Winter has a way of remembering what the world forgets.
“Memories are threads—breathe, and we will weave them back together.”
“Joy’s a craft—trim the wick, set the beat, and warm the night together.”
“Measure the ice. Trust the numbers. Then take one careful step.”
“Speak softly, pay fairly, and let the walls forget your face.”
“Fire remembers us when we remember each other—stand close, breathe slow.”
Drown your flames in snow and bare your necks. The Glass Crown keeps what burns.
Pile warm. Pile metal. Kneel. Do this, and Gorvak does not break you.
Shhh—hear the lock breathe? Now make it stop.
Torches down. Knees in the snow. When the collar rattles, you crawl—or you bleed.
Lay down your steel and your heat. Crawl. The ice will remember your shape.
“Hold still—I’ve got you. Breathe with the wind, not against it.”