“The way ahead becomes too narrow for me,” Bernosh said. “Even if Ptolemy should come out, I can’t assist in a scuffle against him. He is held in high regard by the ettins and several of the other lesser giants.”
“We understand,” Warren said. “Does an ettin have much of an appetite?”
Bernosh chuckled. “Does a wheel roll downhill? Ettins eat almost anything.”
“Do they have favorite game or livestock in the area?” Warren asked.
“Bears,” Bernosh said. “Sheep. You four, potentially. Anything alive they can catch.”
“How are you at catching sheep?” Warren asked.
“It’s no trouble,” Bernosh said.
“We could use a live sheep,” Warren said. “It might speed the mission along.”
“I’ll have a look,” Bernosh said, lumbering off.
Tanu held out a gaseous potion to Kendra. “Don’t hesitate to use this.”
Kendra accepted it. “I won’t. How would this wind affect me in a gaseous state?”
Tanu winced. “You could get blown far from us. If you go gaseous, try to stay in the ravine. It looks mostly sheltered from the breeze.”
“I’ll accompany her to the entrance,” Vanessa said.
“Take my gummy potion,” Tanu said. “Just in case.”
Vanessa accepted it and joined Kendra on her way into the ravine. They walked along a little shelf of land between the wall of the ravine and the trickling stream. The ground was uneven, and loose rocks sometimes shifted underfoot, forcing Kendra to tread carefully.
“Have you ever seen an ettin before?” Kendra asked.
“I have had few dealings with giants,” Vanessa said. “Do not expect the ettin to be as refined as the sky giants. Most giants are quite savage.”
“Dectus thought Ptolemy would talk to me,” Kendra said.
“I hope so,” Vanessa responded. “Keep that potion ready.”
After a couple of gentle turns in the path, a thin waterfall came into view at the end of the ravine, no broader than if Kendra extended both arms. Behind the waterfall gaped the mouth of a cave, at least four times Kendra’s height. Animal bones littered the sides of the stream near the base of the falls, with a few poking out of the water.
“I could do without the bones,” Kendra said.
“Let’s not join the collection,” Vanessa suggested.
Kendra paused toward the end of the ravine, at the side of the waterfall. There was room to get behind the waterfall without stepping into the stream, but not without passing through some chilly mist.
“I’ll wait here,” Vanessa said. “Turn on the charm. Play up your innocence.”
“I’ll do my best,” Kendra said, ducking through the mist, stepping over slick rocks and damp bones. Not many steps behind the waterfall, the coolness of the cave made her wet skin colder.
The bare cave lacked features like stalactites or stalagmites. It was just a big hole leading into the hillside. Kendra supposed it was dark, but her fairykind abilities allowed her to see just fine. Each step forward took her farther from the sound of the waterfall—and farther from her friends.
Before long, Kendra saw the flickering glow of firelight up ahead. The cave widened into a large cavern, and Kendra beheld several flaming cauldrons standing on tall, iron legs. By the firelight, Kendra beheld a brutish giant with exaggerated musculature. He wore a garment of shaggy fur and hairy boots fashioned from animal hides. He was nearly as broad as he was tall, with three heads perched above his beefy shoulders, the middle one larger than the other two. He was throwing hatchets at a wooden target with impressive accuracy.
After hurling his fifth hatchet, the giant plodded forward to retrieve them. One of the three heads turned and locked eyes with Kendra.
“We have company,” the left head said, and the giant turned, the other two pairs of eyes quickly fixing on her.
“We do,” the center head acknowledged.
Kendra was no taller than his hip. Compared to Bernosh, this giant’s size was not overly impressive, but he easily looked large and savage enough to beat Kendra into paste. Mustering her courage, she tried to project that she was a visitor rather than prey.
“I’m Kendra Sorenson,” she said with a curtsy. “I’ve come hoping you can help me.”
“A delightful little mortal,” the right head said.
“A delightful little morsel,” the left head countered.
“Fairykind, if I am not mistaken,” the right head said.
“We’ve never tasted fairykind before,” the left head noted.
“You were not invited,” the center head said, his voice rougher and his pronunciation more primitive than the other two heads. “I owe you nothing.”
“I came because of an emergency,” Kendra said. “Dectus hopes you can loan us the key to the Dragon Temple.”
“She should not know you have the lightning key,” the left head said. “Her knowledge endangers us.”
“She must be telling the truth about Dectus,” the right head reasoned. “Very few know the location of the key.”
“Dectus has no authority over us,” the center head said.
“It might be worth learning the conditions of the emergency,” the right head maintained.
“Kendra, why do you seek the key?” the center head asked.
“A dragon war is coming to Titan Valley,” Kendra said.
All three heads laughed.
“Dragons distress the small,” the left head said.
“We bridle their power,” the right head said.
“Let the dragons come,” the center head boasted. “We giants will smash them.”
“Most of the other sanctuaries have fallen,” Kendra said. “This isn’t just a few dragons. We are talking about a dragon army, led by Celebrant. He is aided by Ronodin, who recently took over the Fairy Realm. Dectus thinks it would be wise to retrieve the Harp of Ages to help in the fight.”
“More likely she wants the Harp to help her people,” the left head said.
“We have heard tales of other sanctuaries falling,” the right head said.
“With or without the Harp, the dragons will perish,” the center head said.
Kendra dropped to her knees. “Please, mighty Ptolemy. I need your help. Let me try to retrieve the Harp of Ages.”
“She’s so
