Alice had to admit she couldn’t imagine Geryon submitting meekly to capture, or even speaking to the ice giant on any terms other than conqueror to conquered. He’d probably have laid waste to the whole fortress. That’s what makes me different from him, she thought fiercely. He deserves what I’ve got planned for him.

The ice giants hadn’t treated them too badly, all things considered. They’d taken their packs and Flicker’s spear and walked them gently but firmly to this cell in the depths of the fortress. It probably would have been uncomfortably small for one of their own people, but it was larger than Alice’s bedroom back in the Library. The last she’d seen of Erdrodr, the ice giant girl had been speaking frantically to her mother.

“We’ll be all right,” Alice said. “They can’t keep us in here forever.”

“Oh?” Flicker said. “Why not, exactly?”

He had a point. “I don’t think they will,” she amended. “And if they try, I’ll—”

“Think of something,” Flicker finished for her. “So far, that’s worked out very well.”

Alice was in the midst of trying to think of an appropriately cutting response when heavy footsteps came from outside. A key turned in the lock with a clank, and a heavyset woman opened the door. She had an ax strapped to her shoulder.

“Helga desires your presence,” the ice woman said. “Follow me.”

“What about Erdrodr?” Alice said, getting to her feet. “Is she all right?”

The ice woman did not answer.

Alice and Flicker had to jog behind the giant to keep up with her strides. For the hundredth time, Alice wondered if she ought to simply take hold of her threads and smash the giant aside. There are too many, though. And I don’t know the way to the portal. Better to keep violence as a last resort, until time started to really run short.

They passed through more stone corridors, then cut out into the starlight and across the central courtyard, where several ice giants were tending the ice flowers.

The largest building facing the square had huge metal doors standing half-open. Inside, a broad timbered hall was occupied by a pair of long tables, where it looked like the feast Byrvorda spoke of had recently taken place. Joints from some large animal and smaller, bird-like carcasses were scattered across the tables, reduced to a mess of gristle and bones.

Only a half-dozen ice giants remained, clustered at one end of one of the tables. Just beyond them, in a large chair, sat Helga the Ice Flower. She still wore her furs and leather, and her axes rested against the arms of her throne. One of her massive hands was wrapped around a tankard. In front of her, Erdrodr was on her knees, head bowed. Alice was glad to see that she seemed unharmed.