Chapter 6

Greta closes the door behind her and steps out into the evening street. She ought to stay home; she has papers to read and letters to write, but the mayor has asked her to come for dinner after the morning’s hunt, and she cannot say no. There is a lot to be done with the new information she has gathered today; her superiors need to know about the state and illusions of this town, but it will have to wait.

She’s decided to treat the morning’s hunt as an anomaly, just as the King would have instructed. Her memories are nothing but made-up images from the past, remembrances from a worried child’s mind. She will heed them no thought and continue with the work she set out to do.

She follows the street towards the square, nodding in greeting at the passersby. They are still smiling, but that will change soon. The rumours will spread, and shortly, the townspeople will have the wrong impression of what happened in the forest. They might become unruly, but she’s resolved to keep an eye on them and report to her superiors should something arise.

She rounds a corner and halts. Miriam is coming out from the street ahead of her, and she watches as she stops to talk to a villager. She has let her be until now, but after today’s hunt, she’s concluded that the role of the Protector is a task she needs to attend to as well. It’s a function she has no means to remove, but one that will have to go nevertheless if the King’s orders shall be fulfilled. Miriam gives the villager a pat on his arm, then glances around and sees Greta. She waves at her, and Greta walks up and nods in a greeting.

“I didn’t think you would be out this late. Are you going this way?”, Miriam asks and gestures down the street.

Greta nods.

“I’m going to the Mayor.”

“He’s invited you too?”

She should have suspected it. She would have preferred to attend alone because then, at least, she might be able to broach the subject of the King’s orders. But that would be in vain now when Miriam was there. They continue along the street in silence, Greta already formulating the letters she’ll write in her mind, laying out the reasons her suggestions will help carry out the King’s orders. She barely notices as Miriam halts.

“We’re here.”

They are standing by the Mayor’s house, and Greta straightens out her uniform and checks the revolver by her hip. Miriam knocks on the door, and she can hear footsteps approaching. Moments later, Ingrid opens the door.

“My loves, I’m so glad you could come.”

She ushers them inside and leads them through the narrow hallway smelling of cooking and into a small kitchen. The table is already laid, and the Mayor rises from his chair as he sees them.

“My loves, I’m so glad you can be here.”

He puts a hand on Greta’s arm and leads her to her place by the table.

“We couldn’t let you stay alone after this morning.”

He smiles and leaves her with a pat on her hand as he returns to his chair.

“Are you settling in?, he asks. Has Gustaf shown you the houses you need to help with?”

“He has.”

She hasn’t told him yet that she won’t do it for much longer and that soon, the town will grow to become something other than he’s used to. She doesn’t need to raise the topic, though, because Ingrid declares,

“Dinner’s ready.”

She takes the pot from the stove and puts it on the table.

“My loves…”

She smiles at them, then reaches out and puts a hand on Miriam’s.

“I’m so happy we can be together in times like these. Anders has told me everything that happened.”

She looks fondly at the Mayor and then gestures at the steaming pot.

“Please, help yourself.”

Greta wishes she remembers more from that dinner, but all she can think about is the letters that aren’t being written. Sitting and talking about imaginary beings won’t bring out the King’s orders. When the Mayor finally claps his hands together, thanking them for the time, she gets up and follows him out. Ingrid gives her a hug and closes the door behind them. Miriam glances around the dark street.

“Are you going home?,” she asks.

Greta nods. It’s too late to get anything done now, but she has vowed to get up early tomorrow to continue her work. They walk down the street in silence and have almost passed the square when Miriam suddenly halts and stares wildly in front of her.

“They are here.”

Greta looks at her, confused.

“Who?”

“The wolves. Come!”

Miriam turns without another word and runs in the direction of the forest. Greta stands bewildered for a moment, then races after her. They sprint down an empty street when suddenly, a scream pierces the air. Miriam halts, looks around and then turns down another street. Greta checks her revolver and rushes after her.

“They are here!,” Miriam shouts.

She halts as she comes to the corner leading to Olof’s street. Greta stops next to her, and for a moment, she can only stare as a chill goes up her spine. Someone is lying on the ground further down the street, with a black shape standing above it. A shape like a wolf. No, it can’t be… They are nothing but imaginary phantoms. Miriam screams, and months of training take over, and Greta raises her revolver and fires. The shot misses, but the animal takes flight, and Greta rushes towards the unconscious person. Someone is screaming, and the person on the ground lies motionless. It’s… She halts as she comes closer. It’s Olof. She kneels down beside him.

“Miriam!”

She turns, and Miriam is still standing by the corner, her eyes frantic.

“You need to come!”

She doesn’t move, and Karin is suddenly next to Greta.

“You need to help him!”

“Miriam!”

Miriam blinks, stares wildly around her, and then rushes over to them.

“You need to help!”

Miriam kneels next to them and puts her hands on Olof. Karin is crying hysterically, and Greta gets up, her revolver raised, scanning the street.

“We need to get him inside!,” Miriam cries, and Greta turns around, puts her revolver by her hip and helps her carry the unconscious man inside.

Miriam leans over him, resting her hands on his chest. She closes her eyes, then mumbles words Greta hasn’t heard in a long while. It takes a long time, but in the end, the groan quiets, and Olof grows still, and the bleeding has stopped.

“He’ll live.”

Miriam slumps against the wall, her hands bloodstained.

“We need to warn the others,” Greta says.

Miriam nods and struggles up to stand. Karin is sobbing quietly, and Miriam puts a hand on her and says,

“Lock the door after us, okay?”

She nods, and Greta walks out on the street, unlatching her revolver.

“Where to first?”

Miriam stumbles out and gestures in the direction of the square. Greta doesn’t think, but sprints in the direction Miriam pointed. She scans the street frantically as Miriam stops by the first house, knocking on the door. Miriam must have warned them, but Greta doesn’t hear her talking, but only runs after her as she continues down the cobblestones. They continue with house after house, Greta surveying the street, waiting for the black shape to appear behind the corner, but as they come to Miriam’s house, the last after passing through the town, they are still safe. They halt, panting after the sprint.

“You need to come inside. You can’t go home now,” Miriam gasps.

She feebly gestures for her to follow her as she opens the door. The hallway is dark, and Miriam lights a candle and stumbles to the kitchen. Greta closes the door behind them, bars it, and only then does she realise her legs are shaking, and the revolver in her hand is trembling so hard she can barely hold it. She steadies herself against the wall. It can’t be real… They can’t be…

“Greta?”

She pushes herself off the wall and staggers to the kitchen. Miriam is peering through the windows, then pulls the shutters close.

“You need to stay here tonight,” she says as she turns back to the room.

Greta shakes her head.

“I… can’t…”

She slumps down on the chair, puts the revolver in her lap, and takes out the few spare bullets she carries with her. Her hands are trembling, and as she puts in the first bullet, she drops it on the floor. She curses, picks it up, and the other bullets fall to the floor as well. Miriam is leaning against the wall, her face bleak and her hands trembling. Greta takes up another bullet, fumbles, and the revolver falls out of her lap with a clang.

“You can’t go back tonight.”

Miriam leaves her place by the wall, walks up to her and puts a hand on her arm. The touch is so unexpected, Greta flinches.

“No…”

She leaves the revolver she dropped, gets up and stands by the window. They shouldn’t be real; they can’t be. They are nothing but imaginary phantoms. She stares out the room, her vision becoming fuzzy. She should leave and go home, but somehow, her body won’t obey. Miriam gestures for her.

“Come…”

Greta barely hears her, but her body moves on its own, and she follows Miriam to the bedroom.

“It will be room for both of us,” Miriam says as she pulls the duvet to the side.

Greta obeys without a word, undresses and lies down. Miriam follows, and as her bare skin touches her, Greta flinches and suddenly, all her carefully built-up walls won’t hold any longer and the memories of the past flood her. Her father’s disappearance, her mother telling her it’s not real, her loneliness as the house became one less person, her wandering the lands but never once touching the forest again. Something wet falls down her cheeks, and she wipes it off. She can feel Miriam’s breathing next to her, and suddenly, there is a warm hand on her arm.

“Are you okay?”

The world disappears then, and all she can remember is her father being attacked by the wolves. She saw it, she knew it was real, but no one ever believed her.