Chapter 5

I closed the door and headed back to my room. The Valkyrie had helped me a lot, but I had to find a way to make it on my own now. I still didn’t know what I should do tomorrow, but I guess if I just started walking, I would find someone I could help. I knew people asked for various things when they saw a Wandering Priestess, anything from help with a task to asking for healing. Although I wouldn’t be able to call on the Grace…

I sighed and sat down on the bed, putting the cloak to the side. Amara judged us for our actions and our intentions, so as long as I did the best I could, I hoped she would forgive me for what I’d done. At least I could stay in the temples wherever I went, and I knew it wasn’t uncommon for the people to also offer food and shelter if a Wandering Priestess passed a town. I climbed into bed, putting my hand on the white star around my neck. I would try to do what I could to make up for what I’d done.

I woke up early the next day, and I took my time, even though there wasn’t much to prepare. Apart from Blade’s cloak and the bounty she’d given me, I didn’t carry anything else. Maybe I could go to the market and buy some supplies for the money it would give me. For a moment, I wanted to knock on the Valkyrie’s door to bid farewell, but I didn’t want to disturb her, and anyway, maybe she had already left.

Once I was ready, I walked to the hall, but to my surprise, it was empty, and not even Liv and Bataar greeted me. I wondered if they were out when I heard loud arguing outside, and I hesitantly walked over to the door and peered outside. A crowd had gathered on the square, with humans on one side and Vargs on the other. A huge man stood in the centre, holding an axe, and he was arguing with the Varg I had seen yesterday at the gate. I hesitantly stepped outside. Deryl was standing between them, his priestly blue robe fluttering in the wind, trying to keep them from exchanging blows.

“This busdan has nothing to do with us, Tarin,” the Varg growled. “No Varg would disgrace themselves like this."

Only then did I notice the girl lying on the ground between them, her hands and feet tied. Or was it a girl? I could see grey wolf ears sticking out from her dirty, blonde hair, and her fluffy grey tail was wrapped around her legs, but she had a human face and hands rather than paws. She caught my eye as I came closer and bared her human teeth in a growl.

The men turned to me.

“She’s a thief, priestess,” Tarin scowled, seeing the star resting on my chest. “Vain caught her stealing from his farm!”

He turned back to the Varg.

“Why would you steal, Khan? Everyone can find food and shelter in the temple."

“She has nothing to do with us,” the Varg snarled. “We have followed the laws that Grandfather set out.”

Deryl raised his hands in the air to speak, but Tarin ignored him.

“She’s a Varg.”

He spat on the ground.

“Just look at her. She’s no human.”

A man stepped forth from the crowd, holding a tattered bag in his hand.

“Here is her loot. She destroyed what she couldn’t take with her!”

“Kill her!” someone shouted, and a cheer went through the crowd.

I stared at them. No… They couldn’t do that… Amara didn’t want people to die. People… people did bad things, but they didn’t deserve to die…

Khan clenched his sword.

“She’s no Varg. Grandfather built this community on trust. Thieves destroy it. It has nothing to do with us.”

“He is right,” Deryl managed to say. “Grandfather set the laws, and we have followed them until now.”

Tarin hesitated.

“So it is. The laws brought us together. We have survived because of that trust, even though we are different.”

He lowered his axe, and Khan scowled, but he let his paw drop from his sword.

“Yes. We fought together, and we shared what we had.”

Tarin nodded stiffly.

“We endured through the Long Night together."

“Cowards, arguing about who should kill me!” the girl growled.

Deryl ignored her, and he lowered his arms and straightened out his blue robe.

“It’s our law that humans and Vargs have the right to judge their own,” he said. “We should not argue. When Grandpa was alive, we lived peacefully.”

I shivered, glancing at the girl scowling at us.

“Have you always followed those laws?” I hesitantly asked Deryl, but it was Tarin who replied,

“Ever since Grandfather made them for Vargs and humans to be able to live together. But we have never needed to carry them out.”

“Cowards!" the girl hissed. “May the Darkness take you!”

Tarin stared at the girl for a moment before turning back to me.

“But even so, the laws are clear,” he said. “She stole. She needs to be killed.”

“No… You can’t do that!”

She deserved a chance… Everyone did… I pushed through them and knelt next to her. Tarin gazed at the white star around my neck before he said,

“Will you take it upon yourself to judge her, priestess?"

I hesitated. I hadn’t thought about that. What should I say…?

“I will…” I murmured, instinctively putting my arms around her.

“I don’t need your pity!”

She lunged at me and bit my arm. I screamed, and Khan pulled his sword, and I instinctively threw myself over her, shielding her with my body. She couldn’t die… It was my fault it had come to this. If I hadn’t done what I did, everyone would have lived at peace. I shut my eyes, bracing myself for the upcoming blow, but it never came. I glanced up. The Varg was standing above us, but he lowered his sword, frowning. I hesitated. They wanted a verdict… What would a Wandering Priestess do…? I closed my eyes. I had to act like a real Wandering Priestess…

“Kill me, not her… That is my judgement," I whispered.

I sniffled, trying to push back the tears, and a murmur went through the crowd. I hesitantly glanced up. Tarin frowned, and Deryl’s voice rang out,

“This is not how Grandpa wished for us to live. Amara will judge us for this day. Let us pray she will show us more mercy than we have done today.”

I could hear the crowd whispering, and Tarin sighed, lowering his axe.

“We are all her children...”

Khan glanced around before hesitantly sheathing his sword.

“We are… She sent us Wandering Star in our times of need. She sacrificed herself so that future generations may live in peace…”

He gazed at the statue by the temple’s gates, and I shivered. They didn’t know the truth…

“She protected everyone,” he continued. “It didn’t matter who they were or what they did.”

He turned to me and bowed.

“Just like you did."

I hesitantly stood up. The crowd were dispersing, and people stopped by the statue and bowed their heads as they left. I glanced at the girl.

“You’re not going to…?”

Tarin shook his head.

“This is not what Grandfather wished for when he created his laws."

The Varg nodded.

“His laws were harsh, but he never invoked them. His wisdom always found a solution where there seemed to be none."

Deryl turned to them.

“I’m sorry, I am not like him… I failed you when my priesthood was tried…”

Tarin put a hand on his shoulder.

“And we failed you… I’ve only seen the young boy who brought us warm tea when we kept watch on the wall. You have grown, and I’ve failed to see it.”

The Varg bowed his head.

“You are our priest now, but we’ve forgotten to see you as one. Forgive us."

I knelt down and untied the ropes that bound the girl.

“You are free. No one will hurt you," I said hesitantly.

She shoved me away and scrambled up.

“Cowards! May the Darkness take you all! You should have killed me! Someone will, sooner or later…”

Angry tears glistened in her eyes.

“May the Barrier break and The Flame consume you all!"

I froze. The Flame… Van'thur. That’s… that’s what I had been… What had I done…? I looked at my blood-covered arm when Deryl said,

“Stay with us. Everyone is welcome in Amara’s home.”

She sneered.

“Stay with you? You couldn’t even decide who should kill me! I don’t belong here and never will…"

Her voice faded, and she stared at the ground. She… she was like me… I too didn’t belong anywhere...

“What’s your name?” I asked hesitantly.

She looked up, surprised, before anger flashed across her face once more, and her yellow wolf eyes stared into mine.

“Tuimar!”

A murmur went through the Varg crowd at her words. I glanced around. What did it mean? But I didn’t have time to ask because she turned, and the people parted as she set out down the square. I scrambled up and called after her, but she ignored me. I glanced at Deryl. I couldn’t leave her. It was my fault that it had become this way.

“I need to go…” I murmured.

I ran after her. She frowned when I caught up with her but didn’t say anything and only continued down the street. I glanced at her ragged tunic and bare feet as I followed her. She had bruises covering her body. I shivered. Whoever caught her hadn’t been gentle with her.

She looked straight ahead as we continued, ignoring the people who halted to stare at her as we passed. I didn’t blame them. She looked so different from anyone I’d ever seen. At least no one could tell who I really was, but she didn’t have that luxury. Was that why my aunt… No, Elise had kept it a secret? Had… had she tried to protect me from this? I shook my head. Even if that was the case, it wasn’t fair. I’d trusted her, and she… She’d lied… It didn’t matter why she’d done it.

“Zoe?”

I turned to see Blade coming out from one of the side streets, a sack slung over her shoulder. Tuimar ignored her, only continuing down the street, but I halted as the Valkyrie came up to us, and her bright cyan eyes glanced at Tuimar walking ahead.

“Are you leaving already?” she asked, turning back to me.

I glanced at the wolf-girl’s disappearing back.

“I have to…”

I gave Blade an apologetic smile.

“I'm sorry…"

I turned and ran after Tuimar, but Blade set out after me and only stopped as I caught up with the wolf-girl and then continued down the street with us. I looked at her, surprised, but she only asked,

“Who's your companion?”

I hesitated, wondering if Tuimar would introduce herself, but she ignored the Valkyrie.

“Tuimar... Her name is Tuimar,” I said.

Blade nodded, seemingly just accepting the fact that she was travelling with us.

“I got us some supplies," she said, pointing at the sack.

I frowned.

“Us?”

She shrugged.

“I thought if you were going north too, we might need it.”

I stared at her. She’d wanted to help me…? She didn’t know what I’d done…

“Thank you…” I whispered, not knowing what else to say.

We would need it, though… I’d left in such a hurry again that I hadn’t taken anything with me…

"I left the bounty in the temple… I'm sorry," I murmured.

She shrugged.

“It doesn’t matter.”

We followed Tuimar as she continued down the street, and it didn’t take long before we saw the gate. I only hoped she would continue north so I wouldn't be forced to choose between them. To my luck, the wolf-girl glanced around as we stepped out and then turned left, where we were supposed to go. She’d kept ignoring us, but at least she didn’t seem to mind our company. Although I suspected that rather than her travelling with us, we would be the ones following her.

I looked at my bloodied arm. I’d almost forgotten about it in the tumult, but now when we were out, the pain caught up with me. I knew I could heal it, but I didn’t dare to call on the Grace, so instead I just tried to ignore it as we continued.

When the sun stood high in the sky, we finally left the open fields and followed the trail into the forest. The day was still hot, even this far north, and I knew I would need to get used to it, but for now, I was happy to walk in the shade. I glanced at the others. Blade was walking ahead of us, and the wolf-girl followed behind her. I wondered what had happened to her. I’d never seen a half-Varg before. Didn’t she have anywhere to live? Was that why she was stealing? But she could have just asked for food in the temple.

I glanced down at the white star resting on my chest, its side stained with blood. But at least I’d helped someone. Wasn’t this what it meant to be a wandering priestess? To help anyone who needed it, no matter what it would cost me…