Helga looked up as they entered, peering down at Alice and Flicker. Their guard led them through the big hall to stand beside Erdrodr. Alice tried to catch the giant girl’s eye, but she didn’t raise her head.

“The prisoners,” the guard announced.

“A human,” Helga rumbled, “and a fire-kin. Curious. And my daughter tells me that the human is a Reader, which is stranger still. It has been a very long time since we have crossed paths with one of that benighted breed.” She shifted irritably on her throne. “Is it true, then?”

“It is,” Alice said. She fought an urge to say “Your Majesty” —the place resembled nothing so much as a medieval throne room blown up to twice normal size.

“And are you here to enslave my people to your books?” Helga’s scarred lip twitched upward.

“No,” Alice said. “I just want to use the portal.”

“That is what my daughter tells me,” Helga said. “She is young, however, and more naive than she ought to be.” Her eyes sought out Byrvorda, who was among the giants gathered at the table. “My Keen Eyes tells me you wish to visit the Palace of Glass. Have the mighty Readers grown so careless of their lives?”

Alice shook her head, not sure what to say. Helga yawned.

“No matter. Tell me, Reader, what did you promise my daughter, that she agreed to betray her family?”

“She came to us,” Alice said. “She said she could get us to the wild portal, if we took her with us to the other side.”

“I told you,” Erdrodr said. “They—”

“Silence,” Helga snapped. “When I wish you to speak, girl, I will say so. Reader, you did not think what you were doing was wrong?”

“I only want to pass through,” Alice said. “Erdrodr told us—”

“No doubt she spun you a tale of woe. Cruel creature that I am, I keep her locked away for no reason other than malice.” Helga’s lip twitched again. “Did she tell you what happened the last time she was allowed to join the hunt? How she was nearly killed by a long-horn because she was busy sketching some pretty bug? Did you show the Reader your scars, Erdrodr?”

“That was two years ago,” Erdrodr said. “I have grown, Mother.”

“So you say. I see a silly girl still obsessed with her drawings. Until you demonstrate you’re no longer a child, you will be treated like one.”

Alice, standing beside Erdrodr, could feel her tension, but the giant girl lowered her head and went quiet.