A Soul Like Glass (Kingdom of Betrayal #4)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

R unes are carved in the walls in a snaking line all the way along the corridor as far as I can see.

My voice is breathless. “What is this place?”

Even Gallium looks surprised, but then, the runes weren’t visible from the entrance, and I’m not sure exactly when the carvings started.

“These are Einherjar runes,” Thaden says, moving closer to my side and reaching past my shoulder to point to the particularly ornate carvings on the wall directly beside me.

The scent of his fiery skin fills my chest, seeming stronger than before as he brushes his fingertips across the runes.

“Einherjar?” I ask carefully, glancing at Gallium, but he shakes his head. He hasn’t heard that word before, either.

“They are a brutal people who now live in the far north,” Thaden says softly. “They believe in the gods—in titans and Valkyries and jotnar.”

“Jotnar?” I ask.

“Plural for the jotunn.” Thaden gives me a smile that speaks to danger. “Giants of ice and fire and rock.”

He releases me from his gaze to press his palm fully against the next rune before running his fingertips lightly across the ones beside it. “The Vandawolf was born into an Einherjar clan.”

My eyes fly wide. “What?”

Thaden glances at me, nodding before returning his attention to the wall. “When Milena was torturing me, she told me what she knew of him. She met his father—and him—when he was a small child. He had a younger brother. They lived high in the mountains to the west of the Cursed City, hidden from the Blacksmiths and other humans. Somehow, Malak must have found out about them. She didn’t know how.”

Thaden’s hand flexes against the wall before he takes a sharp breath and steps back, swiftly changing the subject. “According to the story inscribed on this wall, this corridor belonged to a god: the World Serpent.” He trails his hand along the runes, seeming to read as he goes. “The World Serpent unfolded from around the world, descended from what was called the Earth Sea —that’s the sky—and chose this place to hibernate and transform. When it awoke, it emerged from this cocoon in the form of a human male whose power was inked into his body in the shapes of black serpents.”

Thaden reaches the end of that line of runes and then turns to arch an eyebrow at me. “If you can believe it.”

I purse my lips. “You can read their runes.”

Thaden nods. “My village is populated with those who have escaped other places and wish for a new life. I’ve learned from them—everything they were willing to teach me.”

I consider the circular shape of the corridor and the way it gently curves back and forth. It certainly makes me imagine an enormous serpent hibernating within it. And then slithering out again, changing as it goes, leaving the corridor behind it like a shed skin…

I shake myself, focusing on Thaden’s eyes.

His smile softens, and he continues before I can reply. “You can see better now. I can tell because you’re looking at me.” His eyes narrow just the slightest. “For the first time in hours, actually.”

Looking at him is a dangerous thing.

Too easy to get drawn in by his strength and power.

Too easy to be beguiled.

Too easy for me to believe his openness and doubt that he’s my enemy…

He inclines his head toward the corridor. “Let’s go.”

He turns away, breaking our gaze, and I draw a shaky breath.

Gallium draws level with me and I make myself focus on the power around him. Calm and steadfast. Honest and true.

I tell myself I know what I’m doing.

I know the path I have to take.

Soon enough, the downward slope through the corridor eases and the tunnel lets out onto level ground.

Cold wind buffets my hair, bringing with it the scent of campfires and ash before settling down again.

The corridor hasn’t let out far enough east that we can avoid cutting across at least some part of the encampment, which extends from this side of the valley all the way to the base of the mountains on the other side.

Countless white tents have been assembled across the plains, and even though it’s past the middle of the night, there is a hum of activity.

Guards are positioned at intervals all around the space, and I’m grateful for my enhanced eyesight.

No matter their Queen’s orders, all of them are our enemies.

While Thaden takes the lead again, proceeding more cautiously than I thought he might, Gallium continues to walk at my side.

I don’t miss the way he has positioned himself so that he is between me and the nearest fae guards.

He is now gripping his hammer in such a way that his closed fist rests around its head while the handle is tucked up under his sleeve.

His hand is so big that the hammer isn’t visible.

My hand is smaller, so I can’t conceal my hammer that way. But then, I’m short and petite, so I expect that the fae won’t see me as much of a threat, anyway.

And it’s true that I won’t be.

I may be nimble and know how to evade a punch, but judging by what I saw of the fae’s combat training over the last few days, any one of them could knock me flat in seconds, hammer or not.

The four guards nearest to us are certainly wide awake, their sharp eyes following our every step. I’m not surprised that all four guards are female. Only women are allowed in their army.

They’re all wearing raven-black armor that blends seamlessly with the tops of their boots so that it appears as if they are wearing a single suit from their toes up to their necks.

Every fae warrior carries weapons that conform completely to their armor. They call them liquid blades, and we won’t know exactly what kinds of weapons they are—swords, daggers, or something else—until the women pull the blades from their armor.

The style of their hair is also uniform, each one wearing their hair in a single, tight braid, but that’s where the similarities end.

The fae have skin in varying shades, ranging from dark brown to fair, and hair colors in pinks, purples, and blues that remind me of flowers.

As we approach, their reaction to us is anything but subtle.

Within moments, the woman standing farthest ahead of us steps directly into Thaden’s path, and the other three circle around to flank us on each side, forcing us to draw to a stop.

“We know who you are,” the first woman says to Thaden. Her skin is light brown and her hair is pale blue. “You aren’t welcome here.”

“Then you’ll be happy to know we’re leaving,” Thaden replies.

The guard narrows her blue eyes at Gallium and me. “The only thing that would make me happy would be to see those two Blacksmiths dead.” Her sharp gaze returns quickly to Thaden. “And you, a human beast. I would see you in chains.”

My heart sinks as she raises her hand to her shoulder, reaching for her weapon.

Thaden tenses.

I can’t see his expression because he’s facing away from me, but the Blacksmith magic within him is flaring like a flame around his silhouette.

I sense his inhaled breath and anticipate his anger.

The situation is quickly deteriorating, and I can’t let a fight break out.