ascending, balancing several trays of food with impressive steadiness. His posture was straight, his gaze focused.

With a grin plastered on his face, he announced, “Food delivery!” He set the trays down carefully and added, “Don’t get too used to this service—I’m not signing up to be a waiter.”

Bella chuckled, picking up her bowl. “Noted. But we’ll tip you with compliments.”

Elias rolled his eyes but couldn’t hold back a chuckle as he grabbed his own bowl and sat cross-legged with the group.

The quiet moments that followed were peaceful, filled with light conversation and the occasional laughter. The stars had begun to flicker in the sky by the time they finished their meal.

Amira placed her empty bowl beside her, leaned forward slightly, and folded her hands together. Her expression shifted—calm yet resolute.

The others took notice immediately, straightening as the air grew more serious.

Amira broke the silence. “You’re aware that we’re close now—less than 100 kilometers from the Icelorn Basin,” she began. “But with the condition of the roads and the likelihood of encountering mutated beasts, it’s going to take us at least four to five hours.”

Bella nodded. “Maybe even longer if one of the vehicles breaks down. Plus, we’re moving a massive convoy. All those people and supplies will slow us down.”

Amira’s gaze flicked toward Layla. “Do we have enough room to accommodate everyone?”

Layla, the ever-efficient organizer, nodded confidently. “I’ve been keeping track of the headcount and assigning seats for every vehicle. We’ve got plenty of space—everyone will fit comfortably.”

A small wave of relief washed over the group, but Amira’s attention remained sharp. She turned to Elias next. “What’s the status of the communication wired line between this village and our safe house? Have we laid it out, can we still reach them?”

Elias set his bowl aside and rubbed his hands together as he prepared his response. “We prepped everything before we left, so the setup didn’t take long and have secured as best as we can manage.”

Amira’s gaze sharpened. “And you’re sure they’re well-hidden?”

“As sure as we can be,” Elias replied. “We made the channels strong with the help of our team members with earth-based affinity to reinforce the wires with multiple layers of packed earth. Even if someone messes with it, it’s tough enough to hold unless they’ve got serious power.”

Satisfied but curious, Amira pressed further. “And the transmitters? Can we communicate effectively within range?”

Elias nodded. “We’ve placed the transmitters every ten kilometers along the line and buried them underground for extra protection. Within that radius, our comms work perfectly. As long as we’re within the coverage zone, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“Good,” Amira murmured, her silver eyes gleaming with thought. “At least we won’t lose contact while traveling this route.”

She took a breath before asking, “Do we have enough wire to extend the line from here to the basin?”

Elias hesitated, running mental calculations. “We’ve got just enough to reach the basin—but we’ll be out of supplies after that. If we want to build an extensive monitoring network around the basin, we’ll need more materials.”

Amira nodded, absorbing the information. “We’ll make that a priority.”

After Elias finished his report about the secure communication line, Amira exhaled softly—a sign of relief. But her focus didn’t waver. She fixed her sharp gaze on Elias and asked once more, “Is there anyone still inside the safe house?”

Before Elias could respond, Bella leaned in with a mischievous grin. “Oh, don’t worry about that. Garrick left two of his best workers there. One of them basically ran the place when Garrick wasn’t around.” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “They’ve barricaded the whole safe house tighter than a vault. No one will even know there’s a hidden facility down there.”

Amira gave a small nod of approval. Bella continued, her voice brightening with pride. “And as for food, they’re set for at least six months. No need for constant check-ins. Plus, we’ve got cameras covering a one-kilometer radius around the place. They send us updates every four hours.”

Satisfied, Amira allowed herself a brief smile. “Good work, Bella.”

“Piece of cake.” Bella waved her hand dismissively though her expression betrayed her pleasure at the praise.

Looking toward the horizon Amira saw shadows stretched far and wide. “Now that the safe house and communication line are secure all we need to focus on what comes next.”

Layla, who had been quietly observing folded her hands in her lap and asked. “So, what’s our next move once we arrive at the basin?”