Gallium was not deterred.
He located the fae’s armory and has been gradually raiding it—not for weapons, but for supplies.
While the Queen was obsessing over me, constantly dragging me to her side and seemingly determined to poison me against my sister, Gallium was able to slip away multiple times.
Twice, he was worried he might have been spotted by the Queen’s Champion—the fae woman calledElowynn of the Dawn. But if she did see him taking supplies, she didn’t try to stop him.
Gallium also managed to hide packs in the forest to the west of the castle. He left them where Asha and the Vandawolf could find them. I’m certain he gave the Vandawolf directions to the packs during dinner.
Now, I step quickly into my room and head straight for the bed, kneeling and reaching under the overly soft mattress for the objects hidden beneath it.
I pull out from under the mattress a pair of long pants, a long-sleeved tunic, and a pair of high boots that will be far more practical than the dresses and slippers Karasi gave me to wear.
The clothing is a mottled brown color. When Gallium first brought it back to our rooms to hide it, I was surprised to see the color and texture of the weave. The fae wear sleek armor that’s form-fitting. They would never wear items as simple and drab as these.
At the time, Gallium was grim. “Taken from dead humans,” he said. “The fae use this clothing when they send spies into human territory. I heard them talking about it.”
As much as my own feelings toward humans are complex because of their hatred of me, I would die to protect the two humans who raised Gallium and me.
Kedric and Maybelle treated us like their own children. They put themselves in terrible danger when they took us in. They raised us with kindness and empathy and more love than I’d ever thought I could receive from people who were supposed to be our enemies.
Leaving them behind in the Cursed City was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.
Slipping into the bathroom, I change quickly, unstrapping my hammer and medallions before I dress in the human clothing.
Then I head straight for the little table on the far side of the bed, farthest from either door.
While the fae may have confiscated our old belongings, what they wouldn’t touch were our toolboxes.
They’re clearly afraid of our tools, as they should be.
I now face the dilemma of deciding whether or not I should continue carrying my hammer close to my body.
At dinner, I needed to conceal it because otherwise, it would appear that I was threatening the fae. Much like attending a dinner with a dagger on my belt.
But now…
I quickly reconsider if I could continue concealing it so I could keep it close.
As far as Thaden knows, I wouldn’t be able to do much with it. My Blacksmith power is unique. Unlike all other Blacksmiths, I can’t transform metal. I can’t create weapons or change a medallion’s shape.
I can only use my power to heal others. By placing a medallion onto my right palm, I can create a conduit between my power and a person I need to heal. Or a plant I need to change.
Now, I consider if I can slip my hammer and medallions under my cloak…
But the way my hammer makes my skin luminous will be obvious out in the darkness of the mountains. A layer of material between the metal and my skin isn’t enough to stop my skin, hair, and eyes from glowing with power.
We need to be stealthy. I can’t be a beacon in the dark.
I return my hammer to my toolbox, promising myself I won’t be powerless for long.
The cold night air hits my cheeks as I step from the stifling corridor and into the wilderness that lies outside the castle.
Gallium steps out ahead of me while Thaden is at my back.
The trees are sparse enough that I can see high into the vast night sky and out across the land. The castle has been hewn into the side of a mountain, and we now stand on a ridge to the side of it.
To our left is an enormous plain across which there are tiny dots of flames from a thousand campfires.
