I tried to keep track of our progress so that I could find my way back to the tower room which, now that I had left its confines, felt safe and secure, but the wolf trotting beside me drove all sense of direction from my mind. I tried to pretend it was a dog, but there was nothing dog-like about it; the paws were too big, the tail too short, the head too narrow, the snout too long. Every hair on its body rippled with predatory potential.

The corridors blurred together, lit by the dim light of the arrow slits. Shadows that might have been unlit torches and wall sconces passed me, but the Huntress moved with such surety that I half wondered if she could see in the dark like a wolf.

What light there was illuminated floors littered with dead leaves and the occasional bone, more like an animal’s warren than a place of human habitation. It made my skin crawl. Despite the debris, the curious lack of dust persisted. Everything smelled cleanly of animal and snow.

Where are we going? I did not ask.

The keep seemed larger inside than it had looked from the frozen lake, and I wondered if she was intentionally trying to disorient me.

As we walked, the air grew warmer.

“In here.”

The corridor came to an abrupt end. A large, stone archway opened into a dark space beyond, and the Huntress struck a spark against an oil lamp. It flared against my eyes, much brighter than it had a right to be, and she lit more lamps until the cavern sparkled. The walls were hewn from the mountain— that much was clear, and stalactites encrusted with crystal dangled from the ceiling. In the center of the cavern, encircled with black and white stones, stood three pools. They bubbled softly, and the air smelled faintly of sulfur.

“What . . .?” My question trailed off.

“Hot springs. The mountain keeps them warm. You may bathe if you wish.”

A bottle of oil, a comb, and a towel lay by one of the pools. I stared at them suspiciously, wondering if she could read minds.

“I will return for you in an hour.”

I listened to the faint whisper of her boots until they passed beyond hearing, leaving me alone with the weight of the mountain above me. I shivered. Steam rose from the water, and I thought about how vulnerable I would be, sitting naked while some unknown beast with fangs and claws prowled the cavern’s depths, thirsting for blood.

An hour.

How long did she expect me to bathe?

I placed a hand in the water. It was hot, and felt faintly oily, like the public baths in the city. I withdrew my hand slowly.