Page 67

The dirt was littered with pine needles and dead leaves, but it was softer than the sands of the desert beneath Maude's bare feet compared to the conversation she was opening herself up to.

Her sister was quiet for a beat longer than Maude expected, forcing her to look up.

Bryn was watching as Liv entered the cabin they'd be sharing, the warrior laughing with her head thrown back as Gunnar continued telling her some story.

Maude observed her sister as she thought back on the many small moments she seemed to have caught Bryn and Liv in.

As Maude expected, the light that shone in Bryn's eyes flared for a moment before she averted her eyes from the radiant Elven warrior. Her sister turned to her then as she ran her fingers roughly through her unruly hair, releasing a heavy sigh .

"When did you know you were ready to let yourself love Herrick?" Bryn asked, her hazel eyes focusing on Maude with an intensity that surprised her.

The question forced Maude to still. Before she could turn away or try to escape from the question, Bryn reached out with her silver tattooed hand and grasped Maude's hand.

As soon as the tattoos met, their previously permanent lines began to dance and twist like plumes of smoke, just like when the tattoos and blood oath had been made.

The sudden flashing drew the sister's attention down to the mirrored ink laid on them by the blood oath they had sworn.

In all the chaos of their return to Nida and her father's dinner, Maude had forgotten to ask about the blood oath she had accidentally sworn with Bryn.

If Aeric had noticed the ink, he had not mentioned anything to her.

Perhaps Hilgafell would provide the answer she sought.

When Maude met her sister's eyes again, they were bright and feverish.

"I don't know if I have yet," Maude finally said, her voice coming out as a whisper. "Herrick has a way of pushing me until I break. I didn't think I loved him for a long time, and when I knew, I never said the words, but I allowed my walls to fall just a little bit to let him in."

She gripped her sister's hand and looked down, noticing that Bryn's knuckles were stark white against the rest of her skin in anticipation of Maude's answer, whether it would provide relief or sorrow. So, she chose to be honest with her sister.

"With Herrick and I, there were no long suffered loves that held our hearts. We were free to fall into each other without the guilt of choosing to leave someone else in the past," she said quietly as she looked over at their cabin.

Liv had already disappeared inside the small structure, but Maude's meaning was not lost on Bryn. Her sister's cheeks flared a dark pink, the freckles on the bridge of her nose darkening as her eyes widened slightly.

"Just because your blood heats for another does not mean the love you had for Revna was false," Maude said as she grasped her sister's other hand.

"You do not insult her by finding solace in the arms of another.

In fact, if Hakon wasn't such a stubborn ass, I'm sure he would have understood by now that Eydis just wanted him to be happy.

However, it's not my place to knock some sense into the Heir of Rivers; Herrick can deal with that. "

Bryn chuckled as her eyes filled with the tears she knew her sister would refuse to shed, so Maude continued her speech, "I'm not saying that you should forget about Revna.

In fact, if you told this other person about her, I'm sure they would enjoy hearing about the woman you held so close to your heart. So be brave, Brynna."

Maude released her sister's hand to cradle the side of her face as she finished speaking, running her thumb over her cheek to catch the rogue tear that slipped free.

Bryn closed her eyes and leaned into the touch, her chest rising in a deep breath as she found her calm.

Maude watched her sister accepting her guidance, her words that she knew were true.

"Thank you," Bryn said as she opened her eyes and stepped back, a soft smile teasing the corners of her lips.

She looked like she wanted to say more, but Maude watched as Bryn bit her tongue and began walking toward the cabin. Rooted to where she stood, she watched her sister duck into the cabin and leave her alone in the busy forest that seemed to be alive with merriment even as ice sunk into her muscles.

Allowing herself to think about the secret she still housed beneath her clothing, Maude quickly ducked behind a fallen tree. She had managed to sneak in a weapon under everyone's noses, including the Grand Soothsayer.

Sitting on the ground, she withdrew the dagger.

The red strip of silk was still tied around the handle, the dull grey blade that sucked the light in rather than reflect it, its runes unreadable to her.

Removing the bag from her shoulder, Maude wrapped the dagger her mother had given her in an extra pair of leggings she had packed before stowing it again.

She slouched against the moss-covered log, her shoulders feeling weighed down by the secret she carried while in this sacred space.

With the amount of drink and powdered mushrooms that Maude had detected as they passed through the camps, trouble was around the corner for them, and she refused to be unarmed and vulnerable.

The talk she'd had with Bryn left her feeling exhausted, especially after the day they'd had hiking through the mountains and then having to withstand a ritual to enter Hilgafell.

With one hand, Maude reached up and ran her fingers over her face. The dry splatters of blood were still caked on her skin, the edges softening in her sweat and running down in faint streaks that only served to remind her of what was asked of her when she entered Hilgafell.

And do you accept Hela herself into your blood and soul, Daughter of Shadows?

I read your fate, Daughter of Shadows.

Maude needed to speak with the Soothsayer. Alone. Tomorrow, when their entire day was filled with no responsibilities, Maude would speak with the older woman and get some answers of her own.