34. Maddy
Chapter 34
Maddy
I t's hard not to stop and look at all the incredible artifacts as I move along the polished stone floor. The purple flowers are vivid above my head, and the tapestries gleam with their gold thread, but I focus my sights on the end of the tunnel. I pass pedestal after pedestal, reach the sword that's bigger than me, and then I'm turning the small bend at the end.
There's the door, and the name Kain has already etched in.
I can remember all the other names without the help of the gallery, and I take the magical quill and write them in. I do the ice-fae ship first. Fjardbroga . It loosely translates from the old language into "water horse."
The words shimmer, then appear in gold, like the fire-fae ship above it.
I let out an excited breath and write the next one, the translation of which I don't know beside the word "tree." Hlunnbjorn . Again it shimmers, and stays.
Three down. The gold-fae ship, Baruormr , means "wave serpent," and the door accepts it.
My hands are trembling with anticipation as I scratch the last name in. The shadow-fae's Saebroger . Sea dread.
The name shimmers, turns gold, and there is such a loud click and grating sound that I jump backward.
With a soft whoosh of air, the vault door swings open.
I immediately wish Kain was with me. I want to experience this with him. I want to share this excitement, feel his solid presence by my side, seething with powerful promise.
But it's just me. The way I chose it to be.
I take a breath and step into the room beyond, my hands raised, ready to defend myself if I need to.
It's dark—so dark I can't actually make anything out at first. But as I take another tentative step, the floor glows beneath my feet. In sequence, the tiles on the ground begin to light up, a soft, pale blue.
I scan the room fast, looking for threats. The Maddy who came to Featherblade would have been looking for anything exciting, so weeks of combat training must be finally taking hold.
The room is colossal and looks nothing at all like the rest of the tunnels down here. The walls are packed earth dotted with purple flowers, but that is where the similarities end. It's a circular room, and the ceiling is so high that it strains my neck to see it. Like a tunnel, bored straight into the ground, where the roof should be, is a strange, shimmery surface that is reflecting the glowing floor.
There are no more doors. This is it. I've reached the end. And that means I can now take things out of the vault.
The vast room is only occupied by three pedestals, right in the center of the room.
Carefully, I make my way to them.
One has what I am sure is the other half of Kain's rusted old Helm of Embers.
I move to the other pedestals in turn.
One holds a small dagger, and the other a small chest the size of a book. It has no lock or opening that I can see, just a small hole in the top that you can slot something through. Neither object looks magical or valuable, unlike the shining, labeled beauties out in the hall.
Are these things that have been broken, like the helm? Do they need other items to be whole?
I shrug my bag off my back and, after checking one more time that there are definitely no more doors in the room, carefully lift the helm from the pedestal.
I close my eyes and wait to drop dead.
When nothing happens, I let out a long breath.
"Thank Freya and the fates," I whisper. I turn the lump of rusted metal over in my hands. I can't leave it here. Anyone can walk in here now the doors are unlocked.
I need the leverage it gives me.
I tuck the helm piece carefully into my bag, then look at the small chest and the dagger. Both would just about fit in the bag, but I don't know what they are for, and they are probably safer down here than in the Bear Wing.
My resolve lasts about five seconds. With a resigned sigh, I pick up the chest, surprised when it jingles, and then the dagger. I'll investigate them later.
When they are safely in my bag, I head back through the corridor.
I can't resist taking the starstone bracelet, but I squash the thought of my sister that comes with it.
I leave the armor and weapons. The other rooks would ask questions if I showed up dressed like an ancient god, and Kain didn't seem interested in any of these things when we came through before.
As I sneak out, trying to keep my bag from making any sound, filled as it is with old metal treasures, my guilt increases, and my stomach squirms.
How am I going to look Kain in the face, knowing I have the other half of his helm?
One thing I know for sure is that I won't be able to lie to him for long.