53. Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Three
Astrid
Today’s the day, I’m leaving for Scandes. My bag with the orb, some clothes, and a couple of other things I could need on the journey is packed and sitting on the bed. I can’t believe I’ll be leaving Embla behind. I hope she eventually decides to take Alhena up on her offer to train her. Until then, Roan promised to be her shadow. Promised she wouldn’t go out in the city alone. He’ll take care of her, I know it. So will Thea.
“Astrid, will you come down the hall for a moment, I have a message from Mother Willow,” Dwellin’s stiff voice says through the speaker in the wall as the door to my room opens. I throw my pack over my shoulders just in case and walk out the door. Down the hall to the right, another door stands open, and I follow the obvious directions.
The doors slam shut behind me, cloaking the room in darkness. Fear creeps up my spine, as I wonder if there is a message from Mother Willow at all. In the center of the room, the floor seems to open, lifting a glass case into view. The lights flicker on revealing a scythe of purple and black. A moon emblazoned across its double blades. One on each side.
“Mother Willow said you would need this for your journey, and suggested you leave the gilded sword for its true owner, Embla,” Dwellin’s voice says over the speakers and the glass case parts sink as it disappears into the wood. My eyes sweep the weapon inspecting its finely crafted edges. The staff is made from black wood. I reach out to it, and the air around it hums. My hand closes around its shaft, and I know this weapon intimately. I know how to wield it. I twirl the scythe between my fingers and the way it moves next to my body is more familiar than the presence of Embla. I press a button on its side, and it shrinks. I place the tiny weapon in the pocket of my jeans.
“Thanks , Dwellin, I’ll leave the sword for Embla on her bed. How did Mother Willow know?” I ask the sentient tree.
“She has her ways; she’s connected to the Goddess Eris. She just knows things.” I can hear the shrug in his voice, and I decide not to look a gift horse in the mouth. I unbuckle the sheath at my side pulling the gilded sun sword from around my waist as I head to Embla’s room. I’m not sure where she is this morning, and I didn’t think she would want to see me off with how angry she is that I’m leaving her behind. It’s for her own safety. I set the sword on top of her blanket. Hopefully it’ll be exactly what she needs.
“Everything I’ll need is shoved into my pack. Apparently, they have some kind of mechanical vehicle for travel, so we don’t have a need for horses,” I explain to Embla who squints at the canvas in front of her, closing one eye and sticking out her tongue trying to get the smallest details of the tree bark painted. I'm going to miss her so much while I'm gone. Sitting on the veranda that looks out over the tavern’s garden all housed inside of Dwelling. It's quiet here. I'm not surprised my sister likes it. My trip being moved up has me more concerned about leaving my sister behind and pushing forward with the quest. It seems like Embla doesn’t even care that I'm leaving. Embla grits her teeth releasing a breath before she lowers her hand from the canvas. The look on her face says the sooner I leave the better.
“Sounds like you’re ready,” Embla says, setting her paint brush into a glass jar half full of murky brown paint water. “Do you know how long you’ll be gone?” She turns to face me crossing her arms over her chest. I feel like I’m going to crack open at any moment, and the lava of emotions will seep out of me. For as long as I can remember, I've always been the one to look over Embla. Ready to stick up for her in public and chide her in private. Without me, I'm scared she'll be alone, stuck in this tavern without a companion even with the promises Roan and Thea have made to me.
“As long as it takes.” I raise my chin. “I won’t be able to contact you, they’re still working to establish reliable postal routes and electronics don’t receive outside signals in Scandes.”
“I’ll see you when you return then. I look forward to the stories of your adventure,” Embla says with false enthusiasm and she stands to give me a stiff side hug. She turns back to her canvas as I move around to the front of the room, pausing before I leave, and I don’t bother to glance behind me. How did we get here? I ask myself. We were so close, and now, one misstep and we're leagues apart. I fight the tears until I close the door behind me heading to the front of the tavern where Augustus awaits.
"What is that rumbling?" I shout when I step outside. Augustus sits with a motorized bike between his legs, the sound of its engine bouncing off the trees around us.
"A magecycle. I haven't had the opportunity to ride it very often over the past few years, not while I was hunting down the princess," Augustus says, shooting a glare toward Effie who sits astride her own magecycle.
"We're going to ride on that?" I ask hesitating at Dwellin's door. I'm half tempted to run back inside and hide with Embla in her room. A blue glow radiates from the engine to the tires.
"We're going to do a lot more than that." Augustus smirks, and I can feel a blush crawling across my cheeks. He stands walking to the bags at the back of the bike, opening one and holding out his hand for my bag. Augustus secures it with deft fingers and I can’t help but be in awe of him.
"How am I supposed to get on?" I ask, and Augustus chuckles as he shows me how to mount the bike, and I realize just how close I'm going to be to him during the trip.
"Just like riding a horse." Augustus pats the small padded seat behind him.
"It's not like any horse I've ever ridden," I mutter under my breath, and I can feel the vibration of a chuckle through his back. I walk around the magecycle looking for a good angle. I nearly tip the whole contraption over as I throw my leg over it and heft myself into the seat. My arms tentatively stop at Augustus's hips.
"Hold on tight," he says, grabbing my wrists and pulling my arms until they overlap in front of him. "Don't let go,” He says, patting my hands. His warmth seeps through my clothing and I can barely breathe at his nearness. He clears his throat before announcing, "And we're off." The magecycles begin to float in place before Effie shoots into the sky first. Augustus lifts his foot off the ground and the magecycle takes off into the sky after her.