Page 77 of Daughter of the Serpent

Doubt whispered.

Maybe she needed to stop pretending.

Maybe she needed to make her peace with the truth - that there were parts of her that existed inside, that whispered hate.

She thought back to that night, with Baldr and his men. Maybe she hadn’t been the one to land the final blow, yet for a moment she had wanted to.

She had wanted to snap Baldr’s neck like a twig from a fallen tree.

She had wanted to claim his blood, and feel its slick warmth along her fingers.

Yet, just as quickly it had all changed in mere moments.

Like magic itself smothered the flames of her anger, and transmuted it to light - love.

She had healed Baldr -but at what cost?

Mothers were now without their sons, Tara was under suspicion, and now her entire life was forfeit to facing the trials - and most likely an excruciating death.

Her thoughts filled with regret.

She only brought pain to those she loved.

The only thing that was clear, was she could no longer distract herself with the diluted fantasy of what she wished life would be. She had to bury her desires, her hopes, her dreams - and focus on what cards life had dealt her.

She would face the trials.

She would ascend and prove her innocence.

And if she was lucky, she would live out the rest of her days being the gods humble servant.

She could only hope she would be enough.

Yet, since the rune casting, she wasn’t so sure. There was so much about her destiny that refused to be revealed, so much about her future that was cast in shadow. She envied those who seemed to have it all figured out, who knew without doubt where they were going, and who they should be.

She had never had that luxury. Her path, the very identity given her, didn’t match the ones she felt inside. Everything was always at odds, under the veil of confusion.

A cool breeze swept in off the water and she shivered, wrapping her firm trimmed robes closer around her. Sucking in a deep breath she exhaled heavily, releasing the tension she felt building up in her lungs.

She thought back to Axel’s training, and the advice he had given her. It went against everything she knew and had been taught - torelease attachment, to release emotions entirely - as opposed to welcome it. Even though the difference in her magic had been evident, she still had a hard time wrapping her head around it.

Emotions were pesky things, cruel creatures of the dark that liked to ensnare her upon unawares.

She didn’t have time for them.

Not when there were more important things at hand.

Like her training, her magic, her very survival.

Suddenly, the forest murmured with a low rumble, branches snapping under the strain of unseen force. She jumped, her senses sharpening to pinpoint the source of the sound.

The likelihood of someone from the temple stumbling upon her in this remote spot was slim. Most were likely nestled in the comfort of their beds, or offering up their late night prayers. Yet, the weighty footfalls and echoing snaps of forest underfoot suggested a presence of substantial size, causing her to doubt.

A scream pierced the air, causing her to jump to her feet, followed by a thunderous roar of agony that reverberated through the trees of the forest. Sylvie didn’t dare breathe, her eyes wild with fear.

Everything went silent.

Instantly her mind became a jumble of thoughts and worries.