40. Maddy

Chapter 40

Maddy

" Y ou're sure this is the only way to do this?"

My face is as hot as the rest of me as I squeeze my thighs around Kain's massive waist.

A whoosh of air leaves my lips as he tugs on the rope that has secured me to his back.

"If you faint, you die. So, yes. Just don't touch me," he growls.

I didn't know it was possible to be embarrassed and aroused at the same time, but as Kain reaches for the first handhold at the base of the trunk leading up to the Gryphon's Nest, there's no question that's where I am. My legs are spread around him, and every movement he makes causes delicious friction that makes every muscle in my aching body tense.

"Are you squeezing so hard for a reason, princess?" Kain growls, and I try to relax my legs a little.

"Am I hurting you?"

He's moving faster, scaling the trunk in much less time than it would have taken me. He gives a grunt at my question. "Do you know how long it has been since a female wrapped her legs around me?"

He insisted on wedging an entire fur between our bodies, and I don't think it's my imagination, but the fur is already hot to the touch. At the thought, snow starts over my head and I close my eyes, as Kain pauses.

"Princess?"

"Yes."

"Snow is not helping me climb."

"I can't help it," I whisper. "Apparently, this is what happens when I'm hot."

He starts to climb again in silence.

When we reach the platform that makes up the entrance hall, he unties me quickly, and I stretch my legs, hoping my pale skin isn't as red as it feels.

"Thanks," I mutter. "I didn't faint, so probably a waste of time, but?—"

"If you had, you'd have died," he says, not looking at me but coiling the rope up and then scanning the doors. There are no candles lit or signs of anyone here.

"Have you been here before?" I ask quietly.

"Yes. Not inside most of the rooms, though."

"It's not that one." I point to the room I had tea in. Two of the other doors have glass in them, and we move to peer through. One is lined with bookcases and glass display cabinets, many showing pieces of paper. "I'm guessing it's this one."

The first three keys I try on the ring don't work, but the fourth one does.

We move silently when we're inside, even though we're miles from anyone else. Breaking into Sigrun's rooms just feels like something that should be done quietly.

In the center of the room are three display cases, and the middle one contains a piece of paper as long as my torso. On it is a list of every Valkyrie, and their val-tivar .

"Excellent," I mutter, and read it carefully, before going to the gallery. It's weird to do it with Kain there watching. But he's seen me do this before, it seems. There's no point hiding it now.

The list of Valkyrie is stored as a statue of a spear, and when I return to the records room, Kain is staring at me with fascination.

"I got it. Let's go."

"Where do you go?"

"Just… into my head." Part of me wants to tell him about the ice statue gallery, but I don't. This isn't the time or place, and I'm not fully sure I want to share that much with him. Probably because I didn't choose to share anything in the first place.

There's a noise, and we both turn to the door. It's beating wings.

"Shit," I swear, as Kain hisses something worse.

We both run to the door of the records room in time to see the silver wings of Brynhild, but it's too late to leave.

As one, we press ourselves against the wall, either side of the door.

Whatever she's doing here, please don't let it be in this room, I pray. Or notice the rope Kain kicked to one side of the platform.

We hear footsteps, heeled boots on the planks, then a pause, and the sound of a key turning.

It's not our door. Thank the fates.

But why does Brynhild have a key? And what is she doing here?

Before I can stop myself, I peek through the glass of the records room door. She's moved a few feet into the receiving room, and with the light of all the windows behind her I can see clearly that she's holding a book. She opens it, takes something out, and puts it in her pocket.

She looks up, and I snap my head back, out of view.

I hold my breath as there are more footsteps, then let it go as the beating of wings replaces them.

Neither of us move for a few moments, then Kain growls. "Your curiosity really will get you killed. Why did you risk being seen?"

I glance at him, then step away from the wall. "Couldn't help it," I mutter. "Why was she here?"

"I don't know. I thought nobody is supposed to have a key."

I open the door and step out onto the platform, looking around warily before hurrying to the receiving room.

"We need to go," Kain says.

"In a minute."

I try the keys until one works, and scan the room for the book she was holding. It was bright orange and must have been close to the door.

"Aha." I find it and flip it open to discover that the center has been hollowed out. Inside are coins, just like the one I found outside the vault. I finger through them, seeing that they all have different feathers carved on them. What could Brynhild have been wanting to do with them?

"Princess, now," Kain growls.

I shove one of the coins into my pouch, put the book back, and lock the doors. Part of me thinks I should leave the keys, in case Sigrun notices they're gone, but the rest of me refuses to give up such a valuable item. And besides, I wouldn't be able to lock up behind me if I left them.

Kain is holding the rope out, having already wrapped himself in protective fur. I swear it's singed in places it wasn't before.

He shakes his head at me. "I didn't know you were such a little thief."

I glare at him. "Do you want to get into that vault or not?"

"Do you want me to strap you to my front this time?"

My face flames and I snatch the rope from him, moving deliberately to his back.

"Let's go."