Page 48 of Of Steel and Scale

You kincame Kaia’s reply.Belong.

It would appear that having connected our minds on a deeper level than we had previously, there was now no stopping it—something that had never happened before with any other animal. But having her in my head, watching everything I did and hearing everything I said, was going to take some getting used to.

Warn me if we get too close.

Should stop. Safer.

Safer doesn’t get us through that barrier. Safer won’t find us the gilded ones.

She mentally sniffed. It was a very unimpressed sound.

I grinned and returned my attention to Damon. “She’ll warn us when we’re close.”

“Good.”

He shone his light on the ground, no doubt looking for the pins he’d mentioned. I followed, studying the tunnel ahead but still not seeing anything untoward. Then the edge of Damon’s light caught a slight flutter. I touched his arm, and he immediately stopped, his muscles tensing briefly under my fingers.

“Point the light left—there’s something there.”

That something turned out to be a thin strip of leather coated with a black substance. Dried blood. This must be where Randel had hit the rocks after being thrown by the barrier. It had to be just up ahead, and yet there remained no sign.

I edged on cautiously, but had barely gone a dozen more steps when Kaia snapped,Stop.

Damon bent, picked up a loose, fist-sized stone, and tossed it. Four feet in front of us, something flashed, and the stone rebounded with such force it could have caused serious injuries if it had hit our heads or limbs.

“It’s odd that I can’t see or sense this shield. I should if they are indeed using blood magic.”

“Maybe it’s a different type to what you use.”

He glanced at me, his expressive eyebrows raised and suggesting amusement. “Blood is blood, no matter what creature it comes from.”

“Well, obviously not.” I motioned to the barrier neither of us could see. “Do you think my Ithican blade can counter the barrier’s magic?”

“The actual barrier rather than the pins? No. Ithicans do use magic in the creation of their weapons, but as far as I’m aware, they cannot counter it.”

Can.

I blinked.The swordcancounter magic?

No. The reply was annoyed.Me.

Hate to point this out, Kaia, but you’re not here at the moment, and you’re too big to fit in these tunnels.

No need.

Why?

Can help you through.She paused.Not him. Not kin.

“Huh.” I refocused on Damon. “Kaia says she can get me past the barrier but not you.”

“Separation isn’t a good idea, given we have no idea what waits beyond the barrier. Just because the tunnel appears to be empty of threat doesn’t mean it is.”

“I’m aware of that, but we need answers fast, and this might be the only way of getting some.”

“We could backtrack and take another tunnel.”

“That’ll take hours we might not have.” I paused. “Once I’m on the other side, I can look for the pins you mentioned and destroy them. That should bring the barrier down, shouldn’t it?”

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