Howl took a long look around the chamber at every throat that had been presented. “On pain of death, you have submitted to my will. Remember well, my people.”
He clapped and the wolves returned to attention. “Now, will my wife come forward? I wish to present you to our guests, my love.”
Slowly, one of the largest, most beautiful white wolves rose and padded forward. In the blink of an eye, she shimmered, and a woman stood beside Howl. She was short—about five five—and sturdily built with visible muscle under an even layer of padding. Her eyes were glistening, pale blue, and her hair was as silver as Smoky’s. She was dressed in a white pair of soft leather pants and matching tunic. A long white pelt draped down from her back and it was then I realized that these wolves weren’t typical Weres.
They’re like the selkie, I thought. Their pelts were worn as cloaks when they were in human form, around their necks. I decided to keep my mouth shut, though. The subject was personal and could be a secret that few mortals knew about. And it didn’t do to let the Immortals know you were in on their secrets.
“I present to you my wife, Kitää, Queen and Mother of the Katabas Wolf People.”
She gave us a brief nod, taking us in with those brilliant blue eyes, her gaze stopping as she came to Smoky. “Iampaatar!” With a sharp laugh, she threw her arms around the dragon and gave him a hearty hug before stepping back. “What brings you to our lands? I’d heard you’d stomped out of the Dragon Reaches, vowing not to return.”
Smoky sucked in a deep breath. He grinned and leaned forward in a deep bow, surprising all of us. “Lady Kitää, Queen of the Wind Wolves, I am honored to be in your presence. In the distant past, your people joined with mine to drive back the Northmen in the Rout of the Great Snow. I hearken back to that friendship on this journey and ask for a traveler’s respite.”
Kitää let out a low laugh. “My husband,” she said, turning to Howl, “you have unleashed a dragon in our midst? What are you thinking, my Lord? But for a dragon, Iampaatar is one of the better ones. And he tells a feisty tale or two, at that.” There was a shuffle and murmuring throughout the chamber, but she held up her hand and the room fell instantly silent. Stepping forward, she looked Smoky up and down, then gave a little shrug.
“You seem to be in fair enough health, Prince. Introduce your companions.”
Prince? I glanced over at Smoky and saw Roz and Camille doing the same, but he gave us a short shake of the head, a warning in his eye.
“I left the name Iampaatar behind when I left the Dragon Reaches. I am known as Smoky by my friends,” he said softly. “I present to you my wife, Camille. She is part Fae, part human. And our companions, Rozurial, an incubus, and the Lady Iris, one of the Ar’jant d’tel and a Talon-haltija.” He slid his arm around Camille and stepped back a pace.
Kitää arched her eyebrows as she gave Camille a long look. “You must be exceptional to win the love and heart of a dragon prince and to make him rise up against his father. I wish you luck, my girl. If you have not yet met your father-in-law, I quake for you when you do.”
At Smoky’s sharp glance, she merely said, “I have heard the rumors, Iampaatar—and do not think you can escape your Northlands name so easily. You cannot slip through without being recognized. I am not sure what you are doing here, but watch your back. There are those your father has driven into a frenzy with his treachery and lies. He was always a violent soul, and his ability to persuade others serves him well.”
“We are not here because of my needs, Queen Kitää,” Smoky said. “We are here as companions to the Lady Iris, who seeks to right a wrong some six hundred years old. Leave my concerns for another time.”
She gracefully inclined her head. “As you will.” Turning to me, she knelt and extended her hand. “One of the Ar’jant d’tel?”
“I was so named centuries ago,” I said quietly. “The title was revoked and I was cast out of my temple for a crime about which I have no memory. I come to find the truth, either to free myself from a curse or to bear the punishment should it be proved I did this deed.”
The Wolf Mother held my gaze for a moment, but then the hesitation slid away and she smiled at me, rich and full. “I see truth in your heart. I smell no lie, no hesitation. Lady Iris, you might be stripped of your title, but you wear it like a cloak in your aura. Mortals may give and take names, but they cannot remove the energy behind the title. Rest, and tell us what you need.”
As she spoke, several of the other wolves shifted form, into stocky, lovely women with dark hair and eyes. Kitää clapped her hands and they hurried over to pull pelts and furs out from behind one of the columns and began to form a thick bed on the cavern floor.
One of the wolf men knelt and began to light a fire in the fire pit, rubbing two sticks together, but Smoky motioned for the warrior to hand him one of the sticks. He held it to his lips, blew on it softly, and the wood sparked to life. Handing the torch back to the man, Smoky leaned down and planted a kiss on the top of Camille’s head.
Kitää led me over to the pile of furs and I gratefully sank into the bedding. It was warm and cushioned, and I realized how bone-weary I was. Camille, Smoky, and Roz joined us.
“Food,” Kitää said motioning to a couple of the women. “Make certain it’s hot and hearty.”
Howl sauntered over. “What think you of my home?”
“It’s incredible,” I said truthfully. The chamber led back into tunnels, and the eye catchers provided soft light all the way through. Even though the fire was limited in scope, the air in the chamber seemed warm compared to the outdoors and we shed our cloaks.
“You have a lovely home,” Camille said, smiling at him. “Thank you for your hospitality.”
“So what is your plan, Lady Iris? We stand on the edge of the Skirts of Hel. What do you need to do next? Go to the temple?” Howl motioned to Kitää and she curled in his arms as they sat back, resting against a stone column.
I shook my head. “They would not allow me entrance. No, I have to find Vikkommin’s shadow and confront him. I need to break through his madness and discover what happened that night. Once I find out, then I can go to the temple and they can look into my mind and see the truth of the matter.”
Memories of their inquisition ran through my thoughts and for a moment I felt fear. But then, what worse could they do to me than they’d already done? I was stronger now, tougher, and had already been through their torture.
Kitää reached out, ran her fingers up my arm. “You are a brave soul. Tell me what happened.”
I glanced at Camille and she nodded. “Long ago, I was taken to the temple . . .” And I told them everything. This was the first Roz and Smoky had heard of the whole tale. Camille knew I’d been tortured, but I hadn’t told the guys. I didn’t want them playing hero before I needed them to.
“Let me see them,” Kitää said. “Let me see your scars.”
Camille looked at me. “It’s up to you. Do you want to?”
I bit my lip. No one had seen my scars since I’d stopped at the inn on the way down the mountain. Not even Bruce, because I played it shy with him, keeping the lights off. He thought I was just demure, but really it was to prevent him from asking questions. They had healed without leaving raised bumps, but they were still there, across my back.
“Only the women.” I glanced up at all of them.
Rozurial laid his hand gently on my arm. “Iris, my sweet. I know I’ve joked around, and tried to win you into bed, but trust me, I would never make light of your past or your need for privacy. Smoky, come on, let’s go outside to stretch our legs and lose some drink.”
Howl said nothing, but he followed Smoky and Roz. Kitää motioned and a ring of wolves—all female—surrounded us, their backs to us, keeping everyone at bay. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. The moment of truth.