Chapter 13

Sanda sniffled, and I reached out a trembling hand that she clasped in hers. I didn’t know if she understood the true meaning behind my words, but she looked up and smiled through the tears.

“Thank you…”

She wiped her cheeks.

“Now I just need to find a way with the Ghars…”

“Why don’t you let the Temple in Starkeep know about them?” Blade asked.

Sanda hesitated.

“I… don’t dare to… I don’t want them to…”

“Things are not as they used to…” Blade said. “They can help.”

Tuimar stared at the ground.

“We can’t just leave them… What if…?”

“I can send a report to the temple,” Blade said. “The word of a Valkyrie carries weight.”

“Will that be enough?” I asked.

“I don’t know… They’ll consider my words at least, but I can’t promise anything.”

“That’s not fair,” Turmar murmured, her ears drooping.

Sanda reached out and put a hand on her.

“I know…"

I’d expected Tuimar to frown or, worse, growl at her touch, but instead, I saw her tail begin to wag. I turned to Blade.

“Maybe… Maybe you could ask the Witch…? Everyone would listen to her…”

The Valkyrie’s bright cyan eyes turned to me, and a fear flashed across Sanda’s face.

“No… Don’t stir the power…”

I didn’t blame her. Even though the Great Mages had stood on our side when the demons invaded, many people still feared them. The legends had it that they were enigmatic beings, neither good nor evil and indifferent to the fate of our world, and bringing their attention to something could only make an issue worse. But I knew Blade came from the Witch of Storms, and maybe that would be enough for her to listen to her.

She nodded and turned to Sanda.

“Do you have a mirror here?”

She nodded hesitantly but got up and gestured for us. She led us to her room. It was small, illuminated only by a flickering lamp, and had a crystal mirror on her desk with holes around its frame. I knew it was used to send messages to other temples and, if you had the right sigils, to the Great Mages.

“Do you think she’ll listen?” Sanda asked hesitantly.

“We’ll see…”

Blade walked over to the desk and opened her pouch, digging through it until she found what she was looking for. She put two crystal rods on the desk, then wrote a short message on the scroll lying next to her before taking the rods and sticking them into the openings on the mirror’s frame. Moments later, I could feel the Grace fill the room, and the surface of the mirror began to shimmer. She held the scroll in front of it, and it slipped through and disappeared. She turned to Sanda.

“I will send my report to the temple too. She may not even respond to my message.”

She leaned over and picked a crystal rod from a small container on the desk and slid it into the frame in place of the old one when the mirror came back to life, and a scroll appeared on its surface.

“So quick?”

She frowned and opened the scroll.

“What does it say?” Tuimar asked, pricking her ears.

Blade read,

Considering our need to defend the Northern passes and the Ghar's suitability for this task, I approve of Mistfern's effort in establishing a breeding programme, and I call on anyone this may concern to offer any necessary help.

A soft smile appeared on Blade’s lips.

“So much like her…” she murmured.

“That’s it?”

Sanda stared at her as the implication of the Witch’s words sank in.

“Thank you…”

She rushed over and pulled Blade into a hug.

She seemed happier after that, and we spent the evening together, eating dinner while she talked about the history of Mistfen. Those green eyes that had been filled with sadness began to sparkle with joy again, just like I remembered them to. And she really had made a difference… I sighed, glancing at her as she told the others about the first priest of the temple. But even if I became Wandering Star, it still didn’t undo what I had done. But at least I’d managed to make someone happy this time. After all, wasn’t that why I’d become a Wandering Priestess? But no matter what I did, it would not be enough to make up for the past, but I would keep travelling and do my best to help whoever I could.

It was late when I woke up the next day, and I stretched under the warm blanket. For the first time since I’d left Greymor, I felt well rested, and my body was relaxed. Blade was nowhere to be seen, but Tuimar was sitting on her bed, combing her tail with her fingers. She was so focused on it that it took her a few moments to realise I was awake.

“Good morning...” I smiled.

She looked away, focusing on her tail.

“How are you feeling?” she murmured.

I chuckled at her effort to pretend she didn’t care. She frowned.

“What?”

"Nothing… What are you doing?”

“Nothing.”

She frowned.

“Making sure you will rest today…” she said more softly.

She got out of the bed, shaking her tail.

“I’ll get you some food.”

She left without giving me any chance to object. I pulled the blanket aside, got up, and had just got dressed when she returned with a bowl of porridge.

“Eat.”

She pressed it into my hand and sat on her bed. For the first time in a long while, I was ravenously hungry, and I began to wolf down the porridge.

“Where’s Blade…?” I asked between mouthfuls.

“She went to help move the Ghars to the pasture. She wanted to make sure everyone is safe.”

She shrugged and leaned back, resting her back against the wall, but she kept glancing at me as if making sure I was okay. Once I’d finished, I put the bowl on the bedside table and sighed contentedly.

“Do you need anything else?” she asked.

I shook my head, and my eyes fell on her bare feet.

“Maybe we could go to the market today?” I said.

I had a few silver coins in my pouch. Hopefully it would be enough to get her a pair of shoes. Her yellow wolf eyes stared at me.

“You should rest.”

I sighed.

“I am fine… I just got chilly yesterday. If we get some warm clothes, we…”

“Okay, let’s go!”

She sprang from her bed, not giving me a chance to finish.

“Sanda gave us some temple tokens. We can get you all the clothes you need.”

She dashed out the door, and I shook my head and followed her.

It was still warm outside, but I could see the trees were turning yellow, and I pulled my cloak closer as a sudden gust of wind blew across the square. I sighed. Autumn was almost here, and the further north we went, the colder it would become. The weather here wasn’t as forgiving as in Greymor.

I gestured for Tuimar, and we set out to the market. I could see people standing on their porches as we made our way through the streets, and they went silent as we passed, but rather than scorn, I saw them smiling. Still, Tuimar frowned, and her ears drooped, and it only got worse as the bustle of the market filled the air. I almost thought she would turn and go back, and I reached out and took her hand.

“So we don’t get lost..."

She frowned but didn’t pull away and followed as we continued down the street. She didn’t seem to like people, but after all, could I blame her?

Soon after, we arrived at the market, walking past stalls selling fresh fruits and vegetables. If it was like Greymor, we would find what we needed at the back, and I pulled her along, making sure she stayed close. She’d told me how many tokens we’d got from Sanda, and I spent the time trying to calculate what we could get for them.

I was right, and just like in Greymor, non-perishable goods were sold at the far end, and we soon found ourselves walking past stalls of woven baskets and farming tools. By now, we’d drawn enough attention to ourselves, and a permanent frown settled on Tuimar’s face as people stared at her. She looked so different from anyone else… I could feel her tensing, and before she decided she’d had enough, I pulled her to the closest stall, where a young woman in a colourful cloak stood. Thick blankets, winter clothes, and more hung from the racks, and I picked a warm-looking tunic from the table and inspected it. It should fit her.

“What about this one?” I asked, holding it out for her to see.

She shrugged.

“Take what you want. We have money.”

I sighed. Why was she like this, pretending she didn’t care? In the end, I picked a few tunics and leggings and then added some scarves and woollen socks to the pile, responding to her frown by telling her that Blade may want some too and now that we would get a horse, it made sense to have some spare clothes with us, since who knew when we would get another chance to shop? It was true, but I still picked sizes that would fit her, rather than me or Blade, so that when she changed her mind, she wouldn’t be without. I’d got used to wearing Blade’s cloak by now, so wearing clothes slightly too big wasn’t such a problem.

I paid the woman, and Tuimar took the bag from my hand and slung it over her shoulder. I didn’t want her to become restless again, so I looked around for the next stall we should go to. Shoes... It was right next to us, and I gestured for her. We should get something suitable for the mountains, but I didn’t know what would fit. Blade wore heavy boots, and after all her travels, she must know. I picked a pair and tried them on, but they seemed heavy and uncomfortable. I turned to Tuimar.

“Any idea?”

She shrugged.

“No, take what you want..."

“Which ones do you want?” I tried, knowing she probably wouldn’t answer.

“I don’t need it..."

I sighed, glancing at her bare feet.

“Doesn’t it hurt to walk barefoot?”

She shrugged.

“I got used to it.”

“But what if you step on something and get hurt?”

“I don’t walk where I can step on something…”

She frowned, and I let it go, picking a pair of brown leather shoes not too different from what Lyric had worn. She was getting restless again, so I quickly paid and then gestured for her.

“Let's get some food.”

I pulled her over to a nearby food stall and, not really sure what she liked, picked both roasted corn cobs and some sausages. She glanced at it, but I didn’t think she would tell me what she wanted even if I’d asked, so I only paid and then pointed at the stairs leading up the wall.

“We can eat there.”

She frowned.

“We can go home and eat.”

“I want to see the view…” I tried.

She glanced at the stairs, but I could see her tail wagging slightly, and I smiled, taking it as a yes. She followed me as I walked over and began to climb. I’d only told her about the view to try to convince her to stay, but as we reached the top, I realised I’d been right. You could see the mountains in the distance and the road weaving itself between the fields and disappearing on the horizon. I shivered in a sudden gust of wind and pulled my cloak closer.

“You shouldn’t get cold.”

She frowned and wrapped a scarf around me, making me smile. I gestured for her to sit, opening the bag of food and offering it to her. To my surprise, she accepted it and pulled out a grilled sausage. I smiled, picking a corncob skewered on a stick.

“You are not from the north…” I said as we ate.

She hesitated before saying,

“No.”

“How come you left the south?”

She shrugged.

“Any place is as good as any other.”

She looked away, and I wondered if I’d push her too far. After all, I didn’t want to tell her what had happened to me either, so I guess she was the same...? She didn’t belong anywhere, just like me. But she had done nothing to deserve this. It wasn’t her fault that she was different, just like the Ghars…

Every animal will turn dangerous if left alone and forced to fend for themselves.

Sanda’s words rang in my mind, and I glanced at Tuimar. Was she the same? She also deserved somewhere to call home with people who cared. I shuffled closer, and she looked at me, surprised, before hesitantly resting her head on my shoulder.