I lower it slowly while my back, thigh, and arm muscles scream.
To Kalith, Malak says, “This is where we’ll separate. I don’t want anyone connecting the Einherjar with our fallen men. You will enter through the western gate on this side of the city. I will continue with our captive under the cover of trees to the northern gate and make it look like we’ve come from the north.
“Cover Asha completely in the fur that’s wrapped around her so it appears as if you’re carrying nothing more than furs on thatsled. You’ve brought animal skins back before. Nobody will ask questions.”
“And the cart?” Kalith asks.
Malak gives Kalith a hard stare. “Leave it here for now. Tell the guards at the gate to bring it in. After that, it’s your responsibility.”
“The wolves,” I rasp, interrupting their conversation. “What about them?”
Both Skirra and Kori have settled down on the bottom of their small cages, growing silent over the last two hours. Their haunted eyes are weighing heavily on me.
These proud, wild beasts should never be caged.
Malak steps toward them. “They will come with me.” He gestures to Kalith. “Kalith, you will retract the cages and I will muzzle the beasts so I can control them.”
I can’t stop my protest as I glare at Malak through the sweat dripping down my brow. “They’re wild creatures. They can’t be controlled.”
Kalith, too, appears uncertain, shuffling on the spot. “As soon as I retract the cages, the beasts will attack. If I were to immediately muzzle them myself?—”
Malak’s glare falls on him and he stops speaking.
“You know as well as I do that your metal is beneath me,” Malak says with a cold stare. “I will muzzle them so I can control their leashes.”
I study the two men carefully as I consider what Malak said.
Kalith has taken hold of other Blacksmiths’ metal and manipulated it as if it were his own, but it occurs to me that Malak has only controlled his own black metal. He hasn’t touched or changed any other metal and now it sounds like… maybe he can’t.
Malak turns to me while Thoren remains stiff beside me, my brother’s focus flicking to the wolves.
“You are my Vandawolf,” Malak says to me. “When Kalith retracts the cages, you will stop the wolves from attacking until I can muzzle them.” He gives me a hard look. “If you do not control them, I will kill them.”
A smile passes across Kalith’s face, replacing his reluctance, as if he’s looking forward to seeing me fail.
“Kalith,” Malak says to him. “Wait for my signal and then retract the metal bars.”
Closer to me, Thoren takes a step forward, as if he’ll get in the way, but I snag his arm and give him a firm shake of my head.
In response, the corners of his mouth turn down and his brow furrows fiercely, but I tighten my grip on his arm.
My voice is a dry rasp, scratchier every time I speak. “I can use my Einherjar light to keep the wolves calm.”
Thoren will know how impossible this is, but I hope he’ll at least trust me enough to know I won’t put the wolves in danger.
Once the bars are gone, I will give them the chance to escape.
Chapter 22
Istep toward Skirra first, carefully keeping both Malak and Kalith within my sights.
Kalith positions himself at the side of Skirra’s cage first, his hand hovering near the farthermost bar.
He won’t be so reckless as to extend his fingers into the cage.
The way both Kori and Skirra are already growling at him indicates they won’t hesitate to rip open his throat the moment they have the chance.
“Easy, Skirra,” I say, slipping my hand through the bars and reaching for his snout.
