Redeemed

On my way down from the peak, I felt an unpleasant coldness on the back of my heel. Snow had melted on the top of my boots and trickled down, making my socks wet.

I had to thump on the back door four or five times before someone finally opened it. It was Duran, who looked half-awake and was still draped in the blanket. He glanced over his shoulder before he stepped outside.

“Are we going to be beetle people now?”

Not another crisis. I shook my head. “I’m not the Beetle’s paladin.”

“It’s just- I don’t think you should do it, Madame Elysia,” he said. “She said they put grubs up their noses. Their noses!”

I couldn’t tell if he was horrified or delighted. Knowing Duran, it was both. I put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m not going to put a grub up my nose. Or your nose, or anyone else’s nose. Are you satisfied?”

I couldn’t tell if he was, but he did turn around and push the door back open.

Inside, I pulled off my boots and looked for Apis. He was still nestled deep into one of the chairs and looked like he was half-asleep.

“Wake up,” I said. He made a surprised noise and pushed himself up. “We’re having a team discussion.”

As Apis stood, I sighed and grabbed both him and Duran by the elbows. The pantry would have to do.

“So,” I said, my elbow deep in what felt like onions. It was pitch black in the pantry and cramped, making it so I had to do everything by feel or sound. “I think we should work with the Temple of the Beetle.”

“Oh,” said Apis. “Well, I don’t know. They’re very uppity.”

“Does this mean we’re getting nose grubs?” I still couldn’t tell if Duran wanted one or not.

“No nose grubs. That woman, Unnr, thinks there’s some Academy stealing members of her Temple. Since we’re also looking for kidnapped voices…”

“You’re sure she’s correct?” Apis sounded a little more awake now. “Or that they’re related?”

“No,” I said.

We all stood in silence in the darkness for a moment.

“I suppose we don’t have any other leads,” said Apis, after a moment.

“She seemed very convinced,” I said.

I just told you, don’t bother with her!

I glanced up. Andrena had shoved herself into the pantry too, but there wasn’t room down where Apis, Duran and I had all crammed in. She was pushing herself up against the ceiling. Her ghostly face was still able to look disappointed and annoyed, even as she was spidering across several walls.

Are my words not audible? Can I not work as your patron anymore? That woman is useless. Do not waste time on her.

You don’t know where we should go, other than north, I told her. Unnr’s target is north. You should be happy with this choice.

She scowled at me. I closed my eyes and kept talking to the others. “Should I count you as a vote for or against, Apis?”

“We’re voting?”

“I’m tired of making all of the decisions,” I said. “If we’re going to work with the Temple of the Beetle, I think we’re going to be breaking into a military academy.”

“Really?” Now Duran sounded excited.

“We might get banned from another city,” I added. “Maybe a country. Or jailed, if we’re caught. Don’t act like it’s fun.”

“We won’t be caught,” said Duran. “You have a sword.”

I wanted to hit my head on something. Repeatedly. Apis cleared his throat. “I think it’s worth the risk. If the Temple has been close to the people who have captured the other gods, I’m sure they must have noticed something. Chances are, she’s correct. And if she’s wrong..”

“We’ll leave,” I said.

“Right.” He cleared his throat. “I vote for.”

“Duran?”

Duran barely let me finish before he said, “I vote for!”

“I also vote for,” I said, grudgingly.

Against! I vote against! I ignored Andrena.

“Excellent!” The pantry door swung open. Beyond, Unnr and Vragi stood with expectant looks. “I’m glad you’ve decided to join us,” said Unnr. “We may have to spend a few days preparing for the journey north, but trust in me.”

As I stared, she turned on her heel and walked off. Back to her beetles, I was sure. I already regretted it. I turned to look at Apis. “Do you think she was listening the entire time?”

He just shook his head. In disappointment or disbelief, I couldn’t tell.

~*~

The next morning, I woke early enough to see my breath still misting in the air. The fire must have banked low overnight.

We had all curled up in the main room of the temple, in front of the mantle. Duran was an unmoving lump in a chair, and Apis was faintly snoring on one of the couches. I had taken a rocking chair, but where I lay now was solid wood. I must have fallen down in the night.

Watching my breath, staring up at the ceiling, I was midway through deciding if it was worth it to attempt the outhouse, or if I wanted to wait until the next morning, when I heard the faintest of sounds. One footstep, then two.

Maybe it was a premonition. Maybe I was just nosy. Either way, I slid a little further underneath the covers and watched as a pair of feet snuck down the stairs, skipping one step and moving slowly. They were in socks, a pair of boots held by the laces. In the darkness, I couldn’t make out a face, but the profile was distinctive. Katla.

Why was she sneaking out this early in the morning?

She must be up to no good. You should pursue and cleanse her.

I turned my head just a fraction. Andrena had summoned her image next to me, lying on the floor. She hadn’t lowered herself to getting underneath the blankets, though. It was difficult not to recoil back. Her ghostly nose almost touched mine.

We need to talk about personal space, I hissed at her, as loud as I could mentally manage. Surely you have something more important to be doing.

She’s getting away! Go follow her!

I turned my head back. Katla had snuck across the room and was now standing in the doorway, pulling on a boot with short jerky movements. I watched as the profile of her jaw turned slightly. She was staring back into the room.

I didn’t move. I tried to breathe slowly and steadily.

After a moment, the whites of her eyes gleaming in the low light of the fire, she turned back. There was a creak as the door swung open, hitting me with a blast of cold air before it clicked shut behind her.

I waited for another few moments, staring up into the dark rafters. Katla claimed she was redeemed. That meant I didn’t need to follow her.

Also, it was cold out there, and I needed to pee.

Fine, I thought. I pushed myself up, pulling the blanket closely around me, and stumbled towards the doorway. In the darkness, I couldn’t find my own boots. Eventually I just shoved on a pair that seemed workable enough and pulled the door open, letting the wind close it behind me.

There had been a fresh snowfall overnight. A few lanterns had been lit inside the houses, giving me faint light to follow the pair of footprints.

Where could she even run? This is the middle of nowhere.

I pulled the blanket tighter at another gust of wind, feeling snow hit my cheeks. This entire project could have waited until summer. These grudging thoughts occupied me as I followed the trail. The footsteps trailed down the street, across a corner, and into the back door of another house.

The house itself wasn’t particularly remarkable. It was smaller than most, only one story. A few puffs of smoke coming from the chimney showed someone was occupying it. I saw some movement behind the curtains, and pushed myself against the wall. After the movement ceased, I gave into my curiosity and pressed my ear to the window.

“I’m really not sure I can help you with this, Madame.” Katla.

There was a stomp, then the squeal of something. Furniture being dragged back? “If you can finish the job, it’ll be double the money,” said an older voice. “Will you try, or not?”

It felt like hours waiting for Katla’s response. The wind was getting even stronger. I stared out at the pitch black beyond the town. It just got so dark here. There weren’t even any stars visible.

Finally, her voice trickled through the panes. “Very well. We have a deal.”

“Then-”

“Leave.” Now she sounded like the Katla I’d known again. “I must have space to practice my work.”

As soon as she said it, I was pulling back from the window and looking for somewhere to hide. Just as I found a frozen bush to hide behind, the door swung open. An elderly woman, nearly one foot in the grave, stumbled out. She had a long cloak on, lined with fur, but hadn’t bothered pulling it up.

As I looked for ways to sneak out- maybe she would be distracted?- she fumbled in her pocket, emerging with a flask. She sat down on the step, staring out into the darkness. She took one swig, then another.

I wouldn’t be getting in that way, then. I watched her figure through the leaves for a moment more. Her shoulders were stiff as she stared at her feet.

It wouldn’t hurt if I did a little more eavesdropping, would it?

I stood, leaning towards the window. If I could only peek through the curtains-

“Hey. This is private. Get out!” said an older voice. I felt a hand grab at my upper arm, pulling me away, but it was too late. I’d already seen the important part.

Beyond the curtains, the pale glow of lantern light had briefly given way to bright, vibrant, otherworldly green.

Redeemed, my left foot.