Page 12 of A Winter Awakening

“You better,” she laughed.

And with that, he left.

In his absence, a strange illness descended on the valley. Blackspot, it’d been called. Named after the spots that spread over the bodies of those infected.

It killed Letira. And it killed her partner. Ori’s younger brother, Liney, also took ill, but thankfully he recovered.

After Orteo returned, he was told what had taken place. Orteo made his way to her cave. Her home. He sat on the floor. A few shelves and mats remained. But none of Letira’s warmth lingered in the dank cave.

It made no sense. How could his sister just be gone? Just like that. He sat there for hours, unable to believe she was truly gone.

Ori and Liney had been taken in by a throuple: Suroth, Yelan, and Lela. Orteo would always remember Ori clutching at him, sobbing, and hugging him close when he visited. He stayed with them for several days, listening to the cries of Ori and Liney. But he was in a trance, felt unable to move, unable to eat, or sleep, or talk, or cry and scream. He could do nothing but sit and stare at the wall.

Orteo left one night. He didn’t make a conscious decision. He just stood up and wandered out of the cave. Left the valley. For months and months, he wandered the forests and mountains aimlessly, mind empty and blank. He would barely remember those months. He wouldn’t be able to recollect what he’d been up to or where he’d been. He’d just remember walking and walking.

When his mind started to return, he realised what he’d done. He’d left his nephews when he should have been there for them. He’d let his sister down. She wasn’t there to look after her younglings. He should have done so for her. He loved her more than anyone, and he’d abandoned her children.

Shame kept him away then. For a few years.

Eventually, he’d returned, but he couldn’t stay in the valley. Not with Liney and Ori living there and reminding him of Letira and what he’d done.

So he lived in a cave alone on the outskirts. He didn’t visit often. The guilt gnawed at him every time he saw Liney and Ori. He was their uncle, and he’d left them when they needed him most. He hadn’t been there for them, and Orteo would never forgive himself for it.

And now every time he saw Ori, the memory of his sister and the guilt hit him like a punch to the throat.

“I’ve never seen you in the village before,” Ori said, voice hard to read.

“No. I don’t come here.” Orteo didn’t say that one of the main reasons was because Ori lived here now.

“This is Wareth,” Ori said. “He and I are together. We live in the pottery studio over there.”

“Hello, Wareth.” Orteo had been so focused on Ori he hadn’t noticed the big, older man behind his nephew. “And this is Gael.”

“Good morning,” Gael said. “I’m afraid I had a bit of an accident. I got lost and injured in the forests nearby.”

Even though Gael spoke, Ori’s eyes remained on Orteo. Orteo looked away.

“I jumped off Daisy.” Gael patted his horse. “It was such a silly thing to do.” He laughed. “Now my ankle is swollen.” He gestured to it.

“He will need somewhere to stay in Ores. So he can rest his ankle,” Sinoe said.

Ori no longer stared at Orteo. Orteo’s chest loosened, and he felt like he could breathe.

“Do you know of anywhere he can stay?” Sinoe said.

“Sariah’s home! You can stay in Sariah’s cabin.” Ori smiled up at Gael. So different from the blank expression he had for Orteo. “She and her family are away for the winter.”

“Are you sure she won’t mind?” Gael asked.

“Oh, no. She wouldn’t mind at all,” Ori said. “Would she, Wareth?”

“No. It’d be fine,” Wareth said, voice low and deep. He wrapped an arm around Ori’s shoulder.

“She is Wareth’s closest friend,” Ori said. “She is so caring and kind. She is always looking out for others. She’s like an older sister to me.”

The words struck Orteo. After all, he was Ori’s uncle. He should be the one to care for Ori. But he hadn’t been.

“Let’s take you to Sariah’s house and set you up,” Ori said.