Page 31 of Escaping my Dragon

He laughed. “No. If anything, it’s singing ‘free me’.”

The shiver that went through me had nothing to do with the temperature. “I don’t hear any lyrics.”

“You have to really listen to it. Close your eyes and clear your mind.” Vernon mimed his instructions, head tilted back, a beatific grin on his face.

Despite my trepidation, I did the same. Eyes shut against the stinging snow. Wiping my thoughts clean, though? That I struggled with.

I doubted Vernon actually heard a voice. As for his claim the snow and ice sang ‘free me’, most likely he’d listened to the residents of this place one time too many and he ended up imagining⁠—

Free. Me.

My eyes shot open.

Free. Me.

The words repeated, and I swung my head left and right. No one stood nearby, and Vernon remained slack-jawed in wonder.

Free. Me. Servant. I. Tire. Of. Waiting.

Properly spooked, I grabbed Vernon’s arm. “Time to get inside.”

“Sure. I should have enough recorded. I wonder if anyone from the kitchen smuggled out some hot cocoa.”

Off he sauntered, but I followed more slowly, my gaze flipping in the direction of the mountain hidden by the falling snow to where Erebus loomed, also invisible but more so because of dense fog.

Another tremor hit, violent enough I crouched and braced with one hand. It lasted longer than the others, and when it ceased, I couldn’t help but think perhaps I should leave this place.

Me and everyone else here.

Before it’s too late.

Chapter Ten

I didn’t realize I’d gotten lost until I ran into a warehouse and not Building 155. The swirling snow disoriented and I huffed in annoyance. From here, I just had to walk straight forward, and

…end up back near where I’d found Vernon. I swear the singing arctic mocked me

Lost. Lost. Lost.

Off I went again managing to do an impressive circle that got me nowhere.

“At this rate I’m going to end up freezing to death before I find shelter.”

You’d better not die, the ice sang more distinctly than I liked. Freaking Vernon. I blamed him for making me think I heard voices.

When are you going to free me?

“It’s just your imagination. The ice isn’t talking to you,” I muttered.

Of course the ice isn’t. I am.

“Confusion, a sign of hypothermia,” I reminded myself even as I would have sworn I’d not gotten cold enough to suffer its effects.

Why are you deliberately ignoring me?

“Because you’re not there.” And yes, I understood the irony of replying aloud.

For a servant, you are most impertinent.