Chapter 37
Of course, like everything in my life from the moment I was born, the absent gods decided I wasn’t suffering enough, because not long after I’d stormed out of Signa’s—my—cottage, the sky began to rumble, the first errant raindrop falling on my face.
“Seriously?” I cried up at the sky. It almost never rained in Heimland—it was known for its dry and arid climate.
No one answered, though. Not like I expected them to anyway.
I picked up my pace so I could find some sort of shelter before the few drops bouncing of my head did much damage.
I was wrong about that too.
Six steps later, the skies opened up, dumping a thick sheet of rain down on the earth.
I paused, pressing my back up against the nearest tree. It was a pine, and it provided little, if any, shelter from the downpour. With a sigh, I evaluated my options.
One, I could swallow my pride and turn around, heading back to the cabin filled with the people I didn’t want to see right now.
Two, I could stay here and probably freeze to death in my clothes, which were already drenched, or three—
My gaze caught on something visible through the trees. At first, I thought I was hallucinating, but when I blinked, the shimmer was still there.
What was a cabin doing in these woods? It was well-known that Signa lived on the edge of society—that no one else could be found in these woods until Salheim, which was nearly a day’s travel away.
I wasn’t anywhere close to Salheim, I knew that much, which had my vision flashing to another cabin in the woods. A memory that made me cringe.
Well, everything else I’d learned in life had turned out to be wrong, so maybe my knowledge of civilization near Signa’s home was wrong too.
Regardless, I didn’t have much choice.
It was walk toward the strange apparition, or risk Leif and Collum catching me and forcing me to return to Malheim.
Checking that my dagger was still tucked into the holder I’d made for it, I pushed off the tree trunk, crashing through the trees at top speed.
Unfortunately, this only further drenched me as every branch I pushed through brimmed with water.
But I kept my eye on the prize, and soon enough, I was pressing my face to the smooth, round logs that made up the exterior of the cabin.
There was a small overhang from the roof, which wasn’t much, considering it was raining sideways, but I allowed myself the luxury of pressing my face against it, breathing in deeply to center myself before shuffling toward the door.
I was Runa Wormald, and no matter what greeted me in this cabin, I could handle it.
Better that than give my time to those who didn’t deserve it.
Pausing one last time to check the woods behind me, I raised my fist and knocked twice.
Nothing happened.
Worried it was too soft to hear over the torrential downpour, I knocked a second time. Then a third time.
When it thundered again, I decided I’d waited long enough to be polite, and I twisted the knob and opened the door.
The interior of the cabin was pitch black, and I leaned back through the doorframe, noticing for the first time that there were no windows.
With a frown, I called forward fire magic into the palm of my hand, smiling as a small flame burst forth, illuminating the space ahead of me.
It revealed none other than a stone staircase heading down into the ground, the steps beginning only two paces from the door.
“What the . . . ?” I glanced behind me, into the forest still being drenched by the heavens. I’d only seen one other staircase like this before.
Descending down dark stairs in a random cabin in the woods didn’t sound like a good idea. But even as I debated going back for the umpteenth time, I felt a pulling in my chest.
Something was urging me forward.
“Otho,” I breathed, “I’m sorry I severed our bond.
” I didn’t know why I was apologizing, but I continued, regardless.
“And if today was the last time I ever saw you, I hope you somehow get this message.” The words burned.
“I love you; I really do. I was . . . afraid. I think we both were. Anyway, if I emerge from this alive, I’ll come find you. I promise.”
Taking one final deep breath, I started down the stairs, hoping that Otho would still check my location, as he always had.
I worked my way down the spiraling stone stairs, step after step, breath after breath. There were no sounds other than my own breathing. Just when I thought I may have found the stairway to Hel, a light appeared ahead. Squinting, I urged my feet to move faster.
The light was coming from beneath a wooden door right as the stairs stopped and the floor evened out, shadows flickering every so often.
Someone was home.
I glanced back the way I’d come, wondering how deep I was in the darkness. But the stairs I could see in the light of my fire power offered no answer.
My hand shook as I lifted it, knocking against the wood two times before lowering it again.
This time, I didn’t have to wait long.
The door swung open to reveal a woman who was much older than I, her forehead and eyes lined with wrinkles. Her hair was once a similar brown to mine but was now streaked with white and gray.
We both stood there, neither saying anything at first. I opened my mouth to introduce myself, but she spoke before I could call forth the words.
“Runa. I’ve been waiting for you.”
“I—What?” Shock rolled through me, and I looked behind me, fully expecting this was some sort of trap.
She stood to the side, motioning me inside the fire-illuminated room.
I didn’t move.
“Don’t be alarmed. Your parents notified us of your birth.” She smiled and I felt nothing but kindness and happiness coming from her.
I took two hesitant steps inside.
Inside was a sitting room, complete with a hearth, settee, high-backed chair, and a bookshelf filled with books. Even with the fire, it was dim, but in the corner was a desk, the top filled with used and unused candles. There were also three doors along the wall to my left.
Overwhelmed both by what I saw and what the woman had said, I shook my head. “What do you mean you were notified of my birth?”
Her smile didn’t falter as she guided me over to the couch. “Maybe I should start at the beginning. I’m Melody. I’ve been a scribe for the past fifty years.”
My jaw dropped and my chest constricted as I heard the word that had been spinning in my mind for months. “A scribe . . . You write the books?”
“I do.” She brushed her hands down the front of her apron. “And now you will, too.”
“I . . .” My mind spun, unable to balance everything it was currently taking in. “But I don’t know how to write the books.”
“Not to worry.” She patted my hand, her skin cool. “The gods will teach you.”
“But the gods are no longer here,” I insisted, my hand still shaking, but not from the cold this time.
“You are correct. Which is why you will learn how to travel to them.”
I didn’t know how it was possible, but my eyes widened further, to the point of pain. “I don’t know how to do that.”
She chuckled. “You do, you merely haven’t realized it yet.”
I shook my head, certain if I knew how to visit the gods I would have noticed already, “I can assure you, I don’t.”
“And I can assure you that you do.” Melody spoke, certainty in her tone. “All twins are born knowing how to walk the realms. It’s why only a twin can become a scribe.”
I gulped, knowing exactly what was going to come out of her mouth next.
“And it’s the reason the Seid often put one babe of a set of twins to death.”
To be continued…